No Child Left Inside

At the national American Montessori Society conference a few years ago we heard speakers from all over the country citing bewildering facts about the rise in autism, ADHD, visual, cognitive and motor delays due to the child's changing environment. According to Marlene Barron, professor at NYU, the chemicals in our air, water, food, clothing and cleaning products are affecting our childrens' physical development. The tendency of parents to keep their children strapped into high chairs, car seats, infant seats, bouncers, walkers, strollers is affecting children's motor development. Our modern affinity for TV, movies, computers and electronic games has children staring at screens in every room of the house, in the car and even in the crib. As a result children are showing delays in visual tracking skills. At last year's AMS conference Dr. Joanne Deak pointed out that children's social skills are imparied by their decreasing face-to-face interactions with real people as phones, tvs, computers, games and social networking occupies more of their time.

An article in the October 29, 2007 issue of Newsweek suggests that our fear of germs may be adversely affecting the natural development of bacteria in our bodies which synthesize vitamins and regulate immune systems. In fact, a soil microbe found in Africa was shown to have powerful effects on the immune system.

The November 2007 issue of Scientific American suggests that due to our fear of skin cancer and our increasingly indoor lifestyle we are not getting enough vitamin D from the sun which increases our risk for cancer, multiple sclerosis and auto-immune disorders.

Richard Louv points out in his 2006 book Last Child in the Woods that parents are afraid to let their children play outside any more. Between the media-inflated fears of child snatchers to the real threat of litigation should anyone get hurt parents more and more often opt to keep their children clean, safe and inside. He references studies in which disorders such as autism and ADHD are successfully treated with experiences in a natural environment.

Apparently, many of today's concerns - chemical pollutants, delays in motor and visual development, autism, ADHD and a paucity of vitamin D might be treated by simply letting your child go outside and dig a hole or build a tree house or just sit in the bushes for awhile. In fact, Louv points out, if our children do not make this connection with nature they will grow up without value for the wild places we have taken such pains to preserve, not able to continue our work in providing a treasury of wilderness areas which not only ensure a healthy earth, but healthy childhoods for coming generations. As Mr. Louv says, "Passion does not arrive on videotape or on a CD; passion is personal. Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature."______________________________________________________________________

The Normalized Child

Maria Montessori believed that every child has an intrinsic desire to do productive work. What she conceived of as the "normalization" of a child is that process by which the child is able to achieve a level of concentration in order to recognize, organize, and accomplish productive work. In the 1- to 6-year-old child the important tasks to be mastered are fine and large motor control, language, communication, social and self care skills, such as pouring, tying, buckling and washing, which result in greater independence and higher self esteem. Also important at this time are sensorial experiments with which the child discovers a great many principles in spatial relationships, physics, geometry, algebra, art and physiology. Only after these basic needs have been met can the child begin to turn concentrative powers on the more abstract skills required for reading, math and the many sophisticated subjects covered at the elementary level.

Maria worked with children of the 1900's through the 1940's whose behavior was a result of the popular notion of the time that "children should be seen and not heard" and who, in order to meet this level of acceptance, were plied with sweets and pretty, but useless toys. Today the options that the average child has are infinitely broader with most homes supplying sand boxes, art supplies, and creative toys and games. However, we also have TV, videos, a bewildering array of electronic toys, Nintendo, and mega-doses of sugar and additives in virtually every packaged food, all of which work to distract and disorient the child from his natural course. The adult attitude of the 2000's is much the same as that of the 1920's in that many believe brightly colored and frivolous things most delight the child when in reality the average child would make much more use of a trowel and a patch of earth, or a cardboard box. Haven't you and your child spent time wandering through the aisles of Toys R Us trying to find something you really want?

In the Toddler Class normalization is seen in the ability of the child to transition smoothly from home to classroom, the child finding increasing satisfaction in moving around the room independently and concentrating intently on each task. In the Early Childhood classroom we see normalization occurring as the toys go untouched and the children find increasingly challenging tasks which meet their needs, practicing again and again. Teachers say less frequently, "What work are you going to choose?" or "Would you like to do a lesson with me?". The classroom has quieted down and at the first call to circle even the smallest are putting away their work and coming to sit down. In the Elementary Class there is a quiet hum of activity all morning while students practice Language and Math skills. Throughout the afternoon the class is characterized by happy chatter, songs and games and the "oohs" and "aahs" of the Cultural lessons. Normalized Elementary students delight in their work, are able to solve problems independently and show an unusual empathy and kindness for others of every age, gender and ability. Perhaps the happiest sign of a normalized class is the smile on the face of the child absorbed in productive activity in a peaceful, harmonious classroom.

"Only 'normalized' children, aided by their environment, show in their subsequent development those wonderful powers that we describe: spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others."
Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

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Toddler Time
News from the Tadpoles and Sunflower Classes

By now our toddlers are happily normalizing to the school routine. They can find their own hooks and cubbies, where their things are stored, and they move confidently about the room choosing activities to practice. They use polite table manners at snack time and they know where to find necessary equipment when it's time to clean up the classroom or wipe up a spill. Young children enjoy these responsibilities and can easily be more independent at home.

Make hooks arelow enough for your toddler to reach so she can hang up her coat as soon as she walks in the door. As winter approaches it is helpful to keep snow boots near the door too, so your child can find them easily when it is time to go. A small whisk broom, a dish cloth cut into small squares and a sponge cut in half can be kept in a basket on a low shelf so your toddler can easily help with clean up operations. The Montessori Services catalogs we sent home recently offer a child-sized carpet sweeper that is immensely helpful in allowing the child to clean up crumbs and dirt.

Allow plenty of time for your toddler to dress himself. Make sure clothes are of the slip-on/off nature to ensure independence and success. Acceptable choices for the season can be hung on a low rod in the closet to enable your child to choose his own clothes. You may want to buy clothes in the same color palette to ensure his success in matching until he can pick out good combinations on his own.

In the kitchen, provide a low shelf with snack items in small quantities so that your child can fix herself a snack at any time. Child-sized place settings, plates, bowls and glasses will enable your child to practice fine motor eating skills at meal times. Again allow plenty of time and resist the urge to feed your child. She will gain much more by feeding and dressing herself, even though it will take longer and the end product may not be as neat! As Susan Stephenson says in the Back-to-School 2001 issue of Tomorrow's Child:

"It is not good for children when we, parents and teachers, push them into stages that they are not ready for. But neither is it good for us to hold children back when they are ready to operate independently. Every unnecessary help is really a hindrance to development. This is true at any age, from a child who is ready to wean himself from nursing, to the young child who wants to pick out her own clothing in the morning, to the teenager who decides to study the electric guitar instead of the viola."

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Early Childhood Calendar

Otters, Turquoise and Cottonwoods Class News

Monday - Art
Last month we drew self-portraits, learned about landscape, still life and abstract art, and each class began studies of an artist of the Renaissance, Rembrandt van Ryn. In November we will move on to the Impressionists with a look at Mary Cassat. Children enjoy the family scenes she depicted and the warmth of her colors.

Tuesday - History
We have begun the Thanksgiving timeline, each week adding another chapter to the story and acting it out. Thus far we've discussed King James, castles and dungeons, and the flight of the Separatists to Holland. In 1620 they came back to England, packed the Mayflower and left for the New World. We'll bring the story up to the present in time for our Thanksgiving Feast.

Wednesday - Geography
Up until now we have studied the layers of the Earth, how the Earth got its shape and the basic land and water forms (island, lake, cape, bay, peninsula, gulf, strait and isthmus). We have seen how a map is made by cutting the globe in half and flattening it. We are now ready to embark on our study of the continents beginning with North America and the indigenous plants, animals and people. If you have any Native American dolls or treasures to share with the class, this would be a good time to send them in.

All EC classes will attend the Navajo Rug Show at Snow Park Lodge in Deer Valley on November 10th. In the spirit of the Native American give-away, students will make a presentation of the proceeds they helped earn at the Children's Fair and non-perishable food donations from the Fall Food Drive to our "adopted" Grandmother Frances Bahe and her friends through Adopt-a-Native Elder. This is always a wonderful cultural immersion experience which complements our Native American studies beautifully. Speak to a teacher if you'd like to come along. Please send in non-perishable food, simple medicines (Park Avenue Campus) and/or sewing supplies (Jeremy Ranch Campus) by Monday, November 7th. Thank you!

Thursday - Literature
Tomie de Paola is the author of the month. His humorous and poignant stories are fun to read aloud. He has also written and illustrated several Native American legends to contribute to our Geography and History lessons. If you have a favorite de Paola book to share, please send it to school with your child this month.

Friday - Biology
Through October we have studied invertebrates (animals with no bones), collected specimens for a Bug Zoo and studied several types in person. In November we study plants by cultivating beans and learning (and eating) the parts of a plant. This study culminates in preparing vegetables for our Thanksgiving Feast.

Thanksgiving Feast
November 23rd will be a "Party Day" beginning at 9:30 am with all children dismissing at noon. Children are invited to dress as Pilgrims or Native Americans, participate in some special Thanksgiving activities, cook their own feast and act out the entire Thanksgiving Timeline one last time. The costume can be as elaborate or simple as you and your child care to make it. There will be sign-ups posted on classroom doors soon for the necessary items._______________________________________________________________________

Elementary Update

News from the Moose Tracks and Eagle's Nest Classes

Monday - History
This month we bring our Timeline of Life into recent history with a look at US History and states.

Tuesday - North America
From the study of the formation of the Earth we move on to the specifics of weather, atmosphere and sea currents and a look at the features and cultures of North America. This unit will culminate in a Pioneer Feast on November 23rd.

Wednesday - Art
The class has covered a review of sketching basic shapes, the color wheel and color mixing. We will also review art history, develop sketching skills and try our hand at various techniques. Students are encouraged to practice, practice, practice! Remind them to bring along a sketch book when going to a restaurant or on a car trip.

Thursday - Zoology
In November the elementary class will review characteristics and nomenclature of invertebrates and then examine various species. If you find any specimens crawling around, please bring them in for observation.

Friday - Field Trips
In Montessori education there is a tradition of "going out" which means getting out into the world in order to apply the academic learning of the week. Although from time to time there is talk of adopting the half day Friday schedule of the public school calendar we have held fast to our field trip tradition because it is a fabulous and unique opportunity to expand our horizons. This means we'll need drivers and reminders about wearing school t-shirts. Thank you in advance for your help in "going out".

November 10th the Elementary Class will make presentations of proceeds from the Children's Fair and the Fall Food Drive to our "adopted" Navajo Grandmother Frances Bahe, her relatives and friends at the Navajo Rug Show at Snow Park Lodge in Deer Valley. This represents the culmination of the months of planning, organizing and promoting the Children's Fair for which the Elementary students took primary responsibility last spring. What a satisfying feeling of a job well done!

Other fun stuff:
Thank you for support of the Eagle's Nest Class bake sale through which they hope to raise money for a tree frog habitat.

Courtney continues introducing vocabulary and simple phrases. Each lesson involves games, crafts, songs and stories in Spanish.

We have begun Creative Movement classes in preparation for our dance contribution to the Winter Celebration. Ask your student to show you his/her dance quality!

Mark Your Calendar

November 5th...
Happy Birthday, Tama!

November 8th...
Happy Birthday, Anita!

November 7th...
Deadline for donations of non-perishable foods for our Fall Food Drive to benefit Adopt-a-Native Elder including our adopted Grandmother Frances Bahe. Park Avenue Campus is also collecting simple medicines (cough drops, hand lotions, etc.) and Jeremy Ranch Campus is also collecting sewing supplies (3 yards of cotton for a shirt, 5 yards for a skirt). Drop off donations at the collection boxes inside the front doors. Thank you!

November 10th...
Navajo Rug Show at Snow Park Lodge in Deer Valley. EC and Elementary students will attend during normal school hours. Drivers needed. Talk to your child's teacher if you can help.

November 15th...
19th Annual PC Children's Fair planning meeting 2:00 pm Park Avenue Campus

November 21st...
Registration deadline for ski program - ask your child's teacher for details.

November 23rd...
Class Feasts - NOON DISMISSAL
Toddlers - normal class schedule including a simple feast (9:00 - noon)
Early Childhood - Party Day begins at 9:30 am, Thanksgiving Feast until noon.
Elementary - Pioneer Feast from 11:00 am until noon.

November 24th & 25th...
Thanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL

November 21st...
Angel Trees project to benefit Peace House begins. Deadline for donations is December 12th.

December 9th...
Deadline for gift exchange for all classes. (Toddlers will not participate in the gift exchange this year.)

December 14th & 15th...
Rehearsal for all students at Santy Auditorium, 1255 Park Avenue. Normal class hours. All classes will meet and pick up at Park Avenue Campus in preparation for the Winter Celebration.

December 16th...
Winter Celebration, "A Winter Carol" 11:00 am, Santy Auditorium. All students involved, families and friends invited! All students to meet in costume at Park Avenue Campus - EC and Elementary at 9:00 am, Toddlers at 10:30 am. Look for details around the 1st of December. NOON DISMISSAL.

December 19th - 30th...WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL.
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Soaring Wings PTSO News

Fall Food Drive The Navajo Rug Show is a wonderful warm experience at the Snow Park Lodge, filled with rugs, jewelry and art of great beauty made by talented hands from simple materials. There are rich sights, sounds, smells and the taste of Navajo fry bread. What a glorious beginning to our season of thankfulness to sit among these people who know something we tend to forget in our fast-paced, consumer-oriented lives. Thank you for your help in making our SWPTSO Fall Food Drive successful. Thanks to Erin Martin, Tama D'Angelo and Leah Linebarger for organizing this. Remember to drop off nonperishable foods by November 7th. PA Campus is also collecting, simple medicines like aspirin, Vicks Vapo-rub and hand cream. JR Campus is also collecting sewing supplies - 3 yards of cotton for a shirt, 5 yards for a skirt.

Conference Refreshments Thanks to organizers Jules Manning, Erin Marin and Stevie Harrison and the many parents who help maintain something refreshing during the busy days of Parent/Teacher Conferences.

Angel Trees Angel Trees benefitting Peace House is our next project. The trees will go up on November 21st and the deadline is December 12th to choose an angel and return it to the tree with the requested item. Families often come to Peace House with nothing more than the pajamas on their backs and rely on donations to get a new start and make the holidays comfortable for their children. There will be Angel Trees at the PC Library and at the Summit County Library. Lynn Chadderdon and Anne Weinrauch are organizing volunteers. Please let any teacher know if you would like to help.

Park City Children's Fair Fair Chair Lina Singleton and her team of volunteers will soon begin organizing the 19th Annual Park City Children's Fair to be held Sunday June 3rd in City Park. The next planning meeting is set for Tuesday November 15th at 2:00 pm at the Park Avenue Campus .We still need parents to help organize entertainment, exhibitors, food and games. Please let any teacher know if you are interested in helping or contact Lina at lina@soaringwings.org.

The SWPTSO is a volunteer organization consisting of teachers, parents and students working together to support our school. They organize civic, social and fundraising projects that enhance the school community. The trick is organizing the projects just enough so that the children can take responsibility for making contributions to their community. The result is students who feel as if they can make a difference in their world.

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School Bulletin Board

Utah Montessori Council Conference
On Friday and Saturday, January 27th and 28th our faculty will attend the 9th Annual Conference of the Utah Montessori Council, "The Magic of Montessori" at the Maria Montessori Academy in Ogden. There is a vast array of workshops this year including positive discipline, multiple intelligences, peace education and child development. Registration is $60 including lunch, $75 after December 15th. If you are interested in attending, contact duna@soaringwings.org.

Ski Program
This year's ski program is being organized by our Lower Elementary teacher Michelle Aldrich and Park City Mountain Resort. Lessons will be offered Wedneday afternoons beginning January 11th through February 8th. All students over the age of three who are registered for Early Childhood Plus Enrichment, EC Plus Elementary Prep, Lower Elementary or Upper Elementary are eligible. If you've not yet seen an infomation packet, please ask your child's teacher about this. The registration deadline is November 21st.

Winter Is Just Around the Corner!
As the snow begins to fly remember to send your child with boots, jackets, hats and mittens each day since we will be going outside on all but the most severe days.

• All belongings should have names in them.
• All jackets and snow suits should have hanging loops.
• A pair of slippers in the cubby/locker for the winter is a good idea.
• Please check the Lost and Found in the north stairwell on the first floor of the Park Avenue Campus and in the classrooms at Jeremy Ranch periodically.

On severe weather days be sure to listen to KPCW, 91.9 FM; if the public schools close because of weather, we will close also.

Party Days
The Early Childhood classes hold three "Party Days" annually. These are scheduled for Halloween, the day before Thanksgiving Break and Valentine's Day. The Party Day is designed to afford the Early Childhood student ample time to learn productive ways to celebrate through crafts, cooking, songs and stories without overwhelming their sense of order. Class begins for all EC students at 9:30 am on these three days. Please check the holiday calendar on our website (www.soaringwings.org) to be sure you have these days and other school events marked on your calendar.

Thanksgiving
NO SCHOOL Thursday and Friday November 24th and 25th, Thanksgiving Break.

Holiday Wishes
Although we enjoy very well equipped classrooms we are always looking to add to our collection of cultural materials from around the world. Since many of our families are world travelers, we have created the following 'wish list'.

• dolls from around the world
• child-sized shoes, hats, clothing, instruments or cookware from different cultures
• hard bound or board books depicting children of various cultures

Homes for the Holidays
Who wants a pet for the holidays? Our classroom pets are special and instill a feeling of responsibility in the children who care for them. Our current tally is; one chinchilla, 2 rats, 1 lizard, 5 parakeets, a bunch of fishes and frogs, 3 turtles, a snake and a partridge in a pear tree (not really, it just seemed to flow right into place!). If you would like to adopt any of the above for the holidays or if you could come in every two or three days to feed them, we would be most appreciative! Talk to any teacher if you want the job.

Namaste'
Thank you for always thinking of us! We teachers consider it a treat to work with your children; we use the phrase "go to school" rather than "go to work". And even the most dreary day is brightened immensely with the thoughtful words and gifts you all seem to think of. We try to thank the many parents whose contributions have made our school so special, but we also appreciate the many other acts of kindness that make us all smile throughout the day.
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