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News & NotesDEARBORN HEIGHTS MONTESSORI CENTER

DECEmbEr 2014–JANuArY 2015

Food drive helps Gleaners create a bountiful seasonmany thanks to everyone in the DHMC

community who supported “A Bounti-ful Season Begins with You,” our November food drive for Gleaners Community Food Bank. We surpassed our goal of raising 1,500 pounds of food for hungry families in south-eastern Michigan! “Our DHMC students, families, and staff were so generous,” says Sue Fitzpatrick, Par-enting Support and Community Outreach coordinator. “Not only did we exceed our goal by a few extra pounds, but we were able to share an important community service and help foster compassion in our children.” The schoolwide food drive took place during the two weeks preceding Thanksgiv-ing week. Each student from toddler through Middle School took home a Gleaners grocery bag to fill with food. Students helped weigh, sort, and track the donations. Taking a cue

from the Montessori golden bead math mate-rial, we created a 1,000-cube chart and placed it in the lobby. For each 10 pounds of food donated, a paper golden bead was added to the board. As we had hoped, the food drive sparked discussions and thoughtfulness among students. Extended Day students Oliver Kurtz, 5, and Isaac Perkins, 6, worked as a team to weigh one day’s donations. When asked if they knew where all of the food would be going, Isaac immediately offered, “To all the needy families who don’t have enough to eat.” Oliver replied, “I knew that too, but I wanted to let Isaac tell you.” To support the food drive, Oliver earned a few dollars by complet-ing extra chores around his home, including cleaning out the sandbox and helping clean

Fa la la la la…It’s time for our Holiday Sing!Please plan to attend DHmC’s annual Holiday Sing on Friday, December 19. Children from toddler through middle School have been working hard to prepare for this festive musical gathering for families, and we hope to see you there. Performance times are:

n 10:30 a.m.: Toddler and preschool–kindergarten morning sessions and lower elementary.

n 2:30 p.m.: Preschool–kindergarten afternoon session, upper elementary, and middle School.

Third graders Elaina Gress (left) and Eva Ibrahim help weigh donations for Gleaners. Our November food drive brought in more than 1,500 pounds of food!

2 News & Notes / December 2014–January 2015 www.dhmontessori.org

from the head of school

What do we really teach? montessori schools are known

for their academic excel-lence, and by this point in the year we can view the children’s academic growth with pride. Our goals, however, go beyond the acquisition of specific knowledge or concepts. I have listed below some of the primary objectives of a Montessori program. These are truly “life skills”; the child who has them will always be able to learn, grow, and adapt.

Develop a positive attitude toward school and learningMost classroom activities are individualized, and thus meet each child’s level of interest and readiness. Children can work at a comfortable pace, and repeat activities when they wish. The result is a high level of success, and a positive attitude toward learning itself.

Develop self-confidence and independenceIn a Montessori classroom, materials are sequenced so that new learning builds upon infor-mation the child has already mastered. As children experience success after success as they move through incremental tasks, their confidence grows. They don’t fear challenging work. Their good feelings about their learn-ing lead them to choose inde-pendently and trust in their ability to learn.

Build concentrationA good learner must be able to listen carefully, and focus on what is being said, demonstrated, or, later, read. Montessori class-room materials attract the child’s interest. They are often hands-on manipulatives, and children are encouraged to repeat activities. This practice builds a longer attention span, and develops the

concentration needed for effec-tive learning.

Foster curiosityOur society is changing rapidly, and today’s children will need to be lifetime learners. Inherent to the desire to learn is curi osity, and this quality is developed wonderfully in Montessori class-rooms. There are so many oppor-tunities to explore—to discover qualities, dimensions, and rela-tionships. The materials are stimulating and open-ended; “let’s find out” is the attitude.

Learn to discriminate and judgeSorting and matching activities encourage the youngest chil-dren to note differences in size, shape, color, texture, sound, smell, and taste. Older children have much practice with con-cepts such as sequencing, classi-fying, and associating. They are excellent observ ers, and have many opportunities to experi-ment and evaluate.

Develop initiative and persistenceBecause the materials are appeal-

ing and age-appropriate, chil-dren quickly learn to choose indepen dently, thus laying the foundations for becoming self-starters. Class room ground rules encourage task completion, and require that children put away materials when finished. Self-correcting materials, which help the children to complete them successfully without adult intervention, aid children in developing “stick-to-it-iveness.”

Build inner security and a sense of orderThe enriched and orderly envi-ronment satisfies the child’s need for order. All Montessori class-rooms are calming places for children. Each item has a place, the ground rules are imple-mented fairly and consistently—in short, school becomes a dependable, secure place for children.

Develop sensory-motor skillsBoth large and small muscles are developed in a Montessori classroom. The many fine- motor activities—for the young-est children in the Practical Life

montessori

children

have many

opportunities

to explore, to

experience,

to experiment,

and to practice

without fear

of failure.

Artwork by Ethan Hall, 3

News & Notes / December 2014–January 2015 3www.dhmontessori.org

and Sensorial areas, and for oth-ers in academic manipulatives—encour age the effective use of hands and fingers. Free move-ment throughout the room and outdoors, the opportunity to move the materials around, and specific grace and balance activi-ties help children gain control over their bodies.

Develop social skillsTeachers treat children with respect, and children learn to do the same for each other. Working and playing with other children builds cooperation and group spirit. A Montessori class-

room is a mini-society in which everyone has responsibilities to the group and everyone contrib-utes. The aim of classroom dis-cipline is to guide children toward self-control, and to help them learn positive conflict- resolution skills.

Develop creative intelligence and imaginationMontessori children are exposed to a world of movement, sound, color, texture, shape, and lan-guage. They have many opportu-nities to explore, to experience, to experiment, and to practice

without fear of failure. Large- and small-muscle activities help them to master their bodies, so they are able to write, to paint, to build—to create.

Children who have been given the opportunity of a Mon-tessori education are very lucky. They have “learned how to learn.” They are free to develop the tools they will need for a life-time of creative learning.

Toddlers have a ball in the gymIndoor play is an important part of toddler development—and what better way to have a ball than to play with one! Above left are Madeleine Machnacki (left) and Angelica Kazanmashev; above right is Amir Goins. Toddlers love making the journey down the toddler/preschool hallway to the gym, where they have the opportunity to run, jump, and play with soft, colorful balls.


Congratulations to upper ele-mentary teacher Regina

Dunn, winner of a 2014 Top Teacher Award from Metro Par-ent Magazine! Dozens of southeastern Mich-igan teachers were nominated by Metro Parent readers, and Regina was one of two Top Teachers fea-tured in the December 2014 issue of the publication. As the article on her notes, one student’s letter of nomination began with this: “Mrs. Regina is The Cheese-cake Factory of teachers. Every day is rich and interesting and, most of all, different from the day before.” As of this writing, the stack of December Metro Parent issues in our lobby was nearly gone, so if you weren’t able to pick one up, be sure to check out the article on Metro Parent’s website, www.metroparent.com (under the School tab).

Save the date for movie Night: It’s Disney’s Frozen!The Parents Association’s annual Movie Night is set: We’ll be showing the animated Disney hit Frozen on the big screen in the DHMC gymnasium on Friday, February 6. Additional details will be available in January. We hope you’ll join us!

DHmC shines as host of montessori conference Nearly 400 Montessori profes-sionals from across the state spent Saturday, November 8 at DHMC for the Michigan Mon-tessori Society’s fall conference, “Best Practices V: A Selection of Short Courses.” DHMC’s facili-ties, staff, students, and parents combined to provide an ideal setting for guests to further their knowledge on topics such as parent communication, Teacher Talk, math, geography, and sci-ence. Participants left with useful information to take back to their classrooms. Of the 25 courses offered that day, seven were taught by staff from DHMC’s network of schools:n Sue Fitzpatrick and Heidi

Gauger: “Teacher Talk—Preschool Level” and “Teacher Talk—Elementary Level”

n Margherita Rodriguez and Kathy Ward: “Having a Blast with Science: Exploring the Scientific Method” (elemen-tary level)

n Peggy Simms: “Bridging the Gap” and “Feed Me…Feed My Mind…Feed My Senses” (both toddler level)

n Mary Beth Haliburda: “Character Education—Edu-cating the Whole Child” (elementary level)

n Sandy Ewasek (from our Plymouth-Canton Montes-sori School): “Enliven Your Practical Life Works and Calm Your Room” (preschool- kindergarten level)

Several students and parents also devoted part of their week-end to the conference:n Middle Schoolers Hadi

Allos, Mahmoud Hage, and Hayden Kibbey helped out with a variety of projects during the day.

n Lauren Newton and Eric Kurtz (Oliver and Sebastian’s parents) helped with setup and cleanup, and Lauren gave a parent’s perspective in Peggy Simms’s “Bridging the Gap” toddler class.

“Our staff worked very hard to prepare for the conference, which was very well-attended,”

Bulletin Board

regina Dunn wins Top Teacher Award

Regina Dunn is a Metro Parent Magazine 2014 Top Teacher!

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says Kay Neff, head of school. “Our school made a positive impression on all who visited on conference day. Everyone who pitched in—staff, students, par-ents—should be very proud.”

update: book Fair, Cards for a Cause profit tops $5KSales of Cards for a Cause—the Parents Association’s fundraiser held in conjunction with the Usborne Book Fair earlier this fall—exceeded all expectations: The combined profit from the two endeavors topped $5,000! “The Parents Association is absolutely thrilled that so many of our DHMC families pur-chased Cards for a Cause,” says Parents Association President Melissa Khalil (Ramsey, Ava, and AJ’s mom). “We were already excited about how well the Usborne Book Fair went, and then to have the Cards for a Cause also be so successful—we’re very grateful to everyone who sup-ported both fundraisers.” The Parents Association will use the proceeds to help fund maintenance of our school’s out-door hab itat and support DHMC events and activities such as Movie Night.

Eco-friendly sandwich bags on sale at middle martDon’t forget: In keeping with our “green” school initiatives, the Middle School Middle Mart is selling compostable waxed- paper sandwich bags for $2 per box of 60. Help keep plastic bags out of landfills by purchasing a box of compostable bags today! The Middle Mart is open from 7 to 8 a.m. and 4 to 5 p.m.

Pin-punch work by Leah Betsistas, 3. Pin-punching, a precursor to handwriting, takes a great deal of focus and concentration!

Family Activity Night lets guests explore the globeAbout 35 families accepted the invitation to “travel the world” at our Preschool–Extended Day Family Activity Night on December 4. Students received a passport, which they could get stamped as they completed activities at the seven stations—one for each continent—set up in the gym. In Africa, they created a pyramid of Egypt and a tribal mask from madagascar. In Australia, they crafted a sheep as well as a rain stick. In North America, they made an American flag and a cactus landscape.

In Europe, they decorated a pizza collage for Italy and colored a map of Spain, which was then folded into a hand fan. In Asia, they created a dragon (China) and a peacock (India). In South America, they designed paper Inca necklaces and made brazilian maracas. In Antarctica, it was ice cream sundaes!At left, Extended Day student Emmanuel Taylor is wearing his Inca necklace as he colors a map of Spain.


Yee-haw! Family Dance is a hitSome 75 guests moseyed on down to DHmC on Thursday, November 13 for our Kindergarten–middle School Family Dance. Professional caller Jim Tait (music teacher Pat’s husband) led a variety of traditional square dances as well as group favorites such as the Chicken Dance and the macarena. Fall refreshments of cider and doughnuts rounded out the evening. many participants got into the spirit of the gathering and came dressed for a hoedown. Clockwise from left: Sisters Laila (preschool) and Fatima Farhat (third grade) wear matching pink dresses, which they paired with pink boots. n Two more sets of sisters show their toe-tapping spirit through their festive clothing choices: From left are Dahlia Abraham (fourth grade), Tia Shuayto (third grade), Yara Shuayto (second grade), and Natalia Abraham (first grade). n First grader Serena Mahmoud, in hoedown-ready hat, gingham shirt, and boots, is happy to step lively with mom Naama Sleiman.


the garage. He then went shop-ping with his mom “not for junk food, but for growing food!” Eighth grader Cara Dunn also made healthy food choices. She studied the suggestions for donations in the food pyramid printed on the Gleaners grocery bags and then carefully chose at least three items from each of the six food groups to be sure to

provide a balanced meal. As students weighed, sorted, and tracked the donations, they practiced mathematical concepts, teamwork, and communication. They solved physics challenges by getting unevenly shaped pack-ages to balance on the scale. They worked together to choose and swap out items in order to reach the 5-pound mark on the scale.

They counted by tens to review how many pounds of food they had weighed and then added the corresponding number of golden beads to the 1,000-cube chart. Middle School students found they could bypass use of the 5-pound scale and simply add together the ounces printed on the food packaging. Thoughtfulness and courtesy were evident. Third grader Eva Ibrahim was concerned that her classmate Elaina Gress, also in third grade, would not have an opportunity to weigh and sort food before she left on a family vacation. Eva consider-ately reminded their teachers about it to be sure Elaina would have a turn. While updating the 1,000-cube chart, preschooler Zain Ahmad had his friend Dominic Wright glue on the golden beads first because Dominic could reach that part of the board; Zain would then manage the higher areas. The impact of the food drive was not lost on our students. While weighing donations, Adeline Tanner, 5, exclaimed, “This food weighs as much as I do!” As 4-year-olds Nabil Saad and Madison Alfonsi worked together to weigh many bags of food, they talked about how the donations would help families who had lost jobs. Later the two preschoolers pushed the cart of food down the hall to sort the items into large boxes designated by category: soup, baby food, vegetables, fruit, meat and fish, and so forth. They both agreed that “this was a fun job!”

Food drive helps Gleaners continued from page 1

Above: Second grader Margaux Marrel (left) and third grader Stewart Johns point with pride to the growing donation tally during our two-week “A Bountiful Season Begins with You” food drive for Gleaners. At left: Preschoolers Nabil Saad (left) and Madison Alfonsi add paper golden beads to the 1,000-cube tally chart—one golden bead for every 10 pounds of food donated.


Winter reminders When the weather outside is frightful, our children can still enjoy a safe, healthy winter. Keep these school reminders handy!

Fend off colds and flu all winter long

As we move into the winter months, we enter that time

of year when it can be a chal-lenge to keep our children healthy. A few proactive steps can help our DHMC staff and parents work together to achieve a healthy school environment.

Keeping germs at bayWe disinfect tables and play sur-faces several times daily. We always have the children wash their hands before eating and after toileting. Experts cite two useful tips to help children avoid spreading germs: n Wash your hands for the right amount of time—and in the right way—to help get rid of germs. Have your child rub his or her hands together vigor-ously with soap and warm water for 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday”).n Cover coughs. Because few people wash their hands after they cough into them, many nurses suggest that children cough into their inner elbow instead of their hands.

If your child is sickWhen your child goes home sick, you will be asked to sign our Sick Child Policy. As a reminder, this policy states the following:n Each week, we must report all cases of contagious diseases to the county.n Children sent home with a

fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea may not return the next day. They must be fever-free and free from these symptoms for at least 24 hours.n We cannot accept a child for care if he or she has recently vomited, or has a fever or profuse nasal discharge. n We will not administer Tyle-nol or aspirin to treat a fever. This only masks the symptoms of illness and contagion.

We require staff members to stay at home when they are ill. Please do the same for your child, not only to avoid the spread of contagious illness but also to ensure a speedier recovery for your young patient. We appreciate your coopera-tion during cold and flu season!

Is your child dressed for outdoor play?At DHMC, we’re prepared to enjoy outdoor play all winter! State licensing rules require outdoor playtime for children, and DHMC is committed to making exercise and free move-ment available to our students. Studies have indicated that children who play outdoors, even during cold weather for short periods of time, have fewer respiratory illnesses. The school staff will use reasonable dis cretion in deciding if weather conditions are appropriate for children to be outdoors. You

can find complete details about our Outdoor Policy on our web-site: Go to www.dhmontessori .org and click on Parent Resources, then Handbook & Forms, then School Closing/Outdoor Policy. Please remember to dress your child in weather-appropri-ate clothing. As we move into winter, the children will need heavier coats, hats, mittens, snow pants, boots, and other cold-weather gear every day. Also, please clearly label all outer wear so that the children (and teachers) can easily find their belongings. With your help, we are happy to provide a wonderful outdoor experience for your child at DHMC!

School closing policy for snow daysWhen bad weather strikes, DHMC makes every effort to keep the school open—or at least day care and latchkey. We will follow the lead of Crestwood Public Schools for snow days only. We will hold classes if/when the reason for closure by Crestwood Public Schools does not seem relevant to our facility and student body. Except in the most extreme weather situations, day care and latchkey will be available. Because weather con-ditions vary from city to city, the decision to come to school should be made at the discretion of the parent. DHMC will make the school closing decision between 5 and 5:30 a.m. to allow time to contact television and radio stations and our staff. We will announce school closings no later than 6:30 a.m. through


the following media:n DHMC’s website:

www.dhmontessori.orgn DHMC’s Facebook pagen Emailn Television channels 2, 4,

and 7; WWJ-TV; and CW50

n Radio stations WWJ (AM 950) and WJR (AM 760)

n A recorded message on our

school’s answering machine: 313-359-3000

Due to space limitations, TV stations cannot indicate whether day care and latchkey will be open. If you see on TV or hear on the radio that DHMC is closed and you are in need of day care or latchkey services, please check

our website or Facebook page, check your email, or call the school and listen to the answer-ing machine message. If you have any questions about these procedures, please contact the office. The safety of our families and staff is our first priority, and we look forward to a safe, unevent-ful winter at DHMC.

From our art classes: Lichtenstein-style workStudents in lower and upper elementary art classes recently studied American pop artist roy lichtenstein, who was known for using ben-Day dots (dots created to print comics in news papers) and primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) in his work. Here we spotlight a few samples of student art created in lichtenstein’s style. For details about all of our art classes (preschool through middle School) as well as additional samples of students’ lichtenstein-style work, please see the November 2014 issue of News & Notes.

“Whaam” by Adam Hammoud, Grade 5

upper elementary students were charged with selecting an explosive word and then creating art (in primary colors) that describes the word:

“Sunset” by Julia Younes, Grade 3

“Crack!” by Brian Afonso, Grade 6


Giving

Clockwise from above: Stenciling work by Mahdi Farhat, 4. mahdi selected from a variety of Thankgiving- themed stencils and used ink daubers to color the shapes. n Third grader David Kibbey (left) and second grader Michael Lu take part in the lower elementary Thanksgiving soup luncheon. n Preschooler Evelyn Sherding, 3, is all set to enjoy her classroom’s Thanksgiving treats: muffins, fresh fruit, and pumpkin pie.

Students at all levels celebrated Thanksgiving at DHmC. Here are just a few of the many

activities that took place throughout our school


thanks

At the upper elementary level this year, each class set a table in preparation for a classroom feast. Students shared what they are thankful for, read poems they wrote, or talked about family traditions. Clockwise from top left: regina’s class is ready for the festivities. n margherita’s students share stories around the table. n Students in mary beth’s class participate in an affirmation activity: one person holds a ball of yarn and says something affirming about another person. When the yarn-holder finishes speaking, he or she passes the ball of yarn to the person he or she just affirmed. by the time everyone has had a turn to speak, the yarn has formed a web, as shown in the photo. “This gives us an opportunity to discuss how we are all connected,” says mary beth. “It’s a meaningful activity that we repeat at other times throughout the school year, and Thanksgiving is a perfect time to start it!”

DEARBORN HEIGHTS MONTESSORI CENTER

466 N. John DalyDearborn Heights, mI 48127-3703

313-359-3000www.dhmontessori.org

DATES TO REMEMBERDecember19 Friday Holiday Sing.

n 10:30 a.m.: Toddler and preschool–kindergarten morning sessions and lower elementary.

n 2:30 p.m.: Preschool–kindergarten afternoon session, upper elementary, and middle School.

22 Monday through Friday, January 2 Holiday Vacation. No SCHool. No DAY CArE. No lATCHKEY.

January 5 Monday Welcome Back! return to school.

6 Tuesday Parent Perks Meeting. 8:30 a.m. Complimentary child care provided.

8 Thursday Parents Association Meeting. 6 p.m. Complimentary child care provided.

9 Friday Middle School Trivia Night. Sixth grade families invited! 4–5:30 p.m.

14 Wednesday Picture Retake Day. During school hours.

15 Thursday “Dining to Donate” Fundraiser. All day (lunch and dinner). olga’s Kitchen (26308 Ford road, Dearborn Heights). Proceeds support middle School travel.

19 Monday Staff Professional Development. No SCHool. No DAY CArE. No lATCHKEY.


22 Thursday Curriculum Night and Moving Up Meeting. Preschool–middle School. 6 p.m. Complimentary child care provided.

24 Saturday Middle School Ice Skating Fundraiser. Watch for details.

February

2–6 Monday–Friday Middle School Internships. During school hours.


5 Thursday Parents Association Meeting. 6 p.m. Complimentary child care provided.

6 Friday Movie Night. The Parents Association presents Frozen. Time TbA.

11 Wednesday Open House for the Community. DHmC families welcome! 5:30–7 p.m.

16–17 Monday–Tuesday Midwinter Break. No SCHool. No DAY CArE. No lATCHKEY.

18 Wednesday Staff Professional Development. No SCHool. No DAY CArE. No lATCHKEY.

23 Monday “Dining to Donate” Fundraiser. All day (lunch and dinner). on the border (3310 Fairlane Drive, Allen Park). Proceeds support middle School travel.

“respect all

the reasonable forms

of activity in which the

child engages and try

to understand them.”

—Dr. Maria Montessori

Contour drawing by Chris Cadena, Grade 4. For this lesson in upper elementary art class, students each removed one of their shoes to use as a model. They

drew the basic lines of the footwear without lifting their pencils off the paper. They then concentrated on filling in the details.

earborn eights ontessori enter news & notes · and isaac perkins, 6, worked as a team to weigh...

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