kingswoodmontessori

"Let's Sit Down For Dinner"

2011-10-27T10:01:00.003-04:00

Last night I invited Dr. Joseph Mallet, child psychologist, to come and speak about positive discipline. He began his lecture with encouraging parents to sit down to dinner as a family every day. A simple routine that today with over scheduling, over working, over stimulation is sometimes lost.

Dinner time is a wonderful opportunity to expose children to new vocabulary, get sparks of interest on different topics and get their feedback on things that they are interested in and would like to explore further.

Those few minutes a day are an optimal time to build upon skills such as rational thinking, comprehension and cause and effect.

Some food for thought!

Peacocks: Friend or Foe?

2011-01-02T15:49:00.005-05:00

We have a family of peacocks living at Kingswood. They stroll around right before sunrise and come out again at dusk. When the weather is cooperative they like to take afternoon walks. They are magical creatures, reminiscent of ancient times, that truly exemplify the beauty of nature. The preschool children scream with joy every time they see one, like if the bird was a super hero or their favorite cartoon character. Adults are also fascinated by them. Sometimes while giving tours, they decide to make a presence as to impress the new visitors. Sure enough they are always greeted by surprise and amazement by the new comers, and they ask me, "are the peacocks also part of the school," until recently my answer was always, "No."
Last October one of the upper elementary students came up to me very upset, apparently the peacock had eaten the pineapple she had so diligently planted with her friends. It turns out the peacocks like to eat all the seeds the children plant. This made all the bird's beauty and splendor disappear in the eyes of those children; all they saw now was a bird that destroyed all their hard work.
Yet the peacocks have caused us to come up with clever more efficient ways to make our gardens blossom. For example: researching plants that the peacocks dislike, and asking gardeners for their expert advice on building contraptions that will deter the birds from eating our seeds. The experience has taught the children the hard work that goes behind tending a garden, and appreciate more the fruits of their labor. Now and again the peacocks outsmart us and get away with their share of the harvest, but that only makes us want to continue to strive to be better. This process is called growth, and for that we are thankful to the peacocks! But besides all that, its still pretty cool to have peacocks at our school. :)

Healthy Kingswood Kids!

2010-10-26T09:19:00.003-04:00

Children’s health is something of great concern to me. The statistics are alarming in this country. Lately you can’t pick up a parenting magazine without finding at least 5 articles about health issues. Unfortunately, even with all of this attention, our children are facing severe and worsening health challenges.
One out of four children suffers from allergies
One in ten children has been diagnosed with asthma
Type II diabetes is being diagnosed in children as young as 10
25% of our kids are overweight
One in twelve children has ADD or ADHD
One in ninety-one children is on the autism spectrum.
And for the first time in recent history, our children are not expected to live longer than we are. Luckily, there are many steps you can take to help your children move in the right direction on the path toward better health. The following are what I consider to be the top five things to do on your quest for better health. Of course there are more things you can do, and I encourage them, but for the sake of space, here are the top five.
1.Put good things into your body. This is the number one thing in achieving better health. Our body needs good building blocks. The food we eat should be whole, fresh, organic, clean, unprocessed, and full of nutritive value the way nature designed. We should avoid “edible food like substances” – processed foods full of chemical additives, dyes, and sweeteners (especially artificial).
2.Our drinks should be clean and pure as well. Water is the best liquid you can put into your body. 75% of your body is water and it needs to be replenished daily.
3.Get proper amounts of sleep. Sleep is the time that our bodies use to build, process, heal, regenerate and rest. We all need it. Without it our brains, digestive systems, immune systems, and muscular systems don’t work as well. Most children require 10-14 hours of sleep per day (newborns need more).
4.Have a positive mental attitude. It is absolutely true that our bodies are affected by our attitudes. In order to have a positive mental attitude, children need a home where they feel safe, happy, comfortable and confident. The saying “laughter is the best medicine” is very true. It boosts immunity, thereby making our children healthier. Focus on giving your child an environment where they feel loved, accepted, and confident.
5.Get plenty of exercise. Children are little balls of energy and they need to move. Kids should be getting at least one hour of structured physical activity and one hour of unstructured physical play per day. It stimulates their brains, balance, dexterity, muscles, and bones. And, it prepares them for a lifestyle of activity as they grow. Children who are active are more likely to become adults who are active.

At Kingswood we promote healthy eating habits and teach the children the importance of respecting their bodies as well as their environment. If you have any ideas on healthy options for children, send them our way to share with our community.

Coping With Seperation Anxiety

2010-08-21T20:47:00.004-04:00

One of the most difficult things for parents and children new to starting a school is coping with the separation anxiety. Seeing your child cry when he or she realizes you are leaving can be very emotional and difficult. However take comfort in knowing that your child's reactions as well as your own is very normal, hopefully this can make the process easier. Here are some tips you can take to hopefully make the transition a bit smoother for them as well as yourself.:
Familiarity: Face day and Open House are great opportunities for your child to adjust to his/her new environment and get to know their teachers and classmates. Visit the school several times before and talk to your child about what he/she will expect once they start.
Be Prepared: Recognize that your child may have may have difficulties separating. Young children often gauge situations by how adults respond to them. Therefore, try not to make your concerns too evident to your child. On the other hand, do not ignore or diminish your child's concerns. For example, it is okay to tell your child, "I know you are sad when mommy leaves, but I think of you all day and will be back to get you after you nap." Remember, too that staff members at Kingswood have a lot of experience with separation issues, and are there to help you and your child work through the transition. Feel free to call as many times as you like to check up during the day.
Be consistent: Having a routine during the first few weeks is essential. Young children cannot tell time or even recall day-today events, their sense of security comes from predictable routines. Waking up in the morning, leaving the house, saying your goodbyes in the same way each day, and picking up your child at the same of the day will provide much needed consistency. Sometimes having special rituals during drop-off and pick-up times can be helpful. After a time your child will learn that you will come back when you day you will. AS important, a foundation of trust is established between you and your child, one that will make future transitions easier.

All I need to Know...

2010-08-08T07:50:00.002-04:00

As we get ready to welcome in a new school year, I know that some parents might feel nervous, specially for those little ones that are starting school for the first time. Recently I ran into an excerpt on a wonderful book by Robert Fulghum: The only thing I ever really needed to know I learned in Kindergarten. I am sure you are familiar with it, and I thought it would be timely to share it with you now. Enjoy!

Share everything.

Play Fair.

Don't hit people.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours

Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life-learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out in the world watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

Be aware of wonder.

Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we aer all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the seed in the Styrofoam cup-they all die, so do we.

And then remember the Dick and Jane books and the first word you learned- the biggest word of all- LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living. Take any of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if all -the whole world- would have cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down for a nap. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and clean up there own mess. And it is true, no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Summer Fun!

2010-07-09T11:22:00.015-04:00

Spring Break Happenings by First Grade

2010-04-06T10:56:00.011-04:00

"We went to a hotel in Daytona Beach, had an Easter Egg hunt at my grandma's house, and made a bag for my Aunt's birthday." ~ Alexa

"I had an Easter Egg hunt and went and visited my dad's school and I also played with my friend!" ~Victoria L.

"My family went to Tampa, went to a Sea Aquarium, and also saw my Aunt's first baby. At the aquarium my favorite animals were the killer whales and dolphins." ~ Payne

"I had an Easter Egg hunt and the rest of the time I played in the pool with my brother. The water was COLD!" ~ R.J.

"I played a LOT of wii. I'm great at Mario Party Eight!" ~ Ian

"I went to Columbia with my Aunt for five days and visited my family." ~ Camilo

"My grandpa took me to Rapids Water Park, it was really fun when we went in the wave pool. I also went to Lion Country Safari with my grandparents and cousins." ~ Stephen

Feel the love at PATCHES! By Lacie and Moncia

2010-02-24T08:49:00.010-05:00

The Friday before Valentine's Day we delivered Valentine cards made by upper elementary to a place called PATCHES. PATCHES is like a school for children who have special medical needs. We greeted the children with Valentine's cards. They were so excited to see us and we were so excited to see them! Our visit inspired us to help PATCHES and their special needs children. Every Friday, we will have a bake sale and the money we make will be donated to PATCHES. We know they really need diapers, medicine, and some toys. Also, at movie night we want to collect money.

If you would like to learn more about PATCHES you can go to their website http://www.patchesppec.org/. Together we can all make a difference.

Winterfest FUN!

2010-02-17T08:46:00.009-05:00

A fun time was had by all in January at the Kingswood annual Winterfest event. See below for some great pictures of some great times!

Haiti Relief - One Piggy Bank at a time!

2010-01-21T13:00:00.004-05:00

Two Kingswood students showed a lot of compassion last week. Upon hearing about the many needs of the people in Haiti, our school started collecting funds to donate. Liam and Sonya, both Lower Elementary students, took this to heart. They went home, emptied their ENTIRE "piggy bank" savings, and brought in their money to donate. We are so proud of you two for showing such an act of kindness!

When asked why they chose to donate all the money they had in their "piggy banks", as opposed to some of it, they replied:

"I really wanted to help because the houses are all torn down." ~Sonya

"I wanted to feel good for Haiti. Now lots of people can buy the supplies they need."~Liam

Upper Elementary Letters to the students of Tepeyac.

2009-12-09T13:37:00.006-05:00

Below are the letters written by Monica, Jordi, Emilee, and Brandon.

They were created in a word document and the students had to add photos or clip art, and choose their font style, color, and size.

Some decided to write in English and others decided to write in Spanish (they best they could!) Enjoy!!

Update - Letters arrive from Tepeyac, Nicaragua!

2009-12-09T06:34:00.007-05:00

HOW EXCITING!!!! The students received letters from the children at the Tepeyac school in Nicaragua. They also received a disc with new pictures and videos that the children took of themselves with some interesting facts about their school and where they live.

The Kingswood Upper Elementary students, along with the Third Grade students, are creating letters and cards on the computer. They should be done before winter break and will be sent along with the school supplies we collected. Once printed, the students will sign and illustrate their letters and prepare them to be sent. Starting in January the Upper Elementary multi-media class will begin a video collage to send as well.

Something we've learned...the children and families of Tepeyac are VERY dependant on the coffee bean harvest. Almost every card we received had a picture drawn by the students of the coffee plants. We also found out they will break from school for over a month until the harvest is complete. How interesting!

In my own words (December)

2009-12-09T06:05:00.014-05:00

The students had a camp out in November. Here is what some of them had to say about it.

"We had sandwiches for dinner! We had a fire and roasted marshmallows!" -Kayla

"The camp out was really fun! We had a funny skit with the girls." - Rebekah

"The best part, we were in our tent doing hair and nails and playing video games." -Lacie

Tepeyac school in Nicaragua

2009-11-04T06:20:00.007-05:00

Our first question to the students of the Tepeyac school in Nicaragua is, "What do you like most about your school?" Check back later for their answers and the answer to that question by our Upper Elementary students here at Kingswood.

In my own words...

2009-10-07T15:55:00.007-04:00

Soon we will start a dialog from the students at Kingswood written "in their own words" about our school. We will correspond with a school from Nicaragua and their students to compare and contrast our schools and our way of life.

Our first topic, or question, to the students of the Tepeyac school in Nicaragua was "What do you like best about your school?" A couple of our Upper Elementary students had a quick response. When asked the same question about KMA here's what they said:

"I like it because there's lessons and good teachers and we learn new stuff everyday!"-Andrea

"Math, I love math! Our teacher gives us hard problems and I can figure them out." -Emilee

Kingswood Montessori

2009-09-07T20:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome Kingswood Montessori Family to the Kingswood blog. A space reserved to share all that is happening in school, as well as a venue to express all the exciting news and events taking place on campus. Stay connected and feel free to peek in to see what's new!