Oxford
Observer
A Montessori Academy
October, 2012
Volume 1, Issue 2
Miss Amy’s Angle
Dear Oxford Parents:
Martin Luther King, Jr. once
said, "Intelligence plus
character - that is the goal of
true education." But what is
character, and how can you
ensure that your child is
developing it? This month we
will be sharing the character
trait of self-control with your
children. This trait is a
current hot button in early
childhood education. We
know as adult, self-control
keeps us from eating a whole
bag of chips or from running
up the credit card.
Researchers define selfcontrol as having skills like
conscientiousness and selfdiscipline when making
decisions. The children who
struggled with self-control as
preschoolers were three
times as likely to have
problems as young adults.
Teaching self-control recently has become a big focus
for early childhood education. Self-control has been
inherent to Montessori programs for over 100 years.
Here at Oxford Academy it starts with expecting a
three or four year-old to clean up after a meal, hang
up her coat without being asked, and taking personal
responsibility. In a prepared Montessori environment,
there is one material such as the pink tower, brown
stair, or one set of test tube division. The child must
exhibit self-control as he/she anticipates its use after
a friend returns it to the shelf.
Parents can help their children learn self-control. Take
small steps, for example, preschoolers can learn that,
as well as being able to consider the consequences of
they don't always get what they want immediately;
they may need to wait for that item or treat they
[think they] cannot live without. Give yourself
permission to say, “No, not today”. Another effective
way to help your child develop self-control is to let
him know in advance the kind of behavior you expect
at a gathering, in the grocery store, library, or
restaurant. Help your child to begin to self-govern
her/himself and make good choices free from
parental authority or rewards.
-Miss Amy
Character Trait Work for October – Self-Control
Good character is defined as the inward motivation to do what is right. We, at Oxford
Academy, are devoted to the whole-child educational initiative. This month the children
will be exploring what is means to have self-control. The children will defined self-control
-Miss Amy
rejecting wrong desires and doing what is right. Character traits at Oxford Academy are
presented to the children through nature stories and activities that are developmentally
appropriate, at each level, as a way for each child to become self-aware. We introduce
the definition and then encourage them to talk to their families about the trait. This
month, we invite you to talk to your child about SELF-CONTROL and what it looks like to
your family! For more information visit: http://www.amazon.com/Achieving-TrueSuccess-Character-Family/dp/0967994101
Inside this issue:
Maple Room
2
Magnolia Room
3
Redbud Room
4
Catalpa Room
5
Birch Room
6
Green School
7
Full-day Montessori
Programs
8
Shelley’s Corner
8
Announcements:
October 13: Fall
Family Fun Day at
Westview Orchard
10:00-2:00 $9.50 pp
at the gate
October 18: Parent
Education Night –
Childcare registration
now open
Friday, October 12:
Violin classes begin
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Maple News – Toddler
Autumn greetings everyone! The first month of school has been a busy one and everything is well! I am happy to
report all of the toddlers are settling in nicely and are forming trusting relationships with our staff and each
other. They are already showing signs of understanding our daily routine as well as how to find and use the
materials in the environment. Your support, patience, and brave faces are very much appreciated during this
sensitive time.
The weather is changing daily and hourly, please be sure to check the forecast in the morning before leaving for
school. It is important for your child to have comfortable, appropriate clothing available to help make their time
with us successful and safe.
A friendly reminder to please keep personal items, other than supplies asked for, at home or in the car. We need
space in the children's backpacks for school related materials and wet clothes, etc.
Don’t forget to stop in and sign up for a snack day on our classroom snack calendar. The children share a meal
together each day and are proud to talk about what kind of snack they brought in to share.
We have been tasting, exploring, painting, talking and singing about apples. This month we will discover colorful
leaves, pumpkins, frisky squirrels and spiders. Our fall activities will focus on development of language,
independence, sensory exploration and movement. You may notice us washing pumpkins, gathering, crunching
and raking leaves, noticing the sounds and smells of fall and learning about seasonal colors. Our songs and finger
plays will include:
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The Leaves are Falling
I'll Rake and Rake and Rake the Leaves
10 Little Pumpkins
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider
The Frisky Squirrel
I will be sending home a song list soon for you to use with your child.
We would like to send a BIG THANK YOU our gracious families who have donated materials to our school and
classrooms! If you are interested in things we might need this month, please see the following wish list:

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Real sunflowers
Large squash or gourds, variety of colors and textures
Fall leaf garlands (silk)
16 pie pumpkins
Gently used or new wicker baskets, any size
Birthday wishes this month go out to our friends:



Julius on the 17th
Santino on the 23rd
Ms. Erika on the 5th
Please be sure to check your school calendar often for upcoming school events!
Happy fall! Warmly, Ms. Tina, Ms. Tanya and Ms. Erika
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Magnolia Room – Primary
Welcome to autumn! We have had a busy fun-filled first month of school. An observation of the
class over the past month brings me much joy. The children enter the room with a sense of confidence and
comfort at being able to choose and explore appropriate activities either independently or with a friend. The
children are also becoming comfortable and familiar with our daily routine and line time. They now anticipate
the new presentations of the day and excitedly watch with fascination. The social relationships are
flourishing and many new friendships are being formed. The children are investigating their newfound
freedoms: the freedom to choose their own materials within our classroom, the freedom to move as they
interact with the materials, and the freedom to repeat these activities as often as they choose. These
freedoms are the foundation of the Montessori Method.
We have been spending time establishing and practicing our classroom ground rules. The ground
rules play a crucial part in establishing our year, as the children will begin taking pride in making their
classroom a safe and peaceful environment. We’ve also begun implementing the “Peace Rose” into our
classroom. It sits in a vase on the peace shelf. The Peace Rose method was specifically developed for the
Montessori classroom. This method encourages children to be independent and to attempt to solve
problems effectively with little teacher intervention. The Peace Rose uses very simple actions to help young
children be independent and successful. The Peace Rose Method gives the children the opportunity to
practice problem solving skills in the school environment but under controlled conditions.
Our shelves have been expanding by the day, helping to define the different curriculum areas:
Practical Life, Art, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, History, Geography and Sciences (physical science,
Botany, and Zoology). In the next few weeks we will be very busy with several new activities being presented
every day. Our Geography studies started with the introduction to the Solar System. We discussed our place
in space, as we learned that Earth is our home and the only planet in our solar system to sustain life. We also
learned that the planets orbit the sun, a hot star, while the earth slowly spins to create day and night. The
children learned a song to help them remember the names of each planet, as they manipulate the hands-on
solar system activities. These discussions and activities will lead into more in depth studies of our earth and
its composition. Land, air, and water are the three elements that make our environment. To better represent
these matters, a sandpaper globe will be presented, as well as, a jar filled with each. Land, air, and water
picture categorizing and transportation categorizing will also added to these shelves. Soon, we will begin
studies of the individual continents.
Peace,
Ms. Patty, Ms. Natasha, Ms. Ella
Redbud Room – Primary
Happy Autumn! Cool nights and sunny days signal us and the trees that fall is in full swing. We’ve
had a very busy first month of school and new materials continue to be presented to the children daily.
Ground rules in the classroom are still emphasized and modeled by the teachers. Quiet, talking
voices, walking feet, gentle hands, and returning materials to the correct shelf, are some of the ground
rules that allow for a peaceful classroom environment. Their peaceful surroundings allow them to focus
and concentrate on their task at hand thus creating the ability for greater cognition and understanding.
We’ve been discussing the solar system and learned a new song about all the planet names. The
children have enjoyed observing the solar system model and like to sing the song as they touch each
planet. We’ve been talking about the fall season changes and what the weather is like each day. We’ll
continue our study of geography by presenting the sandpaper globe and soon begin creating continent
maps.
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The theme in practical life and art brings out materials related to fall and harvest. Leaf push pinning
shapes, pumpkin polishing, leaf rubbings and cutting strips are new presentations the children will
receive. The new materials build on skills the children have been practicing throughout the past weeks.
Thank you for providing delicious and nutritious snacks for the classroom. The children have
been enjoying their snack as they use that opportunity for socializing with new friends. Cleaning up
after they’ve enjoyed their food not only provides a clean environment for their fellow classmates, but it
instills a sense of pride and ownership in their community (their classroom).
We use a lot of materials in our classroom, so listed below is a wish list of items that would benefit
our environment. I ask that the item be gently used or new and if you’re not sure the size or material,
just peek in the classroom or ask one of the teachers. Thank you in advance!
-
Wood trays: plain, with no pictures or writing.
Wicker baskets: various sizes and shapes, no handles.
Plastic baskets: prefer white, approx. 6 x 9, no handles
Silverware for sorting
Small pouring pitchers: clear glass or ceramic
Small, clear glass or ceramic bowls
Take some time with your family to enjoy all the beauty that this colorful season offers!
Yours in peace,
Miss Judy, Miss Liz, and Miss Malgorzata
Catalpa Room – Elementary I
Happy autumn! We are so excited about the strong relationships that have been established and
nurtured since the beginning of the school year. We are so pleased with how normalized our classroom
of children has become and have enjoyed getting to know your children. We believe in the uniqueness
and intrinsic value of each child. We continue to promise a program that will enhance the development
of each individual to the fullest extent.
In history, we have explored the first Great Lesson and the children have researched topics that
sparked their imaginations. The laws of the universe have been explored and proven. We have had great
races, observed chemical and physical changes, watched solids that sublimate, and created liquids that
just don’t behave like all the others. We have tracked the geologic age of the earth on the Clock of Eras
and took a walk through history. The children explored volcanoes during the Hadean, cyanobacteria, the
first oxygen makers, during the Achaean, trilobites during the Paleozoic, dinosaurs during the Mesozoic,
and mammals during the Cenozoic.
In grammar, during the month of September and October, our students discover the wonderful
world of nouns; whether they are singular or plural, concrete or abstract, masculine or feminine, we will
explore them all. The children will also be introduced to the article, the part of speech that introduces
and points to the noun.
October Book Reports
This month the third, fourth, and fifth year students will be focusing on the genre of Mythology.
A myth is a traditional story, which may describe the origins of the world and/or of a people. A myth is
an attempt to explain mysteries, supernatural events, and cultural traditions. Sometimes sacred in
nature, a myth can involve gods/goddesses or other creatures. And, a myth represents reality in
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dramatic ways. During the month of October, please choose a Greek, Norse, or another cultures myth.
Retell the story using MovieMaker, PowerPoint, felt board, etc. Please be sure to include your 3.5 x 5
card. Your child may dress like their famous person. Due date: Friday, October 26.
Cultural Luncheon and Projects – Friday, October 26
We will be hosting our first cultural luncheon on Friday, October 26. Our October luncheon will be in
celebration of our mythology book reports. We will be hosting a Greek Metrics Olympics where our Students will
become familiar with metric units by estimating and measuring in a “Metric Olympic” setting. We will be exploring
Math Skills, Science Processes, measuring in metrics, estimating units, and making predictions. Please send in
$5.50 to cover the cost of the luncheon. The Greek Metric Olympics Menu Main Dish: Gyros: consisting of meat,
tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce, will be served with pita bread. Greek Salad: made with wedges of tomatoes,
cubed feta cheese, and kalamata olives; seasoned with salt, pepper and dried oregano, and then dressed with olive
oil. Dessert: vanilla yogurt and honey (Grecian dessert)
Outdoor Clothing
Please be sure your child packs a warm jacket for recess during the month of October.
Volunteers
After October 15, we will be looking for classroom volunteers. We need classroom helpers on Tuesday
and Thursday mornings. A few responsibilities will include a math fact mentor and reading mentor. We
also have several new Montessori materials that need to be processed. This consists of laminating,
cutting, and organizing. Please e-mail Miss Amy if you are interested in volunteering in the classrooms.
Enjoy all of the beautiful colors of autumn,
Miss Amy, Miss Laila and the Catalpa Kids
Birch Room – Elementary II
Welcome to the October Birch Room News! With the changing colors on the trees outside,
come changes in focus for the Upper Elementary children. The early Earth and early Human History of
September will progress into the Geography of North America, Ancient Civilizations, and early American
History.
Reading groups are underway with our Upper Elementary children exploring the ascent of
mankind, green ginger in faraway lands, or the fictional little women of Louisa May Alcott. The first book
reports have been successfully presented and the next report on Myths and Legends is already on the
children’s minds. Whether it is Egyptian, Greek, or Norse, we anticipate some exciting stories that
describe the origins of the world and/or people. Please refer to the rubric that was distributed at Parent
Orientation to serve as a framework for your presentations. There are extra copies available on both the
Birch Room and Catalpa Room bulletin boards. Due date: Friday, October 26.
The camp trip to The Howell Nature Center was a moving experience. The children explored
shelters of the world, developed leadership skills, and played GaGa ball. The Howell Nature Center was
an amazing experience. The children learned survival skills, dared a zip line, created and executed skits,
sang songs around the campfire, and played a memorable game of flashlight tag. They learned about
the world’s population and compared it to the percent of resources each continent is consuming.
During their visit to the Global Village the children imagined being a global citizen and explored an
existence in which nothing - shelter, food, water or cooking fuel - can be taken for granted.
5
The Heifer Global Village program showed participants that sometimes having a little means a great
deal. We spent one day in a village that represented one of the regions in which Heifer works. Our
children’s eyes were opened as they learned about the daily struggles that impoverished people face
every day in all of those regions.
During this visit, the children lived the lives of others, and something extraordinary happened. Their
attitudes about individual action, community cooperation, and sustainable solutions for global hunger,
poverty and the environment were transformed. This experience helped them understand the world –
and their place in it. The children donated $53.50 of their coffee profits to the Heifer Project while at
camp. Thank you for your support. We can’t wait for Howell Nature Center Camp, 2013.
The children are reviewing nouns in Language Arts, while our oldest students are also refining their
sentence analysis skills with sentence diagramming. Personal introductions in French and an
understanding of conversational formality rules allow the children to practice reading, writing, speaking,
and listening. French class continues into grammar study starting with nouns. The focus on words for
colors brings the familiar from the children’s past experiences to a new understanding of noun gender in
the French language. Did you know a green sock is feminine and a grey cloud is masculine?
Just as the Earth has turned through the Autumnal Equinox, our Science studies turn toward
functional geography questions. A review of what causes our seasons and exploration into the work that
wind does in shaping our world; will help the children better understand global time zones, seasonal
changes, and dramatic weather.
Mathematics work continues with reviewing geometric concepts of perimeter, area, and
volume. This will be helpful as the children refine their knowledge and use of the squares and cubes of
numbers. It is always helpful to pose real-life mathematical questions as you spend time with them.
Have them practice making change while out shopping, compare fractional quantities in the kitchen, and
determine perimeters and areas of spaces in and around the house.
Of course, we work on being grateful and gracious individuals as we spend our school days
together. This month's character trait is self-control: rejecting what is wrong and choosing what is right.
We remind the children that, “character is who you are when no one is watching.” Developing the selfcontrol to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, regardless of who is watching, reveals another
step in their journeys toward building their character.
In Peace,
Miss Diane & the Birch Room Children
A very special thanks to our Howell
Nature Center chaperones: Mrs. Mahajan,
Dr. Jozwiak, Mrs. Munaco, Mrs. Zender,
(not pictured) Mrs. Barba, and Mr. Evans.
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Why is a full-day
Montessori
program so
important?
As many state and charter schools begin to adopt
full-day pre-school and kindergarten programs,
Montessori has realized its value since inception.
Montessori is an approach to working with children
that is carefully based on what we've learned about
child development from several decades of research.
The Montessori approach has been acclaimed as the
most developmentally appropriate model currently
available by some of America's top experts on early
childhood and elementary education.
As a "developmental" approach, Montessori is based
on a realistic understanding of children's cognitive,
neurological and emotional development.
One important difference between what Montessori
offers the five-year-old and what is offered by many
of today's kindergarten programs has to do with how
it helps the young child to learn how to learn.
A great deal of research shows that quite often
students in traditional programs don't really
understand most of what they are being taught.
Harvard Psychologist and author of The Unschooled
Mind, Howard Gardner, goes so far as to suggest
that, "Many schools have fallen into a pattern of
giving kids exercises and drills that result in their
getting answers on tests that look like
understanding."
But several decades of research into how children
learn have shown that most students, from as young
as those in kindergarten to students in some of the
finest colleges in America do not, as Gardener puts
it, "understand what they've studied, in the most
basic sense of the term. They lack the capacity to
take knowledge learned in one setting and apply it
appropriately in a different setting. Study after
study has found that, by and large, even the best
students in the best schools can't do that."
Montessori is focused on teaching for
understanding. In a primary classroom, three and
four-year-olds receive the benefit of two years of
sensorial preparation for academic skills by working
with the concrete Montessori learning materials.
This concrete sensorial experience gradually allows
the child to form a mental picture of concepts like
"how big is a thousand, how many hundreds make
up a thousand, and what is really going on when we
borrow or carry numbers in mathematical
operations.
The value of the sensorial experiences that the
younger children have had in Montessori is often
under-estimated. Research is very clear that this is
how the young child learns, by observing and
manipulating his environment. The Montessori
materials give the child a concrete sensorial
impression of an abstract concept, such as long
division, that is the potential foundation for a
lifetime understanding of the idea in abstraction.
Because Montessori teachers are developmentally
trained, they know how to present information in an
appropriate way.
What often happens in schools is that teachers are
not developmentally trained and children are
essentially filling in workbook pages with little
understanding and do a great deal of rote learning.
Superficially, it may appear that they have learned a
lot. Unfortunately, the reality most often is that
what they have learned was not meaningful to the
child. A few months down the road, little of what
they "learned" will be retained and it will be rare for
them to be able to use their knowledge and skills in
new situations. More and more educational
researchers are beginning to focus on whether
students, whether young or adult, really understand
or have simply memorized correct answers.
The knowledge of a Montessori child is very deep.
What they know, they know very well. Their
understanding of the decimal system, place value,
mathematical operations, and similar information is
usually very sound. With reinforcement as they grow
older, it becomes internalized and a permanent part
of whom they are. When they leave Montessori
before they have had the time to internalize these
early concrete experiences, their early learning often
evaporates because it is neither reinforced nor
commonly understood. When making a
commitment to Montessori, it is important that the
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child stays in Montessori through the elementary
years. The pre-school and kindergarten experience
creates a foundation for the concrete-operational
stage they experience from ages 6-12.
Some may wonder, in a class with such a wide age
range of children, won't my five-year-old spend the
year taking care of younger children instead of doing
his or her own work? The five year olds in
Montessori classes often help the younger children
with their work, actually teaching lessons or
correcting errors. Many Montessori educators
believe that this concern felt by some parents is very
misguided.
Anyone who has ever had to teach a skill to
someone else may recall that the very process of
explaining a new concept or helping someone
practice a new skill leads the teacher to learn as
much, if not more, than the pupil. This is supported
by research. When one child tutors another, the
tutor normally learns more from the experience than
the person being tutored. Experiences that facilitate
development of independence and autonomy are
often very limited in traditional schools.
By the end of age five, Montessori students will
often develop academic skills that may be beyond
those of advanced students. Academic progress is
not our ultimate goal. Our real hope is that they will
feel good about themselves and enjoy learning.
mastering basic skills is a side goal. We, Oxford
Academy, are committed to the whole-child
initiative.
Our programs offer our students enriched lessons in
math, reading, and language, and if they are ready,
they develop excellent skills. The key concept is
readiness. If a child is developmentally not ready to
go on, he or she is neither left behind nor made to
feel like a failure. Our goal is not ensuring that
children develop at a predetermined rate, but to
ensure that whatever they do, they do well and
master.
Most Montessori children master a tremendous
amount of information and skills, and even in the
cases where children may not have made as much
progress as we would have wished, they usually have
done a good job with their work, wherever they
have progressed at any given point, and feel good
about themselves as learners.
If you have not considered a full-day program for
your child (or) you would like to find out more about
the developmental outcomes of a full-day
Montessori program, please contact Ms. Amy at 586649-7893.
Oxford Academy to Become a Michigan Green School
Three years ago, we began programs to reduce our
carbon footprint. We have created a system to turn
off lights when not in use, developed a paper/plastic
recycling program, a composting routine, an
environmental awareness curriculum, and we are
helping the children to develop ecological
awareness.
Please join us in our efforts of conserving our natural
resources and become a
frequent visitor of the Oxford Academy website. Visit
us at www.oxford academymi.com. It is our goal to
be relevant, timely, and consistent. We will be
posting the future newsletters via the website.
There is now a link for newsletters. Please also
notice the announcements section on the
homepage; we will keep you updated on monthly
events and activities.
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Oxford Academy
Montessori
18600 23 Mile Road
Macomb, MI 48044
www.oxfordacademymi.com
“Our mission at Oxford Academy is to promote a safe, supportive, and
challenging environment that empowers children to reach their educational
and personal growth. Tolerance and diversity is part of the educational
experience at Oxford Academy. We are committed to instilling in each child, a
desire to learn, to take appropriate risks, and to accept challenges with
confidence in a nurturing environment.
Our students work independently and in groups. Our students are problem
solvers and decision makers. The children learn the importance of time
management. They work freely with others, and have good communication
skills that help to ease their way into new settings. The habits a child develops
at Oxford Academy will last a lifetime. These skills will help children work
proficiently, observe thoroughly, and concentrate successfully. At Oxford
Academy our students develop a strong self-worth based on self-directed,
noncompetitive activities. This allows children to develop a good self-image,
face new challenges, and change with confidence.”
“Educating students for success in the 21 st century!”
Catalpa Room – Elementary I
Shelley’s Corner
Hello to Autumn and all of the beauty that it brings. The day’s temperature can
fluctuate a lot this time of year so please dress your children in layers and send a
jacket.
 Montessori Education night is Thursday, October 18. Child care will be
available if you sign up on the registration sheet in the lobby.
 Box tops for Education are being collected as a fund raiser for in-house field
trips. This time of year many products are offering back to school bonus tops
on many products. Simply cut them out and place them in the identified box
opposite Ms. Shelley's desk. Get the kids involved by showing them
the symbol to look for and they can put them in the box. There is a website
for participating brands and more information
http://www.boxtops4education/.
Upcoming Events
10/9 Book Club – chapter 1 discussion/literature circle
10/13 Westview Orchard – Social Event 10:00-2:00
10/18 Montessori Education Night – Topic: Language 6-7:30
10/31 Half Day of School – 11:30/11:45 dismissal
November
11/1 Half Day of School- Record’s Day – Pajama’s for Heifer Day $1.00
11/2 No school – professional development
11/8 Parent-teacher conferences – Half Day of School
11/9 Parent-teacher conferences – No school
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