The Secret of Childhood

In its simples form, Montessori refers to the philosophy of child and human development as presented by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who lived from 1870 to 1952.

In the early 1900s, Dr. Montessori built her work with mentally challenged children on the research and studies of Jean Itard and Edward Seguin. Itard is known for his work with Victor, the "Wild Boy of Aveyron", an 11-year old found in the woods of France on 1799. VIctor lacked spoken language skills and is presumed to have survived without human interaction. Itard's work established the idea that language can only be learned early in life. Itard also designed hands-on language materials for teaching Victor., materials that Dr. Montessori further developed.

Seguin expanded Itard's work with deaf children and designed hands-on materials for understanding basic mathematics. In 1907, at the behest of the Roman Association of Good Buildings, Dr. Montessori began using her teaching materials, based on Itard's and Seguin's designs, with normal children in a Rome tenement. Working with those children, Dr. Montessori discovered what she called the 'Secret of Childhood'.

What is the secret? Children love to be involved in self-directed, purposeful activities. When given a prepared environment of meaningful hands-on projects, along with the time to do those projects at his or her own pace, a child will choose to engage in activities that will create learning in personal and powerful ways.

Source:
Understanding Montessori:
A Guide for Parents
Maren Schmidt M. Ed.

I Teach My Child

Sharing with you a beautiful poem...

==========================

I Teach My Child
By: Gemino H. Abad


I.
I teach my child
To survive.
I begin with our words,
The simple words first
And last.
They are hardest to learn.
Words like home,
Or friend, or to forgive.
These words are relations.
They are difficult to bear;
Their fruits are unseen.
Or words that promise
Or dream.
Words like honor, or certainty,
Or cheer.
Rarest of sound,
Their roots run deep;
These are words that aspire,
They cast no shade.
These are not words
To speak.
These are the words
Of which we consist,
Indefinite,
Without other ground.

II.
My child
Is without syllables
To utter him,
Captive yet to his origin
In silence.
By every word
To rule his space,
He is released;
He is shaped by his speech.
Every act, too,
Is first without words.
There's no rehearsal
To adjust your deed
From direction of its words.
The words are given,

But there's no script.
Their play is hidden,
We are their stage.
These are the words
That offer to our care
Both sky and earth,
These same words
That may elude our acts.
If we speak them
But cannot meet their sound,
They strand us still
In our void,
Blank like the child
With the uphill silence
Of his words' climb.

And so,
I teach my child
To survive.
I begin with our words,
The simple words first
And last.

Give a gift... Halloween treat

Kiddie Toes Montessori School had their Halloween trick or treat last October 29, 2009 at the Greenview Lodge Chapel.

Instead of the usual trick or treat activities, where the learners will receive gifts and goodies from their friends and relatives, we shared the day with kids from a day care center. In coordination with the DSWD, we will provide a venue for your children to make friends with other kids. From this activity, the children learned the value of sharing, friendship and to become caring citizens of the community.

The learners gave their new friends food, gifts and other goodies. The KTMS learners and their friends shared a fun-filled afternoon with some kids from a day care center in Naggasican.

Thank you to the parents who so generously encouraged their children to value friendship and giving.

Special thanks to the following:
Ms. Katrina Sable-Martin
Mr. Tom and Atty. Gema Bautista
Ms. Charrie Babaran (Grupo Marilen)
Mrs. Ester Flores (Green View Lodge)
DSWD Santiago City
Naggasican Day Care Center

For more photos of the activity, please visit the KTMS Facebook account. Just search for "Kiddie Toes Montessori School".

Project Approach

Kiddie Toes Montessori School (KTMS) lower elementary learners are taught using the PROJECT APPROACH.

The Project Approach, as practiced in early childhood, elementary, and middle level education, is an in-depth study of a topic undertaken by a class, a group of children, or an individual child.

Although project work is not new to early and elementary education, interest in involving children in group projects has been growing for several years. This renewed interest is based on recent research on children's learning, a trend toward integrating the curriculum, and the impressive reports of group projects conducted by children in the pre-primary schools.

A project is an in-depth investigation of a topic worth learning more about. The investigation is usually undertaken by a small group of children within a class, sometimes by a whole class, and occasionally by an individual child. The key feature of a project is that it is a research effort deliberately focused on finding answers to questions about a topic posed either by the children, the teacher, or the teacher working with the children. The goal of a project is to learn more about the topic rather than to seek right answers to questions posed by the teacher.

Advocates of the project approach do not suggest that project work should constitute the whole curriculum. Rather, they suggest that it is best seen as complementary to the more formal, systematic parts of the curriculum in the elementary grades, and to the more informal parts of the curriculum for younger children. Project work is not a separate subject, like mathematics; it provides a context for applying mathematical concepts and skills. Nor is project work an "add on" to the basics; it should be treated as integral to all the other work included in the curriculum.

The traditional systematic instruction:
(1) helps children ACQUIRE skills;
(2) addresses DEFICIENCIES in children's learning;
(3) stresses EXTRINSIC motivation; and
(4) allows teachers to direct the children's work, use their expertise, and specify the tasks that the children perform.

PROJECT WORK, in contrast:
(1) provides children with opportunities to APPLY skills;
(2) addresses children's PROFICIENCIES;
(3) stresses INTRINSIC motivation; and
(4) encourages children to determine what to work on and accepts them as experts about their needs.

Both systematic instruction and project work have an important place in the curriculum. For older children able to read and write independently, project work provides a context for taking initiative and assuming responsibility, making decisions and choices, and pursuing interests. For younger children, project work usually requires teacher guidance and consultation.


Source:
http://www.ericdigests.org/1994/project.htm

KTMS Relief Drive

Typhoon Ondoy left many people homeless and helpless. Now "Pepeng" did the same thing. As caring parents and socially responsible citizens, we could take something from these tragedy by emphasizing to our children how improper waste management, insensible deforestation and climate change brought about by environmental negligence could lead to flash floods resulting to loss of properties and lives.

As it was truly a devastating event we in Santiago City could only witness through heart-breaking scenes on television, we could extend our help to the victims of these typhoons.

KTMS had a relief drive for the victims. Parents and learners donated clothes, shoes, medicines, noodles, canned goods, toiletries, detergent soap and many more.

Our 2nd graders helped us deliver the goods to ABS CBN Isabela Station. This is another enriching experience for them.

Please see more photos. Visit the KTMS Multiply Site.

Using Computers in Schools

Education systems around the world face formidable challenges that are taxing conventional strategies. Fresh approaches are needed to address persistent problems of the past and provide students with an education appropriate to the needs of a modern, information-based global economy. Now, after more than two decades of unfulfilled promises to revolutionize education, computer and communication technologies are finally able to offer opportunities to significantly improve teaching and learning.

There is an urgent need to provide education that goes beyond teaching basic literacy and numeracy skills. Education must help to build higher-order cognitive abilities, strengthen processes of inquiry, enable collaborative problem solving, and prepare people to compete in global markets and become productive members of democracies.

No single solution exists to address these immense challenges. New approaches and strategies for change are needed, and computers, mediated communication, and related educational technologies are an important part of these approaches and strategies.

When used effectively and integrated into schools, computers can improve teaching and learning, strengthen teacher professional development, support broad educational reform, enhance school-community partnerships, and improve school management. This paper helps to explain the potential uses of computers in schools and help professionals decide if such projects would help achieve strategic educational objectives and address critical learning needs.

From:
Using Computers In Schools
Eric Rusten
Senior Program Officer for the Learning Technologies (LTNe), Brazil


That is why at KIDDIE TOES MONTESSORI SCHOOL, we make use of computers to help us provide quality education and elevated learning for your children.

The learners are given the opportunity to experience first-hand the immense power of information technology through internet-based lessons, as well as computer-aided activities.

KTMS Montessori Week

Kiddie Toes Montessori School celebrated the annual Montessori Week. Please visit our Multiply and Facebook sites for the photos.

Or click on these links:

Motorcade

Fun Fair

Bingo Socials

Familympics

Thank you to our sponsors:
- Ala Moana Water Refilling Station
- CMJ Jewelries
- City Fix and Paint
- Chowking Santiago c/o Mrs. Monaliza Guarin and Mrs. Yehleen Pascual
- Luzon Trading
- Omega Lumber and Hardware
- Goodluck Gen. Enterprise
- Karina's Pawnshop
- Nancy's Catering
- New Liberty Store
- Mayor Florante Raspado (Jones, Isabela)
- Jollibee Bayan c/o Ms. Margarita Buminaang
- Take 5 Coffee Shop (Total, Cordon)
- Dra. Olla Bascos
- Dra. Mel Bautista
- Dra. Rhea Manago
- Dra. Che Toquero
- Daddy Melbert and Mommy Sheila Calata
- Daddy Marcos and Mommy Karen Pascual
- Daddy Roberto and Mommy Mavic Dela Vega
- Emperador Marketing Inc
- Green View Lodge c/o Mrs. Esther Flores