Chenal Valley Montessori School

CVMS will remain closed on Monday, February 2nd as the roads continue to improve in neighborhoods. Thank you for your patience during this time.

Due to continued hazardous conditions, CVMS will remain closed on Friday (1.30). Thank you for helping us put everyone’s safety first. Have a great weekend.

As the primary roadways and secondary roadways began to really thaw today with the higher temps, many of the side streets and especially neighborhoods remain impassable. CVMS will remain closed on Thursday (1.29) for the safety of our families and staff.

CVMS will remain closed on Wednesday (1.28).

Due to the inclement weather and poor road conditions, CVMS will be closed on Monday (1.26) and Tuesday (1.27).

To ensure that all of our faculty, staff, and children arrive home safely before any winter weather moves into our area, we will be closing at 3pm today 1-23-26.

Montessori works best with structure at home, focusing on an orderly environment, consistent routines, and clear limits within which children have freedom to explore, fostering independence, concentration, and self-directed learning through accessible, child-sized tools and practical life activities. This structure involves designated spaces, minimal clutter, and predictable daily rhythms that support the child's natural development, reducing distractions and building responsibility.

Key Elements of Montessori Structure at home:

Prepared Environment (Order & Accessibility):
Low Shelves & Child-Sized Tools: Everything needed for tasks (e.g., water pitcher, sponge, child-sized utensils, real tools) should be within reach and scaled to the child.

Designated Spaces: Create specific areas for reading, working, dressing, and practical life tasks.

Minimal & Rotated Toys: Limit choices to a few well-organized items on open shelves to encourage focus and reduce overwhelm; rotate them to maintain interest.

Realism: Use real objects and allow children to participate in real tasks (cooking, cleaning) rather than artificial play versions.

Routines & Freedom Within Limits:

Predictable Schedule: Establish consistent daily routines (e.g., morning work time, bedtime rituals).

Clear Boundaries: Set reasonable limits (e.g., putting items back after use, being respectful) to create safety, but allow freedom to choose work within those limits.

Work Cycle: Encourage a full cycle of activity: choose work, engage with it, and clean up independently.

Parental Role (Preparation & Observation):

Observe & Follow: Watch your child's interests and present related materials.

Minimal Intervention: Allow deep concentration by avoiding interruptions; offer simple acknowledgments ("You did it!").

Lead by Example: Model calm, respectful behavior and mindfulness.

By creating this structured yet freedom-filled environment, a Montessori home supports a child's innate drive for independence and learning, mirroring the principles of a Montessori classroom and creating consistency between the two environments.

Lesson Spotlight: Birds Eye View

Birds eye view, also called the 45 Layout, is an activity used to show the child an overhead view of the Golden Beads and the Large Number Cards together. The child notices the combination of the ‘concrete’ Golden Beads to the ‘abstract’ Large Number Cards.

This activity is good for the child to understand matching the correct concrete amount to the correct numerals, this activity gives the child more practice for dynamic operations, as well as it gives them further practice in changing hierarchies.

Article spotlight: Grace and Courtesy

https://montessoriparenting.org/what-does-grace-and-courtesy-look-like-in-practice/?a_box=uqusj8r5&fbclid=IwZnRzaAPKQJBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEejMucjcQ4rVjxP0GIkEBi0syGe7LaYkHnKu2D-VRb2R6nIVFzyspN1PhvCjc_aem_1pUvdCZfMa45kgA303bGXA

What does grace and courtesy look like in practice? The purpose of the Grace and Courtesy curriculum in Montessori is to offer our children the best possible assistance on this path. Explaining and modeling clearly, we share the most harmonious ways of behaving, relating and communicating, and help children practice and master them. Step by step, fro...

Meet the CVMS staff!

Ms. Paige

Years at CVMS: 21

Favorite Material: The Bead Stair

Favorite Montissori Quote: “To confer the gift of drawing, we must create an eye that sees, a hand that obeys, a soul that feels; and in this task, the whole life must cooperate. In this sense, life itself is the only preparation for drawing.”

Check this article for social media Monday.

doctorbethanycook.com

Serving Snacks in Montessori is an activity designed to teach young children how to prepare and serve simple snacks to themselves and others. It involves various tasks such as setting the table, choosing healthy snacks, serving them properly, and cleaning up afterwards.

This activity is an excellent way for children to practice coordination, patience, and generosity, all within a supportive and practical context.