Not Seeking a Prize...But It Does Feel Good.

I am lucky. Each day I have the opportunity to observe my 22-month-old son discovering the world around him; watching how he processes new sights and sounds. I also have the joy of seeing classes of children doing the same all day long. I am witness to children learning new concepts and developing a sense of accomplishment.  Last year I wrote the following description of standing inside of a Montessori classroom and simply observing:

Anyone who has spent time around a Montessori learning environment has witnessed the shear joy that children exhibit when they discover a new concept or complete a task purely on their own. Just last week as I was taking some photographs of children during their extended work period, I heard a cry of "I did it!" As I turned to see what caused this shout of joy, a primary student was standing by himself with his arms held high, grinning from ear to ear at his accomplishment. There was no adult working with him, no gold star on his paper, just a child thrilled with his own success. Talk about a love for learning...

During the same work period, I observed a young girl carefully at work with practical life materials. As she finished her work, she neatly placed the materials back on the shelf and began her next task - cleaning the windows of the door to the playground. I watched as she sprayed the windows, put down the spray bottle and wiped every drop off of the window (and even the couple of drops that accidentally spilled onto the floor). Her attention and focus on her task were absolutely amazing. She displayed such a deep care for the appearance of her classroom, her environment.

These children were not looking to an adult for praise. They were not seeking a prize or a “good job!” They solely enjoyed learning and were filled with a drive to succeed. That said, it still does feel good to hear that your work is appreciated, respected, and recognized. On that note...

The Boyd School is honored to have been named a finalist by the readers of I AM Modern magazine as the Best of the DC Suburbs 2013 in:

• Best Montessori
• Best Kindergarten
• Best Private School (K-8)

Members of the school community can show their continued support for the school by completing the online survey here: 

I, personally, am grateful and humbled to have been nominated by a parent for the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences International’s Bammy Awards for contributions on behalf of The Boyd School to the education community. I am greatly touched by this honor and will certainly appreciate any votes for the Bammy Awards - Educator's Voice Award (vote here). 

Mike Brown is part of The Boyd School's Support Staff. Mike has been with the school since October of 2004 and has served the school in a jack-of-all-trades capacity ranging from Art Teacher to Director of Admissions to his current role as Public Relations Coordinator.  

Flower Arranging

When you enter a Montessori classroom you are presented with an environment of order. An environment that is meticulously prepared each morning before any students arrive. The beautiful learning materials are carefully arranged showing children the progression of learning. 

Another staple of a Montessori environment are fresh flowers...beautiful fresh flowers in small glass vases. Each classroom has an area of the room designated to Practical Life where students develop these skills through various lessons. One of these lessons is on flower arranging. Everyday skills such as pouring, cutting, measuring, and estimating are all practiced with this activity but it also fosters ownership and pride in their classroom. One of the most beautiful sights is the pride in a child's eyes when he hands his teacher freshly picked flowers from the garden at home to donate to his class. 

Making a Difference

By: James Rice

Every person; big or small, can make a difference. Like no other time in history, we are an interconnected world community. We understand the importance of life and living it in a sustainable manner. However, as a singular person it becomes daunting when trying to make a difference.

One of my favorite group lessons that I have ever observed on the incredible impact that individuals can make was perhaps one of the simplest. The students were asked to sit in a giant circle. Each student was given a piece of paper and asked to hold it in their lap. They then were asked to look at the circle and see how clean it was. One student was then asked to crumble her paper and toss it into the middle of the circle. The students observed that the single crumbled paper did not have much of an impact on the cleanliness of the circle. However, as one by one each student crumbled their paper and tossed it into the circle they quickly realized that although they individually only contributed one small crumbled paper to their circle, it quickly grew into a massive pile. This simple lesson demonstrated to the students and to me, the difference we each can make.

At The Boyd School, each March for the past 4 years, we have joined in the global movement to make an impact and symbolically unite for a cause - our planet. 

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a simple idea that quickly turned into a global phenomenon.  Hundreds of millions of people around the world turn off their lights for one hour on the same night, to focus on the one thing that unites us all - our planet.  Earth Hour is a great opportunity for schools and parents to talk to children about our planet and the importance of taking care of it. For more information, visit the World Wildlife Federation site and watch the video below:

When is Earth Hour?

Global Earth Hour will be held on Saturday, March 23rd from 8:30 - 9:30pm.  The Boyd School will host a school day Earth Hour on Friday, March 22 from 9:30 - 10:30am.  The school will turn off lights and minimize power sources to contribute to Earth Hour 2013. We encourage our families to participate in Earth Hour on Saturday evening and take the opportunity to commitment as a family to do something more for the planet that goes beyond the hour.

James Rice is the Campus Director of The Boyd School - Herndon Campus. James has been with The Boyd School since 2006 and has served as Director of Admissions and Campus Director at various Boyd locations.  He enjoys art, music, sports and giving back to the community. 

What is Boyd Montessori?

What does it mean to have a Boyd School Montessori education? We want to know what it means to you; our students, our families, our teachers and staff. 

Here’s the challenge though, can you to tell us in 15 seconds or less? 

Viddy is a great video editing and sharing app that limits the length of videos to 15 seconds. Share your Boyd School-themed Viddy with us on Twitter by using the #BoydMontessori hashtag. Or simply email your 15 second video to publicrelations@theboydschool.com

As part of Montessori Education Week, we will be sharing our favorites on our social media sites. The most creative entry as voted by our Facebook followers will receive a token of appreciation from the school. 

The Importance of Routine

Rituals and routines provide children with security and a sense of safety. Their understanding of what comes next allows for them to prepare. Change is difficult and transitions can present challenges. By developing a routine, children know what to expect and this reduces the stress on everyone and makes for a much calmer transition.

The consistency provided by the five day a week program helps children (and parents) develop a routine and begins to help children develop a mastery of self. Throughout the course of their young lives children are presented with any number of changes that are beyond their control. Infants and toddlers are confronted with giving up breastfeeding, bottles, cribs, to name a few. They are placed in new environments surrounded by new people. All of these erode their sense of security. Predictability allows for children to develop self-discipline, to take control of their own activities and gives them the confidence to tackle new challenges. Being around the same adults and same classmates on a consistent basis helps them develop true relationships quicker and aids in their social development. Children often display signs of stress when presented with the challenge of missing a classroom event such as birthday celebration or a special lesson on a day when they were not in class. It is more difficult for children attending school on a partial week schedule to grasp concepts and often takes them longer to show academic growth.

Children from homes where belongings are not properly put away have a difficult time understanding that life can run more smoothly if things are organized a little. In a Montessori learning environment, children are exposed to neat and orderly classrooms. They learn to care for their classroom, respect their classmates, and to properly use the learning materials. The order of the Montessori classroom allows for children to focus and concentrate on their work without worry. Children learn to prepare a work space and meticulously note the materials needed to complete their task. Because each child cares for their environment and carefully stores the learning materials when their work is done, there is no worry of a missing puzzle piece or broken materials.

The importance of establishing routines or family rituals can have an even greater impact as children grow older. Something as mundane as a family game night every Thursday has the potential to provide families with a venue for family discussions in a safe environment. Even in the most difficult of times of adolescence, children can look forward to these predetermined events.

Six Benefits of Using Routines with Your Kids

By: Dr. Laura Markham

1. Routines eliminate power struggles because you aren't bossing them around.  This activity (brushing teeth, napping, turning off the TV to come to dinner) is just what we do at this time of day.  The parent stops being the bad guy, and nagging is greatly reduced.

2. Routines help kids cooperate by reducing stress and anxiety for everyone.  We all know what comes next, we get fair warning for transitions, and no one feels pushed around.

3.  Routines help kids learn to take charge of their own activities.  Over time, kids learn to brush their teeth, pack their backpacks, etc., without constant reminders.  Kids love being in charge of themselves. This feeling increases their sense of mastery and competence.  Kids who feel more independent and in charge of themselves have less need to rebel and be oppositional.

4. Kids learn the concept of "looking forward" to things they enjoy, which is an important part of making a happy accommodation with the demands of a schedule.  He may want to go to the playground now, but he can learn that we always go to the playground in the afternoon, and he can look forward to it then.

5. Regular routines help kids get on a schedule, so that they fall asleep more easily at night.

6. Schedules help parents maintain consistency in expectations. If everything is a fight, parents end up settling: more TV, skip brushing teeth for tonight, etc.  With a routine, parents are more likely to stick to healthy expectations for everyone in the family, because that's just the way we do things in our household.  The result: a family with healthy habits, where everything runs more smoothly!

Botany in the Montessori Learning Environment

Children “learn by doing” and that is a key element in the Montessori Method. 

Students learn about the different parts of a leaf. The lesson is first explained to the group by the Directress.  The next part of the lesson is for the students to “go out” into their environment and bring back what they have found into the classroom.

The use of beautiful materials within the Montessori classroom goes hand in hand with the overall learning process.   By using the “Botany Cabinet,” the child learns the shapes and names of the leaves by tracing their borders and matching them to those they actually found in their own environment.  This enables the child to actually see and touch and learn.  We refer to this as a sensorial experience.

The children absorb a limitless wealth of impressions, taking in all of the elements of the world around them.  This lays a foundation for the love of learning for years to come.

A Day Out

Brother & sister experiencing a day out.

Parents often ask how they can extend their child’s learning from school to home. There are countless ways to do so, but perhaps the most important piece of advice I can provide is for them to do something as a family. Children learn by their experiences. This concept is at the cornerstone of the Montessori Method.

The experiences gained by a day out are immeasurable. Touching, feeling, smelling the world around heightens learning and provides children with lasting memories. A trip to the zoo or a museum offers the chance for a child to not only imagine being in a far off, exotic environment, but actually experiencing a close replica. It almost becomes an adventure.

Although a wonderful family event, it far too often becomes simply that...a singular event - a day out. Imagine the possibilities and the excitement that you could generate before and after your trip with just a little effort. Not only would this give your child a better experience during the day out, but also has the potential to turn your trip into a lifetime memory.

Here are a few simple ideas to do just that:

1. Visit the local library or download some books related to the place you’ll be visiting. Read the books together. This will create excitement for your child but also help you understand your child’s perspective on where you are going. Make sure to read a good selection of both fiction and non-fiction books, to spark your child’s creativity while giving a foundation of knowledge.
2. Make a scavenger hunt. Print out or download to your phone images that you expect to see on your trip. If your children have seen a painting or sculpture and know a little information about the artist, a trip to an art gallery becomes magical.
3. Create a collage. Before your trip, use old magazines or print out photos of what you expect to see. During the trip, give your child a camera. I have yet to meet a child that did not love taking photographs. After the trip, have your child use their photographs to make a collage to display in their room.
4. Go on a letter hunt. B is for Butterfly. During the day, have your child spot items that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Take a picture, upload your photos to one of the many online print services and create your own letter book from your trip.
5. Cook a meal inspired by your trip. I saved the best for last (at least in my opinion). Nearly everything we do can have a connection to food. Cooking with your children is wonderful, so much can be learned and the experience in and of itself is simply fun.