St. Joseph Montessori School

Looking for some summer adventure? Check out this family's review of The Lost Book of Adventure.

https://ourmontessorilife.com/2019/05/19/montessori-book-club-summer-adventure-books/

Montessori Book Club: Summer Adventure Books We are fortunate to live in a beautiful and wild part of the world. One of our absolute favourite things to do is to throw some snacks and art supplies and books in a pack and head out exploring so…

Separation anxiety can come up at bedtime for our little ones. Here's why, how, and what to do.

https://www.wellrestedweeones.com/separation-anxiety-and-sleep/

Praise comes up a lot in parenting discussions. A Montessori parent shares what praise vs. acknowledgment looks like in their home.

https://www.montessoriinreallife.com/home/2019/4/29/praise-vs-acknowledgment

Worried about your upcoming travels and the impact on schedules? A sleep scientist shares her best sleep tips for traveling with babies and kids.

https://www.mother.ly/child/child-sleep/travel-sleep-tips-for-babies-kids/

A sleep scientist shares her best sleep tips for traveling with babies and kids Changing time zones? Jet lag? Late arrival? No problem.

SJMS will be closed Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5 in observation of Independence Day. There will be no Summer Learning Camp on these days.

We will see you back on Monday, July 8 for Week 5 of SLC!

Looking to be a part of the SJMS community or know someone who would be a great fit?

We are looking for an Upper Elementary Assistant for the 2024-25 school year. This position is for our Upper Elementary program with a multi-age classroom of students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. The Upper Elementary Assistant serves as a Montessori Guide for children in their second plane of development and supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of the individual child in a multi-age environment.

You may view the job description for a full list of responsibilities and requirements on our website: www.sjms.net/working-for-us

Interested candidates may apply by emailing a resume, cover letter, and three references to Brian Lower at [email protected]

Want to support your two-year-old? Here's a great overview of skills and supports for those on the cusp of turning two!

https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2024/03/montessori-toddler-skills-at-23-and-24.html

Montessori Toddler Skills at 23 and 24-Months A look at some of the skills that Montessori toddlers need at 23-months and 24-months in a Montessori home including toys and activities to support

What is the Montessori take on pretend play? Take a look at this thoughtful exploration!

https://themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-and-pretend-play

Montessori and pretend play: a complicated question Montessori and pretend play: What is the Montessori approach to pretend play, imagination and fantasy? Dr Montessori has been recorded as preferring reality to pretend play in the classroom. The most commonly referenced is when she introduced traditional toys in her classroom. She found that childre...

Curious about Montessori graduates? In this interview, Montessori alumnus and Emmy Winner reflects on what shaped her interests.

https://www.montessoripost.com/2024/03/22/montessori-alumnus-celebrates-emmy-win/

Montessori Alumnus and Emmy Winner Reflects on What Shaped Her Interests - The Montessori Post Former Montessori student Ellen C***s chats with Montessori Post about her Montessori background, inspiration to pursue animation and future plans. Ellen C***s, a former Montessori student, celebrated a Children’s and Family Emmy Awards nomination and win for Outstanding Individual Achievement in ...

Do you have a picky eater? This short video gives guidelines for setting up our little ones for meal-time success!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRqHwvOMOfk

Children and adults love the magic of color! Check out this post to learn more about how color is used in Montessori classrooms and glean some great ideas for color exploration at home!

https://www.montessoriservices.com/ideas-insights/the-magic-of-color-in-the-classroom

The Magic of Color in the Classroom - Ideas & Insights Articles - Montessori Services "In many of our lessons on the colors, we make use of pieces of brightly-colored stuffs, and of balls covered with wool of different colors."- Maria Montessori, The Montessori Method

Setting limits is an important part of parenting. These three guidelines will help us do it effectively!

https://aidtolife.org/discipline/setting-limits

Meet Jack - SJMS Class of 2024

Jack began attending SJMS when he was five years old.

He will attend St. Charles Preparatory School in the fall. He plans to continue playing hockey.

Jack's favorite memory is taking a class trip to a waterpark in Children's House.

Good luck at St. Charles, Jack!

As children get older, they have a lot of big questions! Here is some help for how to respond to the onslaught of questions that arise in the elementary years!

https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2024/02/montessori-parenting-in-second-plane.html

Meet Liam - SJMS Class of 2024

Liam first came to SJMS when he was three years old.

In the fall, he will attend Bishop Hartley High School. Liam plans to participate in drama club, esports, and game clubs.

His favorite memory is experiencing the airplane simulator during the Middle School class trip to Chicago.

Good luck at Bishop Hartley, Liam!

What are the essential things we can teach our children? Take a look at what this Montessori mom teaches her children from birth.

https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2024/03/3-things-i-teach-my-children-from-birth.html

3 Things I Teach my Children from Birth as a Montessori Mom Three important lessons that I teach as a Montessori parent and some practical way I teach them at each stage of development.

Meet Amira - SJMS Class of 2024

Amira started attending SJMS when she was eleven years old.

She will attend Bishop Hartley High School in the fall and already plans on participating in dance, vocal exercises, tennis, and volleyball.

Her favorite memories are going on the Chicago class trip, going to the North Market, and spending time with her friends and classmates.

Good luck at Bishop Hartley, Amira!

Meet Jonah - SJMS Class of 2024

Jonah began attending SJMS when he was six years old.

In the fall, Jonah will attend Thomas Worthington High School and plans to play baseball.

His favorite memory is the 2024 Variety Show!

Good luck at Thomas Worthington, Jonah!

Meet Emilia - SJMS Class of 2024

Emilia joined SJMS when she was 12 years old.

She will attend St. Francis DeSales High School in the fall and plans on joining the track team.

Her favorite SJMS memories are of the Middle School class trips.

Good luck at DeSales, Emilia!

Our young children are enthusiastic and judgement-free when it comes to singing, dancing, and playing music. This post shares ideas for how to enrich our children's lives with musical experiences.

https://themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-and-music

Montessori and music Montessori and music - Music can touch us in a way that nothing else can. No better gift can we give to the children than to open this door for them.” - Dr Montessori

In Montessori, even our babies and toddlers use real things. Here's a simple guide to DIY placemats that our youngest children will love!

https://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2017/10/our-montessori-baby-and-toddler.html

Our DIY Montessori Baby and Toddler Placemats A look at our DIY Montessori placemats for babies and toddlers.

While the white lie, trick, or parenting "hack" might have appeal, a psychologist offers the big picture of what is important when raising our children.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/playful-parenting/202304/dont-trick-your-kids

Don’t Trick Your Kids Do you enjoy parenting hacks, where parents trick their children to avoid tantrums and meltdowns? There may be some aspects of this that you haven't considered.

Meet Mara - SJMS Class of 2024

Mara began attending SJMS since she was eight years old.

She will attend St. Francis DeSales High School in the fall and plans to play volleyball.

Her favorite memories of SJMS are spending time with her friends and going on the class trips.

Good luck at DeSales, Mara!

Field Day is coming up! Middle School will participate in Field Day on Thursday, May 23, and Toddler-Upper Elementary will have their Field Day on Friday, May 24.

Please make sure your students have sunscreen, a water bottle, comfortable outdoor clothes and shoes, hat, sunglasses, a towel, and a change of extra clothes.

A new study shows that a little childhood independence can reduce kids’ anxiety. Read this Motherly article to learn more!

https://www.mother.ly/health-wellness/childrens-health/childhood-independence-therapy-reduces-kids-anxiety/

Researchers find a little childhood independence can reduce kids’ anxiety Uncover the link between fostering childhood independence and reducing kids' anxiety. Learn how promoting responsibility and decision-making skills in children can lead to improved mental health and resilience. Category : Children's Health, Child Learn & Play

Don't forget to join us for the Variety Show, tomorrow, May 22! We have 33 magical acts to share with you!

The Variety Show will begin at 10AM in Ryan Hall.

Meet Saul - SJMS Class of 2024

Saul started here at SJMS when he was 11 years old.

He will attend St. Charles Preparatory School in the fall. He plans to be involved with religious clubs and economics club.

His favorite memory is traveling to Chicago for his 7th year class trip.

Good luck at St. Charles, Saul!

Lower your voice. It's a super simple thing, but makes a big difference. This short podcast (with captions on YouTube) is worth the 11-minute listen.

https://www.montessorieducation.com/podcast/lower-your-voice

Lower Your Voice - Montessori Education One little change can have an impact.

Meet Ewan - SJMS Class of 2024

Ewan has been attending SJMS since he was three years old.

Next fall, he will attend St. Charles Preparatory School. He plans to play hockey and baseball in high school.

His favorite memories are of spending time and having fun with his friends, as well as playing games especially on the class trips.

Good luck at St. Charles, Ewan!

Movement is an essential part of learning! Check out this short post for a reminder of why movement is important, plus some ideas for incorporating more movement at home.

https://www.montessoriservices.com/ideas-insights/movement-enhances-learning

Movement Enhances Learning - Ideas & Insights Articles - Montessori Services "If you wish to give the means to the child for his development you must give them in such a way that the child can, and must move. ...In all her books, lectures, conversations, Montessori incessantly returns to this great theme of the importance of movement." - E.M. Standing "Maria Montessori, Her....