Some Pictures of New Year Activities Around GTS

January 23, 2012 ushered in the Year of the Dragon, considered the luckiest year in the Chinese Zodiac!

Chinese Calendar Year: 4710

The Asian Lunar New Year is celebrated by many Asian ethnic groups including Chinese, Vietnamese and Koreans. The Lunar New Year marks the start of the Spring season, with a celebration of family, friends, community, and wishes for good fortune.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated with loved ones, lots of special holiday food, and traditional music including drums and gongs. Family members and friends gather at each other's homes for visits during which they share large meals and gifts symbolizing fortune. According to tradition, Chinese and Vietnamese give each other "red-envelopes" with good-luck money for the New Year, and Koreans offer newly minted money as a symbol of auspicious and fortuitous beginnings. Before the New Year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away evil spirits that may be hiding and everyone buys bright new clothing to wear on New Year's Day.

Known as "Chuen Jie" (Spring Festival) in Chinese, "Tet Nguyen Dan" in Vietnamese, and "Sol" in Korean, the Lunar New Year is represented by a cycle of 12 years, each denoted by a different animal zodiac. This new year, the Year of the Dragon, is the fifth animal in the cycle and is considered the luckiest zodiac. A child born in the year of the Dragon brings luck to the entire family.  Traditionally, the holiday festivities start 22 days prior to the New Year and continue for 15 days afterwards. Lunar New Year parades in Asian communities are annual traditions across the United States and Canada.

Fun Facts about the Year of the Dragon:
Dragon Years: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 (from January 23, 2012 – February 9, 2013)

Well-known People Born in Year of the Dragon: Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, Sigmund Freud, Mae West, John Lennon, Bruce Lee, Shirley Temple, Salvador Dali, Keanu Reeves, Orlando Bloom, Al Pacino, Calista Flockhart, Fats Domino, Gregory Peck, James Garner, Liam Neeson, Martin Sheen, Mary-Louise Parker, Raquel Welch, and many, many more!

Dragon Characteristics: Innovative, Enterprising, Flexible, Self-assured, Brave, Passionate, Conceited, Tactless, Scrutinizing, Quick-tempered.

Best Careers for Dragons: Computer analysts, Inventors, Engineers, Architects, Lawyers, Philosophers, Psychoanalysts, Brokers, Managers, Salespeople, PR People, Advertising agents, Officers in the armed forces, Campaigners, Politicians

 'Lunar New Year' In-Language:
- in Chinese: "Chun Jie" (Mandarin for 'Spring Festival')
- in Vietnamese: "Tet Nguyen Dan"
- in Korean: "Sol"

'Happy New Year' Greetings:
- in Chinese (Cantonese): Gung Hay Fat Choy (Wishing you get rich)
- in Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Nam Moi  (Happy New Year)
- in Korean: Sae Hae Bok Man Ie Ba Due Se Yo (Get lots of luck)

Lucky/Special New Year Foods:
-Chinese: Dumplings, Rice Cake (called Nian Gao)
-Korean: Rice Cake Soup (called duk-kuk)
-Vietnamese: Rice Cake 

(Banh Trung)

The age 5 is a time of mastery, and the kindergarten program at Greene Towne assists this development.  This is the time when the children put all the impressions from the language, math, and cultural areas into a more conscious format.  The 5-6 year old is ready to consolidate and integrate detail, information, and experience.  He/she starts to make comparisons and later can move more readily into abstract thinking.

For example, a 3 or 4 year old can look at a set of geography cards picturing people from different countries.  The younger child can realize that the people are different, but it is the 5 year old who begins to realize what is different.  It is this developmental readiness that enables our Kindergarten program to provide the opportunity to discover and learn about different cultures and life-styles, draw geography maps, label names of countries, etc.

Moreover, the three-year (or four-year) Montessori program is designed to help children progress from stage to stage in this developmental sequence without interruption or loss of continuity.  We build upon what came previously!

Besides allowing for continuous development, the Kindergarten year provides mastery of self.  It is one of the few times in life when children can be “top dog” in the classroom and feel the great pride in that esteemed position.  The children feel great competence, serving as teachers to the younger children, either directly or by example.

This competence is partly the result of having experienced their own progress in the same setting.  They once were the little ones coming into the classroom, learning how to pour juice and roll mats.  But now they are the Kindergarten children, who write stories and count the 1000 chain. 

This is the age when children master their socializing skills of cooperating, sharing, and taking turns.  The Montessori classroom is a community where every child is important.  Often, visitors to Greene Towne comment on how kind the older children are to the younger ones.  It is a common occurrence to see a 5-year-old helping a 3-year-old with his coat and boots.

When a child leaves this environment after his/her second year and does not continue on in the Kindergarten Year, he/she loses time in this developmental sequence.  The energy put into mastery now must be put into adjusting.  The transition means adjusting to a new school, new friends, new routines, etc.—and thus interrupts and delays the developmental sequence.

This delay tends to reduce the feelings of mastery and competence at this age.  Again, the consolidation of impressions is left at random at this point if a transition occurs.  The esteemed position of “top dog” is delayed until the end of grade school since children in other Kindergartens are regarded as the “babies” - they are the youngest, not the oldest.

A child naturally is ready for new challenges at 6, when entry into 1st grade typically occurs.  This need to “move on” comes naturally from within the child of 6, while the need at the age of 5 is one to “finish”.  The Montessori Kindergarten differs in content and process from other kindergarten programs.  In the Montessori program, children learn through concrete materials and through the senses.  It is learning by doing, with verbal input integrated into the process.  In other programs children are more involved with verbal instruction and much time is spent in helping them listen and follow directions.  Greene Towne children have already acquired these skills so they have the opportunity to move on and build upon what has been accomplished in the previous years. 

RE-ENROLLMENT

Re-enrollment agreements are due February 1!  Please return your child’s re-enrollment no later than February 1st so that we may plan appropriately for next year.

Thank you!

FINANCIAL AID

Financial Aid applications have been sent home to those families currently receiving assistance.  If you anticipate requiring financial assistance for the 2012-13 school year, please contact Erika Goldberg for details. The application must be submitted to SSS NO LATER than February 1, 2012 to be considered. 

Now is great time to start visiting schools as you consider your child’s education after Greene Towne.  Winter and Spring Open Houses offer a calm and unhurried way to see schools and some schools will not accept an application or schedule a tour/visit unless you’ve attended an Open House.  You can check the schools’ web sites or the free monthly parenting papers: Parents Express and MetroKids, available in the GTS lobby.  If you’d like a copy of the long list of schools that Greene Towne graduates typically go to, please contact us and we can email it to you. 

SAVE THE DATE for our February 22nd Parent Workshop: Applying to First Grade.

“Every night we hear our daughter read to us we know we made the right decision to keep our kindergartener at Greene Towne.”

Excerpt from a letter written by a GTS parent concerning their decision to stay in Montessori for the Kindergarten year, in this case, the child’s 4th year in the Primary classroom.

We often have occasion to speak with Admissions staff and Heads of Schools at the various area schools.  They tell us how valued Montessori children are in general and in particular, Greene Towne graduates.  They tell us that there is almost always room for GTS students.  They point out the natural attrition that often occurs between kindergarten and first grade due, in part, to families moving.  We also talk about families understanding the commitment to a school program and the importance for a child to finish a cycle of learning.  I am planning more meetings to talk to schools to confirm placement in first grades.  Our commitment is to your children and giving them the best Montessori education possible—it is our mission.

Warmly,
Helena

This question is on the minds of many Montessori parents at this time of year at Montessori schools around the country.  The Montessori 3 to 6-year-old classroom is, by design, an environment intended to respond to the intellectual, social and emotional development of a 31/2 year range of ages. Allowing a child to progress and complete this cycle, in which they begin as a novice and transform and grow into a class leader, offers skills and confidence that the child carries with him or her for a lifetime.  

Year after year as our graduating Kindergarteners receive acceptances from the schools where they will continue in the following year, their parents learn, first hand, the value of these qualities, coming to fruition in the full Kindergarten year, when the child is developmentally primed for them.  Parents relate how glad and relieved they are to have made the decision to keep their child in Montessori for the full Kindergarten year, (in most cases the child’s third year, but for some the fourth year).  This sense of relief comes as they apply to schools and find out how well appreciated and sought after children who have completed the full Montessori program are.  Greene Towne graduates have a reputation of being extremely well prepared for their new schools, not only in academic areas but in social-emotional areas as well.  In the majority of cases, our graduates enter 1st grade in their new school. Sometimes, due to a summer birthday and the school’s policy, a GTS graduate may enter the Kindergarten class in their new school, and typically these Kindergartens have older students and more rigorous programs.

The parents of one of our “four-year” primary students, accepted for admission to three of the schools they applied to, shared the following reflections with us, supporting their decision to have their child complete the Montessori program. 

1. The GTS Kindergarten (graduate) child knows the drill.  There is continuity with the teachers, the facility and many of the same classmates.

2. The subject matter that was being discussed in some of the kindergartens we visited seemed to be pretty basic and looked a little bit like the toddler class at GTS.

3. All of the Elementary schools value Greene Towne students who have completed the Kindergarten year.

As parents of our current four-year-olds look ahead to their child’s Kindergarten Year we recommend you consider the following:

Richness of materials:  The richness of materials afforded in the Montessori classroom is unparalleled in a traditional pre-school or Kindergarten classroom.  Many of the materials used by our oldest students (some of which are used in the Montessori Elementary classroom as well): bead chains, world maps, sentence diagramming, story writing, multiplication bead board, the list is endless!

Opportunities for leadership:  In a Montessori classroom, the oldest children are leaders!  You see it in the way they walk around the school, delivering messages and younger children to the nap room; the pride in which they help a younger child with a zipper; giving a lesson; completing a map of Asia ; reading aloud to a group of rapt 3 year olds. In traditional school environments, students are not given the opportunity to take a leadership role until 4th, 8th, or 12th grade!

The bond of community:  Greene Towne Kindergartners are a tight set.  They have grown together for 3, 4, or in some cases, 5 years!  They know each other and have developed deep friendships from interaction not only within the classroom but from movement class, music, recess, and after school programs. Now, in their final year, they have art, trips to the library, organizing for the Thanksgiving Food drive, field trips and Lunch-Around-the-World to share. These bonds last for years, even into adulthood.  Did you know that the founders of Google were childhood Montessori friends?

Learning about what kind of learner your child is:   When your child reaches 5 to 5½ years of age they have come into their own and we see a glimpse of the adult to be.  Parents can better understand what kind of learner the child is and can explore new schools with this information in hand. Philadelphia has with a wide selection of elementary schools to choose from. Take a look at their Kindergarten program and compare it to the bustling activity of the Montessori environment. It is not unusual for parents to feel strongly about a specific school until they visit some of the alternatives and find another school they like even better. Our 25 graduates from last year are attending 18 different schools. 

Now is great time to start visiting schools as you consider your child’s education after Greene Towne.  Winter and Spring Open Houses offer a calm and unhurried way to see schools and some schools will not accept an application or schedule a tour/visit unless you’ve attended an Open House.  You can check the schools’ web sites or the free monthly parenting papers: Parents Express and MetroKids, available in the GTS lobby.  If you’d like a copy of the long list of schools that Greene Towne graduates typically go to, please contact us and we can email it to you. 

SAVE THE DATE for our February 22nd

Parent Workshop: Applying to First Grade.

Picture Day envelopes went home last week. If you didn't get one or misplaced it, we have extra forms at the front desk. Please return the envelopes with payment to Memory Mate Photo by Wednesday, January 25.

Make sure to get to school EARLY (Primary students take pictures on Thursday, January 26 and Toddlers take pictures at the Primary School on Friday, January 27) as we will start taking pics at 9am SHARP, or before if a class is ready to go!

Toddler arrival will happen at the Primary School on Friday, January 27.

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'”

 Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday, January 16th hundreds of thousands of people across the United States will remember and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy by participating in community service projects on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Dr. King inspired us to strengthen communities, empower individuals and bridge barriers. When so many people come together and unite to make a positive change in the world, we can help to carry on the powerful teachings of Dr. King.

“The needs of mankind are universal.  Our means of meeting them create the richness and diversity of the planet.  The Montessori child should come to relish the texture of that diversity.”  Maria Montessori

Montessorians have long recognized the contribution community service has in developing and educating the whole child. It was Dr. Montessori’s vision that a peaceful world, created by children raised with respect to their natural development, would make the world a better place. Service to the community is a corner stone of the Montessori curriculum. Students learn the joy of giving of themselves and develop compassion because of these real, practical life experiences.  In the Montessori learning community we model and teach students to be stewards and caretakers of the Earth and its inhabitants. By doing so, we create caring, empathetic students capable of thinking beyond themselves.

"What good shall I do this day?"   Benjamin Franklin

Service at School:  Community service, in the form of kindness and helpfulness, is accomplished at all levels and in all age groups in the Montessori school. In the Toddler House and 3 to 6-year-old Primary classrooms, children have opportunities every day to assist and serve their classmates.  Helping a young friend take off a coat, showing concern for a classmate who misses his parents, reading to a classmate, showing a younger child how to do work, helping a classmate clean up a spill, preparing and serving a snack to others, sorting Recycling, and watering plants are just a few of the many ways in which children in a Montessori environment serve others, helping them build a foundation of compassion towards their fellow human beings and establish themselves in a cooperative, respectful community.

As a school community, we also hold a Thanksgiving Food Drive, Holiday Gift Drive, and Lemonade Stand which each benefit those in need.  These activities are an integral component of the expanded curriculum our Kindergarten students participate in.  Along with Art, Lunch-around-the-World, and field trips they open these oldest student’s eyes to the wider world outside the classroom.

"The difference between what we are doing and what we are capable of doing would

solve most of the world's problems."   Mahatma Gandhi

Service outside of school:  It can be challenging to find opportunities for very young children to participate in service activities outside of school and home but here are a few ways you can honor the spirit of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service with your young children at home.

* Clean out the closets.  Children grow quickly and before you know it, clothes, toys, strollers, car seats, and books are outgrown.  Gather these up and donate them to a Salvation Army emergency shelter (near us, there is the salvation Army Eliza Shirley House at 1320 Arch Street; to learn what they need now call 215-686-7150), Ronald McDonald House, the nursery at your place of worship, or simply take them to a thrift store so that a less fortunate family can continue to enjoy them.  Here are some other organizations that appreciate your help:

Youth Service, Inc. in Philadelphia is happy to receive donations at any time of year:  www.ysiphila.org.

Cradles to Crayons accepts gently used clothing, new toys and craft items (don’t you have some duplicate gifts?)

http://philadelphia.cradlestocrayons.org/locations?q=node/54

* Many of us think about those in need at holiday times but in reality many families are hungry all year round and could use help at any time of the year.  Take your child to the grocery store and let them help you select a bag of groceries to donate to a food bank or shelter.  Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network welcomes families to cook meals, serve meals, keep a family company in the shelter by bringing games to play, crafts to do and books to read (this is a family friendly opportunity.)

http://philashelter.org/how-to-help/volunteer-with-us

* On Monday, January 16, 2012 NLArts will have its third Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service at the Northern Liberties Community Center (700 N. 3rd Street) from 11am to 3pm.  Stop by and help us make Art Packages for kids without art in their school. Packages will be distributed to Helping Hand Mission, Ludlow Elementary School and Kearny Elementary School.  This is a family event. For more information please call 215/833-2884.

* The most meaningful service for children to take part in is to those they know. Do you have an elderly or infirmed neighbor or relative who would appreciate a hot meal or home baked cookies and a visit from a child?  Do they have a pet that needs to be walked?  Is there a sick friend cooped up indoors that would like some company or simply a card?

* Children can donate a portion of their allowance or do extra chores to “earn” money which can then be donated to a favorite charity.  Parents can make a list of charities and talk about the work they do with the child. Then let your child choose which one they want to help.  Some good causes for young children are Unicef, Heifer International, Ronald McDonald House, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  Children can also participate in fundraising walks throughout the year! 

* Plant flowers to beautify a school, park or other community area or clean up a playground (with proper supervision and safety considerations.)

Participating in these activities teaches children that although they are young, they can and do make a contribution to their community.

Financial Aid applications have been sent home to those families currently receiving assistance.  If you anticipate requiring financial assistance for the 2012-13 school year, please contact Erika Goldberg for details at .

The application must be submitted on-line at http://sss.nais.org/schools/ to School and Student Services NO LATER than February 1, 2012 to be considered.   There are additional documents required so contact Erika for details.

“I can do it!” my son says as he is working on a puzzle at home.  He wants no help (or interference) from me.  Determination and confidence are emerging from my child in his Kindergarten year at Greene Towne which pleases us both.  Only half the school year has passed but I already consider it a “good” year for him.

When he brought home a continent map that he had done for the first time, he glowed with pride.  I have to admit, I was surprised by the complexity of his work.  I continue to be surprised by his ventures into writing stories, sounding out, bank game, geography, biology—a challenging fare for a 5-year-old.  His teacher and the Greene Towne staff are helping him be aware of his potential and individuality.  They have helped me be supportive of him through each stage of his development.  He will be ready for the challenge of first grade in a new school next year.  No doubt he will still be saying, “I can do it!”

Now is great time to start visiting schools as you consider your child’s education after Greene Towne.  Winter and Spring Open Houses offer a calm and unhurried way to see schools and some schools will not accept an application or schedule a tour/visit unless you’ve attended an Open House.  You can check the schools’ web sites or the free monthly parenting papers: Parents Express and MetroKids, available in the GTS lobby.  If you’d like a copy of the long list of schools that Greene Towne graduates typically go to, please contact us and we can email it to you. 

SAVE THE DATE for our February 22nd Parent Workshop: Applying to First Grade.

A word from Friends of Coxe Park:

We are pleased to announce that the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department is supportive of moving forward with the process of replacing the soft coat surface at our beloved Coxe Park.

As many of you know, the surfacing has been damaged by years of use and it is not very soft anymore. Replacing the soft surface will make the playground immediately safer for our littlest friends and safer for all children against more dangerous falls.

Due to limited city funding, the Friends of Coxe Park has been given the task of gathering funds within the community. Often, the city relies on Friends Organizations like ours to raise funds for maintenance. The Friends of Coxe Park is a neighbor based non-profit organization with 84 members and growing. Our goal is to raise $25,000 for this project.

This is where we need your help. Financial support from members of the community is crucial to making this project a reality. The replacement of the soft surface will have an immediate impact to enhance a great neighborhood amenity. We have already raised over $5,000 over the past few months from the generosity of so many neighbors.

All donations made through our fiscal sponsor Evolve Foundation are tax deductible. To make your tax deductible gift today, you can donate through paypal on our website www.friendsofcoxepark.org or and make a check payable to Evolve Foundation with Friends of Coxe Park noted in the memo. This can be dropped of in the lobby of Greene Towne or mailed to 2121 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Thank you for your support and generosity!

Sincerely,

Drew Murray and Marisa Piccarreto

Co-Presidents, Friends of Coxe Park 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Yes, I would like to make a tax-deductible gift to repair the soft coat surface at Coxe Park!

________________________________________________________________

Enclosed is my check for:

$25       $50   $100    $250    $500    $1000    $2500  other ___________

made payable to Evolve Foundation with Friends of Coxe Park in the memo.

Gladwyne Montessori welcomes author Trevor Eissler for a Parent Education seminar entitled Montessori Madness on Tuesday, January 31 at 7:30pm.

Gladwyne Montessori

920 Youngsford Road, Gladwyne, PA

RSVP to Robyn Stearne at rstearne@gladwyne.org. GTS community welcome!