Language development.

Early communication is linked closely to cognitive, behavior and social skills in children’s lives. Hence, the radical changing patterns of children between two to three years old.

A toddler (two-years-old) is experiencing emerging speech, and their mood pendulum, frustration and impulsiveness can be quite challenging. A year later, this same child with good speech development, is likely to be more cooperative, calm and less inclined to get frustrated easily. Increased speech can actually improve behaviour.

Another 4-year-old child may display behavioural traits of a 2-year old, if language is not yet developed. Therefore, it is also rational that we examine a child’s language level when examples of unwanted behaviour are displayed. Providing star chart might be pointless; boosting a child’s vocabulary and language proficiency could be beneficial.

In order to read and write, it is helpful if the child has a good level of speech. This means adults must talk to children more frequently, read story books to them and free storytelling with props whenever possible. And when children learn to read, it would be really effective if the Phonics method is being used when teaching them English.

Recently, I attended a full day Jolly Phonics course in KL, Malaysia. This course uses synthetic phonics and multi-sensory method to teach children to read and write English. The 5 basic skills for reading and writing, as presented by Jolly Phonics are:

1. Learning the 42 letter sounds
2. Learning letter formation
3. Blending
4. Segmenting
5. Spelling tricky words

I had a wonderful time revising the English sounds with two energetic trainers from Australia. Thank you Tina and Celeste!

Creativity workshop.

If your children are 7-13 years old, and you are cracking your head and pulling your hairs thinking what they ought to do during the year-end school holidays, stop those self pain-inflicting actions, and shove them to Uncle Bugs’ creative workshop.

Uncle Bugs is one of the members in my writer’s group (writing for children). He is a cheery fella and an award-winning inventor. During this coming school holidays, he will be conducting two workshops at Bangsar Village and Wan Utama, on how to invent gadgets using recyclable material a.k.a junks.

Visit Uncle Bugs’ blog for more info.

A short note.

I certainly welcome readers who wrote in asking for suitable schools around their living areas. Can I also urge you all to state at least your email address so that you can be contacted directly and promptly, when a responder is able to answer your pleas, resulting in speedier q&a process, especially when looking for the almost-perfect school for your children?

Lee Havis – Montessori Convention Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2009

I received this ‘gift’ in my mailbox. The audio is quite fuzzy but the content is pretty exciting and totally mind-opening!

more about "Lee Havis – Montessori Convention Kua…", posted with vodpod

Slow down, teacher!

We tend to have at least one child in the classroom displaying difficulty in following directions or instructions and often resulting in power struggle with teachers or other children. Sometimes the child will run away before we could even finish a sentence, thinking somebody will grab the thing in his/her hand and runs away a lot.

Instead of  struggling physically or reprimanding the child, I find some of the methods below useful:

• stop dancing along with the child’s movement to escape from you. Move towards the child in a slow and steady manner. Use eye contact and proximity when the child is not looking directly at you.
• Invite other children, especially the older ones to help the disarray child, such as reminding him/her to sit properly, how to behave at the meal table or even to merely walk in a line.
• I also keep telling myself to control my own personality, not letting it to influence the child’s inner guidance. I need to trust the child. Initially, I force my own opinion and personality onto the child, coercing the child to accept the right actions. But then, as I withdraw myself from the situation and observe patiently whilst giving the child space and time to think and act more appropriately, the better side of the child unfolds without me having to praise or chip in my opinion of herhis actions. The child seems to know the right thing to do.

Oh! All the above remind me of an incident in school today. It was my turn to babysit F today. After finishing his snack, I asked F to put his water bottle into his bag, which I helped to open after he had tried several times to unzip it. He refused to put the bottle into his bag, and I repeatedly instructed him to do it, telling him that I would help him in the process. That’s when my personality kicked in and I stared/looked at him in the eyes. He even ‘rebelled’ by dropping himself on the  floor and refused to get up. I left the room at that moment, leaving his bag opened and the bottle by the side. After a few seconds, I stood outside the room and peeped from there. What I saw surprised me! F took the bottle , put it into his bag and was trying to zip it up. That was when I went to his rescue. Who ever said timing is not crucial!

Nanny required.

I received this urgent email from a mother.

“Actually, what I am looking for is for a minder/nanny who can come over to my house during the day from around 9-6.30.. I have an Indon maid to do all the housework and just need someone to look after S and the baby. I live in PJ, SS3.”

Dear readers of this blog, if you know any reliable nanny (like Mrs. Doubtfire ), please email me the details and I will forward it to her. Thank you!

Ecology Education

The crowd enjoyed the premiere release of another environmentally induced movie “The Age of Stupid” at Grand Millennium Hotel, Malaysia yesterday. A movie with an urgent message for humankind as we continue to damage this ill earth.My early resolution for this cause is to fly only once this year.

In South Africa, schools are collaborating, participating and educating the children to contribute to the cause of saving the earth from the incessant temperature/climate change issue.

Newberry House Montessori Primary in Somerset West (with only forty children) must be one of the smallest schools in the Western Cape to have achieved its Eco Flag…all the children, parents and teachers worked really hard to change their environment and take ownership of our precious earth. Over 1000 schools in South Africa have already been granted their Eco Flag.

(Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa)

The playground a year ago was quite a barren gravel pit. Most of it has been converted to a volleyball court with sand, but around the edge there is a small Eco Garden. The students planted at least ten indigenous trees, made a few eco-circle gardens, planting vegetables and herbs. They also installed a small pond. The garden has already created enough diversity for the bird life to be improved, and the children have made bird-houses to make them feel even more welcome!

Newberry House Primary School is working with WESSA and WWF under a project called Eco Schools programme which is “designed to encourage curriculum-based action for a healthy environmen. It is an internationally recognised award scheme that accredits schools that make a commitment to continuously improve their school’s environmental performance. This program has been running since 2003 and they have worked tirelessly to get schools more environmentally aware.  At the Awards Ceremony in April it was very encouraging to find so many schools from all walks of society being recognised for their efforts.”

Schools around the world are taking small steps to save Mother Earth, I wonder whether educational institutions here are lunging into tiny steps to do the same. Why don’t start working hand in hand with famed ngos like WWF and MNS?

International Peace Day – 21 Sept 2009

21st September 2009 is United Nations World Peace Day. In conjunction with this event, Montessori schools around the world can show their support of world peace by singing the peace song entitled “Light A Candle For Peace”.

Mark your calendars and sing the song with the children around the world!

LYRICS

Light a candle for peace,
Light a candle for love,
Light a candle that shines,
All the way around the world.

Light a candle for me,
Light a candle for you,
That our wish for world peace,
Will one day come true

Sing Peace Around the World
Sing Peace Around the World
Sing Peace Around the World
Sing Peace Around the World

*Footnote: I guess Malaysians would be busy celebrating Hari Raya holiday on this day. Visiting Muslim friends and joining the ‘open house’  events would be a way of advocating Peace amongst different races and creed.

Jolly Phonics Training Workshop.

I am delighted to attend a Jolly Phonics workshop in Malaysia, which will be held on the 10th of October (Saturday). For those who are not familiar with JollyPhonics, it is a programme produced in UK to educate children in reading and writing English using multi-sensorymethod. I remember when I was in London, a certified Jolly Phonics teacher would come in to the classroom once every week to teach Jolly Phonics to children who are weak in written and spoken English.

I will write about my learning experience with Jolly Phonics’ trainers and hope to hear any feedback from readers.

A place to begin ad.

I am pleased that my blog has been used as a platform for people to advertise their needs with the intention of fulfilling somebody else’s cries. Below are two comments aka advertisements from readers, do email them directly:

1. Hi Friends, I have a double storey corner hour in SS17 for rent. I am wondering anybody interested to start a school or a childcare centre. I am staying in Kuala Lumpur so the property will not be used as a family home. Anybody interested write to me at sitis_montessori@yahoo.com.
   Siti.

2. Hi friends,
   I looking for location to open a Montessori Kindie.If any one got suitable corner lot house or location,please mail me. sumithra_nts@yahoo.com