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Dear Members

We are well into the new term

and all our new children are

settled and happy in either your

children’s houses or are coming

to grips with the responsibility of

getting through their weekly work

schedules in the older

environments.

I always enjoy observing the

older children in all the age

groups developing a sense of

insight into their own maturing as

they themselves observe and

support the younger children with

new tasks and routines, thus

leading them to reflect on their

own capabilities.

This year appears to be getting

off to a good start, with our

Gauteng conference team going

full steam ahead with

preparations. Please don’t miss

out on this wonderful opportunity,

not only to learn new ideas, but

also to refresh your Montessori

philosophy – and even more

importantly, to connect and to

share with fellow Montessorians.

We have had a lot of interest in

the conference from countries in

Africa and further afield.

Parents frequently contact our

offices, with queries about quality

assurance, management policies

and the like. We urge all of our

schools to keep up to date with

policies and good management.

Too often our SAMA schools are

tarred with the same brush as

non-members schools that have

poor Montessori understanding

and practice.

My mantra then for the year is

quality, quality, and quality! Look

at what works really well for the

children, how you are best

supporting their families, and

encourage good communication

throughout all levels of your

school. We treat everyone the

way we want to be treated; as

with our children, we too show

care and respect to all adults

through modelling respectful

behaviour.

Families often misunderstand

what we do, so share with them,

or if we make mistakes with

parents, just apologise. They too

want respect and recognition and

we as educators can learn from

the errors we make. All feedback

you get should be seen as

constructive to ensure we keep

growing.

“There are no mistakes. The

events we bring upon ourselves,

no matter how unpleasant, are

necessary in order to learn what

we need to learn; whatever steps

we take, they’re necessary to

reach the places we’ve chosen to

go.” – Richard Bach, The Bridge

Across Forever: A True Love

Story

All principals of primary and high

schools should be now

registered with SACE for their

CPTD points; a more in-depth

article on this issue is included in

this newsletter. It is encouraging

to see that we are supported with

ongoing learning in our

professional development. I

challenge all heads of schools, if

you haven’t done so already, to

seriously take up further studies

to add to your professional

portfolio.

Have a fabulous summer term.

Jacky

Est. 2003 www.samontessori.org.za Volume 14 Issue 1

Message from the President

SAVE NOW!

Early bird booking extended to

20 March - Don’t miss out!

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Carefree Kid's Montessori Centre

has recently started to change our

outside environment to, in time, be

an extension of our inside working

environment.

The directresses have been given a

list of activities to make and prepare.

They have prepared Red Rods

made from sticks and paint, we have big tweezing and several water activities

such as transferring water from one point to another and washing cars – the

boys enjoy this exercise very much!

We also have watering plants and vegetables as an activity, as well as

threading big beads.

Another interesting activity is stacking rings outside where the child has to take

the tray with the rings, spades and the bucket to the sandpit; they have to plant

the blue and red sticks in the bucket with sand and then put the rings on the

correct coloured stick.

A big part of our outside environment upgrade has been to make additions to

our doll house and to build a construction area. In the doll house we have

activities like a picnic and a tea-party; both of these activities are presented on

the grass outside the doll house on a table cloth. As for our construction area,

this involves the adding of activities such as the use of a pulley, sifting, raking

and digging.

The development Carefree Kid's outside environment is an ongoing project.

This said, we have already started to present the completed activities to

children and these have been met with great enthusiasm and excitement.

Member

Moments

Supporting the growth of Montessori in South Africa.

Visit our

stand at

SAMAcon for

amazing

deals

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GAUTENG NORTH HOST SCHOOL

Bambino Montessori was born out of a

pure belief that early childhood education

and development are the cornerstones to

build a successful adult life.

Bambino opened its doors in April 2008

in a small facility with minimal equipment

but with a lot of passion. Initially we only

had 6 little bambino’s but through word of

mouth the demand at our doors soon let

to a project where we had to do some

major structural modification to host our

current intake of 40 children. Our sole

aim is to provide the best quality pre-

school education in our region by

applying Maria Montessori’ s educational

philosophies.

We are in a continuous process of

improving, expanding and developing our

study material and methods. We believe

a well pre-pared and functional

environment is a key component to the

philosophy and continuously seek ways

to further improve this.

We have a deep concern for the "whole"

child and feel that each area of his/her

development is of equal importance- the

physical, social, emotional, and

intellectual growth. Bambino’s most

valuable asset is the very creative,

committed, passionate and patient team

of educators and support staff that

makes the stay of each child every day

the most pleasurable it can be.

It can truly be said that we “strive

towards excellence” and we are there for

the child.

We are very proud and privileged to be

given the opportunity to be the host

school for SAMA North Gauteng region

2014. May this journey help us to build

strong relationships and even more

inspiring friendships to forever improving

our interactions with the little bambinos’.

WESTERN CAPE HOST SCHOOL

ELF MTT is a non-profit woman’s

organisation established in 1995. We

provide training; support and advice to

individuals and organisati ns primarily

involved in the ECD field.

Since inception, our focus has been on

improving the quality of education offered

in existing educare centres and crèches;

working with individuals to develop skills

and increasing their job opportunities;

and developing parenting skills by

providing information on the development

of children, primarily in the early years.

We are registered as a Public Benefits

Organisation and are exempt from

income tax, in terms of Section 10(f) of

the Income Tax Act. The centre is also

registered under the NPO Act

(Registration Number: 048-964 NPO)

.

Fun Walk photo’s with parents.

Carien Jacobs Principle (white cap) and

Joeanita van Eeden Secretary

GAUTENG SOUTH HOST

SCHOOL

Randburg Montessori School

opened January 2002 with the

primary goal of offering children an

education that will prepare them to

succeed in life in a rapidly changing

world.

Like all Montessori schools,

Randburg Montessori emphasizes

hands-on discovery-based learning.

Children are encouraged to explore

their interests and satisfy their

individual learning needs in an

environment that offers a balance

between academic performance and

creative expression.

We are delighted to host again this

year and are looking forward to

getting to know you and build good

friendships.

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KZN HOST SCHOOLS

Wonderkids Montessori Preschool was established in 1993 in Sydenham, Durban and was among the first Montessori-based preschools in the area. It has grown from its humble beginnings as a 20-student establishment in 1993 to about 100 learners in 2014. Wonderkids has adopted the orphanage for abandoned babies at the William Clark - Durban Child Welfare and set up a preschool for these ‘orphans’. Wonderkids also runs a training centre, where we train adults as Montessori educators. WonderKids serves not only the local community but extends its influence to rural communities in KwaZulu Natal, training teachers and assisting to establish preschools in these communities. We look forward to being your host school for 2014.

Montessori Life is deeply committed to the upliftment of the South African

community, socially economically and educationally and the school and its

parents regularly provide educational support to underfunded schools in the

local community.

Educational assistance is also granted to disadvantaged children to attend

the school on the premise that a sound education can positively impact

individual lives.

The School which held the host

school portfolio in 2011, 2012

and 2013 looks forward to co-

hosting again its KZN

Montessorian colleagues during

2014.

Nicky and the Montessori Life

team promise a warm welcome

to its guests.

Welcome

Autumn

Autumn Solstice 21

March

Situated in the peaceful, coastal

suburb of Isipingo Beach, Sunshine

Coast Montessori was the first

established Montessori in the area

and is currently 15 years old.

Ruwaida Manjoo, the Principal,

stumbled upon the Montessori method

through her sister-in-law whose

children attended a Montessori school

at the time.

Intrigued by the philosophy Ruwaida

studied the course through London

Montessori Centre in 1997. Two years

later a mother of 4 (3 of whom were

triplets) who was searching for a

suitable nurturing environment for her

triplets, she took a leap of faith!

Ruwaida resigned from high-school

teaching and introduced the

community to the dynamic

international Montessori Methodology.

She realized her dream of opening her

Montessori school from the grounds of

her home, having her own children as

her first enrolments and hasn't looked

back since.

The school grew rapidly and still

remains a popular choice for

discerning parents.

Sunshine Coast Montessori is held in

high esteem by the local Primary

schools, which look forward to

receiving the well rounded young

individuals it turns out.

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Customer Service: Whose job is it anyway?

By Shineen Klein

There is a wonderful story that illustrates this problem:

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody,

Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done

and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody

could have done, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about

that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that

Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody

would not do it. In the end Everybody blamed Somebody when

Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

“I only work here.” What sort of miserable, feeble excuse is that? If you work here, then

your job is to see to your parent’s (customer) are happy or better still ecstatic. If you

take on a task ‘own it’. Don’t push it onto someone else.

Not all of us are born with good communication skills. Some of us lack confidence and

are scared of approaching people with concerns you might have. These are areas that

one has to work on as it affects your whole life in all relationships you have. This also

results in thinking that Somebody will do it but Nobody knows about it and eventually

Everybody is blamed for it and you are left feeling demoralised and guilty. It is no good

voicing your frustrations and concerns to Somebody who is not going to do anything

about it except by letting Everybody know about it. Do not rely on Anybody. We are all

here to support one another. If you need assistance tell Somebody who will support

and assist you.

All of us are here

including the cleaning

and maintenance staff to

ensure the safety, loving

care and happiness of

each and every child.

Most of us are also here

because ‘we love

children’ and embrace

the Montessori Method. I

have yet to come across

a Montessori course that

offers a section on ‘what

is good customer

service’.

Who is our customer? Who makes

the choice to send their beloved child to

our school? Who makes the commitment

to sacrifice a few things to afford our fees?

Who thinks that when they drop their child

at school that they know their child is in

safe hands? Who has chosen our school

because they know we offer a good

education and that our staff is dedicated

and well trained? Who expects without a

doubt that we offer good customer

service?

It is crystal clear that customer service is

tied up with people skills. If we develop

better skills at dealing with people in all

the areas of our lives, we will

automatically provide better service to our

customers as well.

DOS

Acknowledge parents immediately –

don’t keep them waiting.

Greet parents warmly, and with an

enthusiastic smile.

Look at your parents while you are

talking and listening to them. Nothing

makes people feel that you care more

than when you make significant eye

contact with them.

Go down to the child’s level when

greeting and talking to them.

“I only work here.”

What sort of

miserable, feeble

excuse is that?

Address your parents by name and tell

them your name. it makes the contact

warmer and more personal.

Build rapport by showing empathy.

Rapport is that feeling that makes us

like, trust and feel comfortable with

another person. Rapport builds a

bridge between the parent and us.

Use your non-verbal skills to let the

customer know that you are listening

intently to them. Nodding your head,

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saying ‘okay’ and ‘I see’ let the parents know that they are being listened to.

DON’TS

Forget the phrase ‘school policy’ – think in terms of ‘customer policy’. If something

is important to the parent, we must try to find a way to meet that need. This does

not mean that we have to give things away or break the rules: if the parent wants

something that is not usually provided as part of the package, take it to

management and they can negotiate. Don’t send the parent away with: ‘that’s not

school policy’.

Forget the phrase ‘That’s not my job’. We need to make everything that affects the

parents our job. Parents must see an attitude of care and commitment towards the

school, and this translates into good customer service.

Never dismiss a parent with a concern. Delegate if possible so that you can attend

to the parent.

It is extremely rude to ignore a parent who has arrived at school looking for a

teacher to drop their child with. The same applies when they have to look for their

child on collection and they are ignored.

Avoid becoming defensiv, anger or blaming. It is not important whose fault led to an

unhappy situation, but rather what we can do about it.

It does not help to complain to your colleagues about something you dislike or think

it is unfair when Nobody can help you. It upsets Everybody and breeds disharmony

amongst those who are happy.

There is no ‘we’ and ‘them’ at our school. Bring your concerns to the attention of

management. They are there to make your lives as pleasant as possible while

working at our school.

Behave professionally - Do not discuss your personal problems with parents. Do

not let your personal issues affect the children or their parents.

Make PRIDE your new mantra.

P POLITE Be polite at all times. Even if you are having a bad day, parents deserve your attention.

R RESPECT We need to treat parents with utmost respect. They pay our salaries.

I IMPORTANCE Parents are the most important people in our work place. Without them there would be no jobs.

D DELIGHT Enjoy what you are doing. If you are not enjoying yourself, parents will probably not enjoy their encounter with you. Have fun and delight your parents.

E EFFICIENT Do your job, and do it well. Do it right the first time, every time. Don’t force your parents to come back to and three times to get things done.

At the end of the day, there is no rocket science involved in delivering good service.

Just do to your customers as you would like to have done to you and the chances are

that you will be very successful and happy that you chose to serve the ‘child’.

Be readily available to assist all parents and their children when they arrive and depart.

Be willing to assist anyone if you see they need help even if they do not belong to your

classroom. This includes all staff members.

About the author:

Shineen

started her

teaching

experience in

1972. After

discovering the

Montessori

method which

she believed to

be the perfect

approach to

education, especially during the first 6

years of life. She completed her

Montessori training, qualifying through

the St Nicholas Montessori College in

London in 1988.

Shineen has worked as a teacher,

principal and tutor for teacher training.

Since moving to Modderfontein several

years ago and visiting the 'Centre of the

Earth' she realised that the peace and

tranquillity of this property could provide

the perfect setting for a Montessori pre-

school and this became her dream.

What a joy when that dream was

realised at the beginning of January

2010. Once refurbishing had taken place

to suit the needs of a perfect Montessori

environment, the school opened in

March 2010 with 17 children. The school

has seen an amazing growth over the

last years and now caters for 230

children.

2013 saw the opening of a new Primary

class which will cater for children

through to grade 7 by 2019.

Children’s House Official Distributors of Nienhuis and Montessori Outlet Montessori Materials Visit our stand at SAMAcon 2014 for

great deals.

Tel: (021) 788 3160

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/

southafricanmontessori/

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Well organized space

Has open pathways that lead to a point of interest.

Offers freedom of movement between points of interest.

Is arranged according to specific classroom goals.

Results in teachers being able to support the children.

Poorly organized space

Dead spaces encourage wandering and unruly

behaviour.

Pathways that lead nowhere or interfere with play

already in progress.

Results in teachers having to police the children.

When designing our new classroom, we decided to custom make extra

wide shelving to house our materials correctly as well as provide lots of

natural light and floor space

This pic shows our lovely art lockers painted by the children

themselves. Making the environment their own makes the children

enjoy their spaces evenmore.

See what’s new at our stand in April at

SAMAcon 2014.

Renew your subscription to our great

magazine.

Submitted by Nicky

Rodseth from

Montessori Life

KZN

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Sitting is Killing our Kids Published by the Heart Foundation and reprinted with permission.

The arrival of the electronic age has fundamentally changed how much time we spend

sitting (also called being sedentary) at home and in other places, such as at school and

work. This change has been directly linked to an increase in health problems, such as

poor nutrition, obesity and insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes. These health

problems increase your risk of developing coronary heart disease. There are many

opportunities for children and young people to sit for long periods of time. Even children

and young people who play sport after school can still spend large amounts of the day

sitting. See Figure 1 below for an example of what may be a typical child’s day.

Because it’s so easy for children and young people to sit too much, it’s important for

parents carers, teachers and child care workers to encourage them to sit less and move

more.

Why is sitting less, better for children and

young people?

Sitting less helps to reduce the risk of children and young people developing health and

other problems in later life. Watching television, using a computer and playing electronic

games, which usually involve sitting for long periods of time, are a big part of children’s

and young people s leisure time. Therefore, children and young people who spend less

time doing these things have better health than those who spend too much time doing

these things. From aged two years, and possibly younger, children who watch less than

an hour of television a day have a lower risk of becoming overweight and lower energy

(kilojoule) intake, and eat more nutrient-rich foods, than children who watch little

television. The same is true for older children.

Infants and very young children who watch less than two hours of television a day can

have better cognitive development, short-term memory, academic achievement and

language skills; and a bigger vocabulary. Adolescent boys who watch less than two

hours of television a day have a lower risk of elevated insulin resistance. The effects of

electronic games and computer use on

children s and young people’s health

are not as well-known as those on

watching television. However, some

research suggests that children who

spend less than two hours a day

playing electronic games have better

health and are less likely to be

overweight or obese. Recent research

also suggests that the less a person

sits during the day (a low overall sitting

time) may reduce their risk of obesity

and insulin resistance. This means that

even a very active child’s or young

person’s health can improve more if

they also sit for less than two hours a

day.

What are the

recommended

limits for sitting?

We recommend that parents and

carers limit how much time children

and young people watch television,

use the computer and sit in general to:

children aged under two years no

television viewing or the use of

other electronic media (DVDs,

computer and other electronic

games.

children aged two to five years

less than one hour each day of

television viewing and other

electronic media (DVDs,

computer and other electronic

games)

children aged zero to five years

with the exception of sleeping,

infants, toddlers and pre-

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schoolers should not sit, be restrained (e.g., in a high chair) or be kept inactive for

more than one hour at a time

children aged 5 to 18 years less than two hours each day of television viewing,

computer use and electronic games, especially during daylight hours.

How can I encourage children and young

people to sit less and move more?

Watching television, using a computer and playing electronic games usually involve long

periods of time sitting. Sitting in a car, for example to and from school, is another big

contributor to the amount of time children and young people spend sitting. To reduce

theamount of time children and young people spend sitting, it is important to try to limit

the

amount of time they spend doing these things and encourage them to move more. There

are many ways you can help children and young people to move more. All it takes are a

few small, simple changes to daily activities. Below are some tips to help you get started.

Tips for parents and carers

Limit how much time your child watches television, uses a computer and plays

electronic games, for example before or after school (particularly during daylight

hours).

Remove televisions, computers and electronic games from bedrooms. Use a

timer or an alarm clock to keep track of how much time they spend watching

television, using a computer or playing electronic games.

Limit the number of televisions, computers and electronic games you have at

home.

If you drive your child to and from school every day, try to walk or cycle with

them once or twice a week. If you live too far from school for your child to walk,

park the car 1 kilometre from school and walk the rest of the way.

Talk to your child s teacher about setting active homework.

Think of fun things to do as a family instead of watching television.

Try to have at least one full day every week where your family doesn t watch

television, use a computer or play electronic games.

You are an important role model to your child, so try to limit how much television you

watch and time you spend using a computer. Give your child active alternatives. Instead

of hiring a DVD or computer game, do something active instead. Use a skipping rope,

play Frisbee or go to the local park. Give your child a bike and some basic active play

equipment, such as a hula hoop or balls. Keep a box of active play equipment on hand

for when your child says they’re bored. Don't use movement-based electronic games

instead of active play, such as riding a bike.

Share with other parents ideas for

encouraging children to be more

active.

Tips for teachers and

child care workers

Teach children about

selective television viewing

and how they can limit how

much television they watch.

In health and physical

education classes, include

activities that promote the

benefits of physical activity

and the harm that too much

sitting may cause.

Set active homework for

children and incorporate an

active curriculum by making

opportunities for children to

stand in class.

Encourage children who are

driven to and from school

each day to speak with their

parents about finding more

active ways to get to and from

school.

Ban television viewing in child

care or after school care.

Make sure children have

opportunities to stand and

move around throughout the

day

Eliminate sitting time in

physical education classes.

Aim for all students to spend

at least50% of the class in

moderate- to high-intensity

physical activity.

A few of the vendors at

SAMAcon 2014

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Materials:

Leaves with clearly defined veins.

Rubbing crayons

Large piece of paper or individual papers.

Method:

Secure leaves with prestik on a hard surface.

Place the paper over the leaves and secure if necessary.

Show the child how to rub over the leaves firmly with the rubbing

crayons.

NOTE:

Make your own rubbing crayons by melting broken or little wax crayons

together and setting them in a silicone ice tray or muffin tin. Add the wax

from a white candle to increase the yield if required.

The pointillism (dot art) movement grew from the expressionist movement and is

closely linked to the scientific discoveries that everything is made up of particles.

Prominent artists of the movement are Paul Signac and Georges Seurat.

Materials:

Circle metal inset

Ear buds

Paint (thick tempera or ready mix paint) in a variety of warm colours (red,

orange, brown, yellow)

A4 piece of paper

Method:

Trace the circle of the metal inset.

Show the child how to dip the ear buds lightly into the paint and create an

autumn tree by lightly dabbing the paper with the colours.

Make a set of 3 Part Cards on

different pressed leaves from

your garden.

Collect various autumn leaves and

investigate their differences through a

magnifying glass.

Make an autumn wreath

from your dried leaf

collection

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Working Your Outdoor Spaces by Kym van Straaten (images all copyright Randburg Montessori)

Outdoor 101 Provide safe boundaries for the children.

Have adequate fencing and a lockable gate.

Maintain gardens especially your entrance. It is the first

impression of your school.

Fertilize your grass regularly to keep it green and lush.

Plant herbs and veggies in your flowerbeds if you don’t have

enough space for a veggie patch.

Remove poisonous plants including Arum lilly and Ivy.

Involve children in gardening – provide tools for them.

Trees are made for climbing.

Well attended and supervised by an adult at all times.

Avoid shouting across the playground

Clean it and prepare as you would your indoor environment

Insist that the children wear hats and help them apply

sunscreen regularly.

A workshop is a great way to provide a place to structured

activities outdoors.

LEFT: Cloth washing is a fun

activity that allows the child

to be active in preparing the

environment but also

encourages a long cycle of

activity to develop

concentration.

BELOW: Planting basil seeds

for mother’s day.

LEFT: Climbing walls provide a physical challenge for

the children as well as providing an experience in

planning and spatial laterality.

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A children’s Workshop

Artisan Skills Using a saw

Using a screwdriver

Using a drill

Using a hammer

Using nuts and bolts

Creativity may seem important only for people who are involved in the artistic trade. Yet more

and more in our society we see the real value of it. There have been links between creativity and

problem solving abilities (Moyles, 1999) and increasing the ability to “think outside of the box”. If

this is true then creativity is therefore significant if we are to encourage and help children be an

independent and productive citizen of society. One definition of may be “creativity is basically an

attitude, one that come easily to young, but must be sustained and strengthened lest it be

sacrificed in our too logical world (Marzollo and Lloyd, 1972).

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A children’s Workshop

Creative skills Easel painting

Handwork –Sewing, knitting.

Charcoal

Ink

Water colours

Collage

Cleaning the easel

for the next child is

part of the process.

“The task of the

educator lies in

seeing that the

child does not

confound good

with immobility and

evil with activity.”

Maria Montessori

“The truth is that when a free spirit exists, it has to

materialize itself in some form of work, and for this the hands are needed. Everywhere we find traces of men's handiwork, and through these we can catch a glimpse of his spirit and the thoughts of his time. The skill of man's hand is bound up with the development of his mind, and in the light of history we see it connected with the development of civilization. Maria Montessori

see us at SAMAcon 2014

see us at SAMAcon 2014

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