Why Does Montessori Middle School Help Children Become Leaders?

Just as the Montessori Method promotes total child development in early education, it also benefits them in many ways during the middle school years. This is the time when kids are starting to really think about things outside themselves, and putting concepts they were taught in early education to work. Things such as grace and courtesy, elements at the foundation of Montessori's Method, are ready to be put into practice, helping children develop into caring, intelligent adults with the skills necessary for becoming tomorrow's leaders.

Learning Self-Responsibility

In the Montessori classroom, middle school students are already practicing the skills of leaders. Instead of being assigned a specific curriculum, Montessori students make contracts concerning their educational goals and choices. Freedom of choice is an important part of Montessori, but learning to be responsible for their own goals and behaviors is priceless for children entering their third stage of development.

Practicing Empathy

Children first begin to relate to the feelings of others during their second stage of development, or the years between ages 3 and 6. In middle school, they will fine-tune their ability to put themselves in someone else's shoes. Working with other students, taking part in community activities, and playing a more active role at home are all instances where practicing empathy-- and humility-- help children become future leaders.

Developing Critical Thinking

In the simplest terms, critical thinking is the ability to solve problems by considering the options available. Learning to think critically also encourages children to take leading roles because solving a problem requires action to implement. Opportunities to apply critical thinking are found everywhere and develop necessary skills for those who will be taking leading roles in the community and workplace in a few short years.

Self-Esteem and Montessori

When children perform an action successfully-- even abstract lessons gained from empathy, responsibility, and critical thinking-- it makes them feel better about themselves and their abilities. Montessori is intended to benefit all aspects of childhood development, including developing the social skills necessary for future leaders to be able to fill those leading roles.

Middle school is when the concepts learned in the early years can be put into practice. Children are already saying polite things and helping each other by this time, but the social constructs they are using before middle school are only an outline of the behaviors that will mold them into success stories during middle school and beyond.

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Why Use a Laundry Pick Up Service?

When you think of residential laundry services, you probably picture taking your clothes to Laundry Care Express to have everything perfectly cleaned according to the proper instructions. However, you can have us provide a laundry pickup service, which means you do not have to leave the comfort of your home to drop off laundry and then return later in the day to pick up your clothes.

Why should you use a laundry pickup service? Let’s find out.

Time is Money

Many of our customers think that signing up for a laundry pickup service that also delivers clean clothes is a waste of money. Yes, you spend a little more money each month on a laundry pickup and delivery service. However, the time that you save by staying home allows you to spend more time making money.

Our residential laundry services end up being cost-effective in the long run.

Fast Service

Have you ever dragged out the time it takes to do your laundry because, let’s face it, you hate putting your clothes through several wash and dry cycles? Maybe your favorite television show comes on or another distraction makes it easy to take a break from doing laundry.

At Laundry Care Express, we finish your laundry much faster than you do at home. Our dedicated team of laundry professionals stays on the job until we get the job done right. We operate several machines at the same time to shorten the time it takes to wash and dry your clothes.

Quality Cleaning

Getting a highly-rated business such as Laundry Care Express to pick up and deliver your laundry ensures you receive the highest quality of apparel after we are done. Think about getting clothes back that look and smell fresh, as well as do not contain wrinkles. Yes, we fold your clothes after we are through cleaning them.

Convenient

Think about sitting at home, running errands, or giving yourself the day off, while a business like Laundry Care Express washes and dries your clothes. You determine when we pick up your clothes, as well as when you want us to drop off your laundry. Hiring a laundry pickup service allows you to organize your schedule to account for the freed-up time because you no longer have to wash and dry your clothes.

One-Stop Residential Laundry Services

When you choose to have Laundry Care Express pick up and drop off your laundry, you also can choose to get some of your clothes dry-cleaned at the same time. Having the option to use a one-stop service for all your laundry needs makes it even more convenient to have a reputable business pick up and drop off your laundry.

Eco-Friendly

The washers and dryers that we use are more energy-efficient than the washers and dryers operated at home. Less energy consumed means less stress on the environment. Laundry Care Express also uses the most environmentally-friendly detergents to ensure no harm comes to our delicate ecosystem.

The next time you consider spending an entire weekend afternoon doing laundry, change the way you look at doing laundry by bringing your clothes into Laundry Care Express. Our laundry pickup service is a convenient way to get your laundry clean, while also saving you time and giving you more flexibility to manage your busy schedule.

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4 Ways You Can Improve Your Child's Reading Skills at Home

All Montessori preschool children need to learn to read, and you can help your child improve her reading skills at home. As her most valuable role model, encouraging her to enjoy reading begins by displaying traits that indicate to her that you value reading yourself. In addition to that, these 4 tips for improving reading skills can make the difference between looking forward to reading a book and choosing to leave books idle on the shelf.

1. Read to Her

As early as childbirth-- and some parents begin even before birth-- you can demonstrate the magic and mystery of reading by reading out loud to your preschool child. As soon as she is old enough to follow along with you as you read, let her look at the words and pictures, and discuss the meaning of the things being read.

2. Books Must Be Accessible

One of the key traits of the Montessori Method is the prepared environment, and one of the facets of that environment is the "Children's House" where everything from artwork to workstations is laid out from the perspective of the child. You may not be able to duplicate a complete children's house in your home, but you can rearrange the bookshelf so that your child's books are at her eye level and easy to get to. This gives her the freedom to make choices about reading material, and the choices she makes will help you better understand how to engage her in reading.

3. Explore Her Reading Preferences

Talk to her about the things she likes. Does she prefer books that explore the world, or books about children who have adventures in them? Would she rather flip through a book about a puppy, or one about giraffes? By getting to know your daughter's personal preferences, you can supply reading material that engages her more intently, a major step toward building strong reading skills.

4. Vocabulary Game

A preschool child has a limited vocabulary, mostly because she has yet to be exposed to a vast majority of the language she speaks. Make a game of building her vocabulary by naming and spelling the names of things you encounter during the day. Write down a couple of "words of the day" and let her practice writing them, using them in sentences, and emphasizing those words throughout the course of the day.

Reading is one of the most important educational skills because the ability to read and comprehend opens the door for a child to learn everything else. Take advantage of every opportunity to help your daughter develop and expand her reading skills.

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4 Exciting Activities That Help Daycare Children Develop Fine Motor Skills

In daycare, developing fine motor skills is a vital part of the program. Fine motor skills are necessary for picking up small objects, stacking blocks, and simple motions such as clapping or waving. To develop these skills, Montessori daycare will present children with a variety of activities, including the ones listed here.

1. Discovery Bottles

Discovery bottles, sometimes referred to as sensory bottles, are jars or bottles that contain a wide variety of items. The idea is that Montessori daycare children will shake, rattle, roll, and turn the bottles during the course of investigating their content. Discovery bottles are intended to convey sensory information when children are holding them, developing the five senses in conjunction with improving coordination and the manipulation of small objects.

2. Artwork

Gripping a pencil or crayon depends on well-developed fine motor skills. When small children create drawings or other artwork, they are using those skills and learning how to control their hands and fingers. At first, a child's artwork may seem random, but the more practice they get in using art, the better they will be able to draw recognizable images, stay within the lines while coloring, and make distinct marks that will eventually become letters and words.

3. Being Big Helpers

Helping with small tasks provides children with a number of developmental skills, including fine motor skills. Picking up their room, organizing books on a shelf, and chores such as feeding the family pet are all great ways for children to hone critical developmental skills they will need throughout their lives. Helper activities also help children develop self-esteem and feel more like a valuable part of the family and classroom.

4. Building with Blocks

Stacking blocks or building with Lego-style toys do more than encourage the development of fine motor skills. This type of activity also builds critical thinking skills, helps children learn to sort colors and sizes, and more. Blocks are one of many play-based tools available to small children that make learning enjoyable and engaging.

Maria Montessori recognized that the most successful way to teach children is to keep them active and engaged. In school and at home, it is important that children receive plenty of opportunities to use their hands and arms, developing fine motor skills at the same time as they absorb other lessons, running from academic skills to practical experience that will make them feel like an important participant in everything they do.

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What Your Family Can Expect From Your Initial Intake Session

Participating in family therapy can create feelings of fear, anxiety, and/or even anger that the negative experiences of family life have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. However, it is normal to feel certain emotions before attending the first session. First, you are about to meet someone you have never met before in your life. Second, you worry that bringing out into the open family problems will only make the problems escalate. Third, at least one highly reluctant family member appears to be eager to derail the attempt to find solutions to difficult family problems.

Knowing what to expect during your initial intake session can mitigate the negative emotions that often develop because of the great fear, anxiety, and yes, anger, of one of the greatest unknowns you will ever face in life.

Let’s complete a brief overview of what your family can expect from your initial intake session.

Meet Your Therapist for the First Time

In most cases, a family therapist wants to meet each member of the family during the initial intake session. This allows your therapist to start the process of connecting with each family member. Your therapist does not ask in-depth questions, but instead, tries to break down any barriers that block progress in developing a more trusted relationship.

Your therapist meets every family member in a relaxed setting that is not susceptible to interruptions.

Complete Paperwork

The confidentiality of family therapy requires the submission of different forms and documents. Part of the paperwork submitted at the time of the initial intake session includes a questionnaire that gives the family therapist an idea about how to proceed with conducting future sessions. Perhaps your therapist recommends one or more individual adult therapy sessions for certain members of your family to gain additional insight into the major hurdle that has damaged family relationships.

Although group therapy sessions represent the best opportunity to address family issues, meeting with one or more individual family members can help open up discussions that otherwise would remain dormant.

Understanding the Ground Rules

Like other types of therapy, family therapy sessions require the establishment of a structured game plan that encourages interactions with the family therapist, as well as between family members. An informed consent form describes the structure every family can expect during therapy sessions. You get to learn the duration of each family therapy session, as well as how many sessions you can expect to participate in before the end of the sessions.

The First Session

The first session unfolds depending on how your family therapist prefers to work. You might participate in a highly-structured initial intake session or the therapist might choose to go with a less structured format. The initial intake session, which should last no more than one hour, is all about establishing the groundwork for additional sessions. You can expect to answer questions concerning your lifestyle, personal history, and why you decided to participate in family therapy.

One of the most important questions to answer regards explaining what problems have developed that have produced a considerable strain on family relationships.

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