Pre-Kindergarten

Faith in Education: The Powerful Impact of Our Catholic Identity

2023-10-18T13:10:42-04:00

“Repeat after me: ‘nunc coepi’” “NOONK CHEPPY!” “Now, I begin.” “NOW I BEGIN!” “You can always, always begin again. We will always help you figure out how to begin again. God wants you to begin again when something goes wrong (and so do your teachers!)” My office is located in our St. Placid building, which is home to our early learning program. One of my duties is to serve and coordinate support for our early learning faculty members. Even with these, our youngest students, Faith and the traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church illuminate every part of our day. We [...]

Faith in Education: The Powerful Impact of Our Catholic Identity2023-10-18T13:10:42-04:00

Without Words

2023-05-30T11:33:44-04:00

As Assistant Teacher in our Montessori early learning classroom, I quickly learned my important role as the “observer”, a role specifically assigned to the assistant teacher in a Montessori room. By observing, you discover the child’s connection to their environment and others around them and see what interests them and where they struggle. Maria Montessori, who created the Montessori method of education, observed when a child was deeply absorbed in an activity and watched carefully the expression on the child’s face as they made a discovery. While this may be sometimes hard for me to do in such detail in a [...]

Without Words2023-05-30T11:33:44-04:00

The Beauty of Montessori through Materials

2023-05-08T20:23:10-04:00

Concrete materials are a fundamental component of a Montessori classroom. They provide children with hands-on, sensory experiences that help them develop a deep understanding of abstract concepts. In the Montessori approach, children are encouraged to learn by exploring and manipulating the world around them, and concrete materials are a key tool for facilitating this process. These materials are designed to be self-correcting, meaning that children can immediately see if they have made a mistake or not. This allows them to learn from their mistakes and make corrections independently, without the need for instant teacher intervention. The use of concrete materials also [...]

The Beauty of Montessori through Materials2023-05-08T20:23:10-04:00

Finding Our Calcutta

2023-04-03T11:07:54-04:00

One recent February day just before the dawn of Lent, in our St. Benedict Classical Academy (SBCA) Pre-Kindergarten classroom at our St Placid Campus, I was preparing to lead an activity that would help our little ones begin to have an understanding of the Beatitudes. Truthfully I am just as much a learner about our Catholic faith as even our youngest student - our Faith is an ongoing and lifelong pursuit. I started by pondering and praying about each Beatitude and each of the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and how they applied to my role in the classroom. [...]

Finding Our Calcutta2023-04-03T11:07:54-04:00

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Dr. Maria Montessori’s Understanding of the Spiritual Child

2023-03-27T09:40:34-04:00

“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.”Maria Montessori, Education and Peace – Speech in Copenhagen, May 1937 With man, the life of the body depends on the life of the spirit. Maria Montessori, The Advanced Montessori Method I, p. 20 Our Montessori Pre-Kindergarten program at St. Benedict Classical Academy uses the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Program for our students’ faith formation—a Montessori-based religious education curriculum for children, with level [...]

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Dr. Maria Montessori’s Understanding of the Spiritual Child2023-03-27T09:40:34-04:00

Be near us, oh Lord!

2023-03-10T12:21:55-05:00

“I want to be the priest, no I want to be the priest!” How often is it that you hear this phrase during daily life? For me, it is a pretty common occurrence.  This year my office is in St. Placid, where our pre-school campus is located. Our pre-Kindergarten program at SBCA is a perfect blend of Montessori instruction and faith formation through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Students experience the beauty and wonder of their faith through exploring the items of the Mass firsthand, singing and praying together, and learning about their faith in their daily life. One of the [...]

Be near us, oh Lord!2023-03-10T12:21:55-05:00
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