Archives for November 2015

How do you talk about Thanksgiving with children? First, avoid calling it “the first Thanksgiving.” (click image below to read more!)

Green Ivy Schools of New York City are looking for a talented and passionate Montessori committed Director. You will be responsible for leading, directing and managing the School. We want you to focus on growth of the teaching team as your priority. You will be expected to mentor, mobilize and inspire them as they come together under the school’s vision. The Director must be an expert in school administration, operations, and curriculum and must have extensive knowledge of the Montessori method and classroom experience.

This position requires:
​
* A Bachelor’s Degree,
* Montessori Credential and 10 + years of Montessori teaching,
* Administration and curriculum development.
* Perfect English grammar and professional writing skills.
* Polished in personal presentation and interactions.
* Extreme organization, acute sense of order and technology literacy

Apply via careers@greenivy.com, submit your resume and tell us about yourself and why this role is an ideal fit for you. For more information visit http://www.greenivy.com

Here’s a popular Practical Life activity,  good any time, but especially appropriate if you have a seashore theme! Put it by your “Shell Scrubbing” exercise and have your “Sweeping Tray” nearby for sand spill cleanup. Thanks for sharing, Nikki Miller, UMA graduate from Wisconsin:

Thanksgiving is a time when we all share in the creation of our traditional “stone soup” on the last day of class before Thanksgiving. This is a tradition that has been enjoyed and passed on by families and classrooms throughout the centuries. The value of thankfulness is brought to the children’s consciousness by helping them become aware of the needs of other people in the world by sharing from our own bountiful lives.

Classroom:
The children will all be bringing one SMALL vegetable (or small handful of grains/legumes) on Stone Soup Day. (They may cut up a vegetable either at home or in the classroom.) Here is the story we will be telling as we individually add our contributions to the soup pot (our UMA version is one of many versions of the story, which originated in the 1700’s):

​For Teachers: 
Here is a sample of what you can send out to parents to encourage everyone to bring a small food contribution for the meal. You can add any other information you wish to convey. Invite the parents to join for the story telling and the meal!
–   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –
MAKING STONE SOUP…the storyteller (teacher) will provide the stone.What is one item in your cupboard or refrigerator that you can share? (Please bring no more than 1 cup of one chopped up vegetable or 1 cup grain)

Suggestions:

• Potato
• Squash
• Carrot
• Onion
• Celery
• Green beans
• Tomato
• Zucchini
• Kale
• Corn
• Cabbage
• Peas
• Spinach
• Turnip
• Rice
• Black beans
• Barley

The upcoming holidays are an especially great opportunity for helping children to become aware of others in need and taking personal responsibility through sharing.  

Here are 5 charities that accept toy donations.

Excerpt from “Kids’ Gift Guide” by Lindsey Mannering 

Toys for Tots. The venerable charity accepts toy donations (as well as money, cars, and profits from charitable sales you have on eBay) at a wide variety of locations across the nation. Simply go to their website, select your state, then city, and view which donation center is closest to you.

Goodwill. Use their handy store locator and stop by with a box or bag of gently used clothes, toys, board games, video games, etc. Money from the sale of your items will help fund community initiatives like job training programs, and employment placement services.

Second Chance Toys. This charity aims to keep plastic toys out of landfills and instead puts them in the hands of disadvantaged children. Enter your zip code in the box on the right hand side of the page and find a donation site near you. Those thousands of Legos and toy trucks in your basement just found a new home!

Room to Grow. These guys accept all kinds of baby stuff from toys to books to blankets to bouncy seats to bassinets. Your donation of new or gently used items will go to a family in poverty who needs a little help. If you’re in the New York or Boston metro areas, there are donation locations there. Otherwise, you can host a baby shower and collect baby gifts, then donate them. Neat idea.

Then there’s Donation Town. This company has made it super easy – they’ve compiled list of all the charities that accept toys, and that will pick them up from your house. Fast, free pick up never sounded so good. Just find your city on their list, pile some toys together, and viola. They’re taken and given to kids who’ll really appreciate them.

Happy holidays and happy donating!
How do you like to contribute during the holidays?