Nightingale Notes · own interests and self-learning, and most importantly, it kills schools! It is to help the parents raise a well-rounded, happy person with a healthy dose of a

Nightingale Notes March 2017

March 24 Eagle Wax Museum 7:00 PM Enrollment Paper Due (17/18) 27-31 Spring Break

April

1 College Credit Plus Intent to Participate Application Due 3 State Testing Begins (Gr. 3-12) 12 NM Parent Discussion: NM

and State Testing 6:30 PM 13 Chickadee Farm Day Owls to COSI Overnight 14 No School 20 Owl/Chickadee Farm Day 24 Chickadee/Hummingbird 25 Discussion: Higher Order Thinking 3:30-5:00 PM 27 Owl/Chickadee Farm Day

Thank You for celebrating with us at our performance of The Performing Arts Throughout the Ages and our

Fundraising Raffle!

Testing as Assessment: A Montessori Teacher’s Message

“One of the current trends in education, to in-crease “academic rigor” has resulted in elementary stu-dents receiving more homework on a daily basis. So, why do Montessori students receive very little homework? While many schools and teachers feel pressure to assign daily homework, research shows this is actually causing children more harm than good. The harm includes loss of family time, limiting time for unstructured play and exer-cise, restricting the time that children have to pursue their own interests and self-learning, and most importantly, it kills schools! It is to help the parents raise a well-rounded, happy person with a healthy dose of a love of learning. Children need to go outside and play.

So what is our goal in Montessori: curiosity and an everlasting interest in our world. How do we assess the students in the elementary classroom if we don’t give tests? First, let me clarify a common misconception about tests. In a conventional classroom, many of the assess-ments that students take are standardized tests. The re-sults of these tests are received months after the test is given and are not used by the teacher to determine lesson planning for each student. Teacher-made-tests provide immediate results that are used for grades, but the results usually do not influence the lesson plans for each individu-al child.

In the upper-level classroom, we continually evaluate the progress of each child through observation and discussion: observation of the written portion of the assignment, observation of the student at work, and discussion of the work with each student. We record the progress of each student, with the goal that the student is working at his or her best potential and has mastered the con-cepts. In order to achieve that goal, we often need to review, re-explain, alter assignments or choose a material that will show the concept from a different perspective based on the needs of each individual student.

Maria Montessori said that “Before elaborating any system of education, we must therefore create a favorable envi-ronment that will encourage the flowering of a child’s natural gifts. All that is needed is to remove the obstacles.” There are many obstacles which may cause a student to struggle but the most common causes are fear and maturity, two factors that greatly determine a person’s ability or inability to learn but are rarely ever considered as relevant to education. In a Montessori classroom, we try to create an atmosphere where it is safe to make a mistake and trial and error is the norm, thus reducing the amount of fear and anxiety. The varied rates of maturity are re-flected in the three year time spans of 3-6, 6-9, 9-12. Montessori teachers evaluate the work habits that enable lifelong learning, independence, responsibility and kindness.” By: Marianne Giannis, Upper Elementary Montessori Teacher, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Planning for a Summer Feeding Program in Our Community!

In our efforts to continue to collaborate and bring opportunities to our city children, The Nightingale Montessori Community Garden Outreach Team would like to sponsor a Summer Feeding Program. If you are interested in volunteering or can provide us with valuable insight please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. More information to come.

College Credit Can Be Earned!

Ohio’s College Credit Plus can help you earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking college courses from com-munity colleges or universities. The purpose of this program is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wide variety of options to college-ready students. Taking a college course from a public college or university is free. That means no cost for tuition, books or fees. If you choose to attend a private college or universi-ty, you may have limited costs.

Your high school, *Nightingale Montessori+ does have an agree-ment with Clark State and Wittenberg University. You can choose to take College Credit Plus courses from any college that offers a course that would benefit your future. This could include online courses. Please inquire with the Wing Lead Teacher, Andrew Hahn, for questions and participation at [email protected]

We have created an Action Plan and Implementation efforts are strong with Chickadee, Ladainian, leading the effort of recording data. The duration of the audit will be 30 days. We will submit our data to receive our remaining grant monies! We look forward to sharing our results in conjunction with Earth Day!

The Abilities Connection (TAC) Update

Our TAC relationship continues to grow. We are cur-rently working on landscape design plans and therapy garden designs to share with TAC administration for outdoor development. Students are busy growing and transplanting many plants in preparation for spring planting! We have transplanted our first plants into our 5 gallon buckets. Our tomatoes are flowering and we have been enjoying fresh herbs daily. In the beginning of March we dehydrated many shelves of genovese basil! Our Science team is busy propagating the cuttings from the mother plants and learning basic cloning techniques.

Now that spring is on the way, we look for-ward to many opportunities to come! Our Garden team is interested in any clean 5 gallon buckets. If you would like to donate to our hydropon-ics team we would appreciate it!

Tower Garden Surprise

Surprise! The Chickadee tower is flowering ! What is this mystery plant? Is it a prickly cucumber or a Louffa gourd?

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Cooking Lessons in our Culinary Program There’s school- wide participation in our Culinary Pro-

gram. Our Student Nutrition Action Committee has

offered many unique and fun activities throughout the

year. With support from our Project Produce Grant, stu-

dents have enjoyed weekly lessons about the native

pawpaw fruit, local procured carrots, different herbs and

the many varieties of apples. This week students enjoyed

Organic HoneyCrisp Apples, and pomelos.

Pomelo/Citrus Maxima Pomelo, or Citrus Maxima, is a natural citrus fruit that looks very similar to a large grapefruit and is native to southeast Asia. Its taste ranges from very sweet to very bitter. The bitter ones normally have a pink or red flesh color and so it is usually used for decoration. The Pomelo has a peel surrounding it, much like an orange. It's peel is normally a green or yellow color and is very bitter and so is usually discarded, but it can also be canned. The Pomelo Fruit has different names according to a culture's traditions and offerings. In the Philippines the Pomelo is referred to as “Lucban” after three hunters who were believed to have stumbled upon the pretty fruit and then were considered to be lucky. The Japanese call the Pomelo “buntan” after a captain who was said to have introduced the fruit to Japan in the late 1700s. The Chinese refer to it as “yòuzi” and/or “honey Pomelo” which is said to have come from the Ming Dynasty when an orchard was destroyed by a flash flood but a pomelo tree was left standing and it bore very big sweet fruit, aka the pomelo/honey Pomelo. By: Wing, Alyna Carroll

The Green Team In association with the National Wildlife Foundation and Wrigley’s Litter-less Campaign as part of the 2016-2017 Eco-Schools, we have Assembled Our Green Team! We are currently working on Step Two with the Chickadees performing an environmental audit by collecting all com-post waste data leaving daily from the Chickadee and

Hummingbird Math

“Children display a universal love of mathematics, which is par excel-lence the science of precision, order, and intelligence.” - Maria Montes-sori The Hummingbirds have been working on early math skills by sorting. Children have a natural desire to create order in a world that seems largely out of their control. This desire attracts children to activities involving sorting. This type of work helps them understand that things are alike and different as well as that things can belong and be organized into certain groups. Sorting work is important for numerical concepts, and it will help them with grouping numbers and sets when they're older. This type of thinking starts our Hummingbirds on the path of applying logical thinking to objects, mathematical concepts, and everyday life.

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Lynette enjoys the sandbox Evan works with clothespins Lynette

Marie scoops and pours

Cooper works with a puzzle

Jovie matches numbers

Leo P explores his senses

Leo B works on matching Lucy works on matching

Kylie works with clothespins

.Science Chickadees explored the nature of sound this month. We started by dis-cussing how all sound is made through some kind of vibration. By placing our hands by our throats while humming, we felt the vibrations in our vocal cords. We observed how a tuning fork can cause a big splash in water due to its soundwaves. Once we learning the ways sound can be made, we found ways we could manipulate sound by plucking stretched rubber bands. Using small cylinders and water to made simple flutes, we discovered the water levels affected pitch. To close out our section on sound, we are attempted composing our own music.

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Jayden works with cylinders

Romeo builds numbers

Romeo works on number building

Jayla matches cylinders

Audrianna writes music Kenley works on her number roll. Sevynn and Rishi cook

Olympia builds a puzzle

Chickadee Staff Invites Parents of Chicks and Hummingbirds to Discussion Group

Monday, April 24th 3:30-5:00

Join us Monday April 24th from 3:30-5:00 as we explore the innate trait of Higher Order Thinking. How do we as parents and teachers encourage this kind of learning and thinking to thrive? What does it look like when

our children exhibit this trait. What are some examples you have seen where your child has taken something he/she has learned and applied to a new situation? We are looking forward to sharing pictures of your chil-

dren participating in the joy of learning.

RSVP to [email protected] as soon as possi-ble to ensure your child is in the slide show.

“To consider the school as a place where instruction is

given is one point of view. But, to consider the school as a preparation for life is another. In the latter case, the

school must satisfy all the needs of life.” ---Dr. Montessori

Malcolm reads to Jace

Cheyenne, River and Olympia think outside the puzzle

Upcoming Eagle Wax Museum

The Eagles have been researching various people in preparation for their Timeline of Humans for this year’s Wax Museum. This year’s theme is the second in a series of three: The Timeline of Life, The Timeline of Humans, and The Timeline of Human Communication.

After many shared readings and conver-sations, each Eagle, by seniority chooses a character to research and portray for the Wax Museum. By a very systematic ap-proach, students are introduced to the pro-cess of taking notes, writing sentences, paragraphs, first drafts, second drafts and final drafts which are not necessarily the third draft in their many attempts. Many props and costumes are constructed at

school while others are made at home with great enthusiasm by the families of the students.

The students share their research with others in the class daily, providing a broader base of information in the scope of history. The placement in chronological order of the characters pro-vides a lasting impact on the experience. Older students who tour the dress rehearsal can inevitably be heard whispering “I stood right there when I was an Eagle,” or “Thomas Edison was next to … when I was an Eagle.”

State Testing The time has come again for some of the

students in the Eagle class to take the State of Ohio English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathe-matics tests. These tests won’t begin until after we come back from Spring Break. The students will be taking the ELA test on paper and the Mathematics test on an iPad. You can help your child know that the test is one measure that the State of Ohio uses to see “how much they know,” but at this school we use many different ways to evaluate what they know. We want to alleviate any worries that you, the student or the culture we are a part of might have in regards to high-stakes tests, because they are not always a clear picture into the learning we know occurs. As Albert Einstein said, “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stu-pid.”

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Team Building “We can learn a lot from crayons: Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors … but they all live in the same box.” Unknown author

Education is much more than a pursuit of academic endeavors. Here at Nightingale, we operate under the principle that education is about educating the whole child; mind, heart, body and soul. For some, the idea that education is a lifelong adventure seems daunting instead of joyous. This can occur when a seed of doubt has been planted about learning new concepts and methods. Do I have to? Am I done yet? Learning is not always isolated to the classroom nor should it be. Learn-ing requires motivation of self as well as a sense of curiosity and respect for others. An active, idealistic approach to life’s adven-tures viewed with a sense of determination and vigor. Team building can serve to foster many of the positive attributes that many employers desire as well as shape self-confident, person-able adults. Learning how to work with our peers in a fair and equitable way at a formative age can help students better man-age group dynamics as they grow. Just as sports can build a sense of sportsmanship, team building can encourage a sense of camaraderie and peer support that may otherwise be missed.

Diversity

Finding the value in each member of the Owl class is essential for the success and growth of our community. Our diverse pool of individuals has an amazing variety of traits to share. “Diversity in the seed bank is insurance that we can survive a blight on the wheat crop, valuing diversity in the human popu-lation is a requirement for survival.” Seeing each student as a distinct member of our community helps develop respect and insight to the inherent beauty of the individuals.

Members of our class bring different strengths and opportuni-ties for conversation and growth. Cosmic education, peer me-diation, community meetings, collaborative projects, grace and courtesy, are all endeavors to test our traits and skills and push us toward peace and appreciation. Our meetings often start with a greeting in the round, each person passing along a per-sonal message of recognition. We practice eye contact, clear communication, manners and tradition. This small practice of respect ripples through our classroom spreading from one member to the next, from one classroom to the next, and our hope is that it will grow beyond our school building and spread to our cities.

Students dissect flowers.

Sarah inspects her rocks

Owl Bo meditates.

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Working on Math.

Beck works on Money Math

Science We have three long term projects that will be

coming to completion over the next month. Students are presenting a slide show on their chosen biome with a focus on the connection between the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) factors that gives rise to the biodiversity of organ-isms living on Earth. We are exploring how specific body plans, internal structures, and behaviors allow for the suc-cess of living things in particular environments.

We are practicing community involvement and asserting a position on a health enhancing topic of their choice. Topics such as clean water, sustainable energy, pollution, endangered species, and the threatened bee populations across Ohio are among the chosen issues. The lesson can be a harsh reality check when dealing with the current environmental changes we are facing. The goal is to support students in community responsibility while tak-ing action in peaceful ways, as a way to combat a sense of helplessness due to corrupt policymakers. This is our chil-dren's future planet and their involvement and access to accurate information on current environmental conditions is critical for effective problem solving.

Lastly, we have embarked on a wild schoolyard program! We have begun construction on a hummingbird and butterfly garden, a water garden, and also safe habi-tats for local animals looking for refuge. Our hope is to provide shelter and food for a multitude of birds, rabbits, snakes, and more.

Falcon Student Quotes About Performing Arts Throughout the Ages

The performance was fun. I didn't want it to be over! ---Penelope The performance was good, actually good. I didn’t know some people could sing and dance like that. --- Javion My favorite part of the show was when Jaden (Chickadee) kept counting and it was really cute. I also liked it when the Strine brothers sang. --- Mariana The performance was amazing. The dresses and robes were radiant. Bucket Band was in complete harmony. My favorite part was Jace’s music. --- Silas The performance was good and I laughed a lot. The choir and dance people did great. ---Arianna It went much better than expected and the last dance was funny! --- Logan I saw the end *result+ and I was a cook *that pre-pared many of the dishes we served+.--- Aidan S. Yesterday was the dance/music evolution festi-val. It was really hard to remember all of the dance moves but it was really fun. --- Braylin The funniest part was when I dropped my stick. My favorite part was when we did act three because to me that was the funniest part.--- Brandon I felt excited about the program. My favorite part of the program was the dances. The Bhangra dance was my favorite. The dances were hard but I had fun. I saw the dancers, the singers and the bucket band. I ate chocolate and vanilla cupcakes at the program. The cupcakes were good. After the pro-gram I felt proud.--- Beck

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Mariana practices for the program

Math Our new math program is off to a great start supported by student determination and teacher admiration! Math Mammoth is a mas-tery-based curriculum that emphasizes conceptual understanding, number sense, and mental math strategies. The curriculum uses multi-step word problems that review previous concepts. Concepts are typically taught first with the help of pictorial (visual) models (and/or Montessori Materials) and then the students advance into the abstract form. It is a comprehensive series that presents com-plete math instruction for students. The program is designed to be self-teaching and requires more participation from the student investigating, comprehending and applying mathematical skills. It is an advanced program when compared to American curriculums but at Montessori we work at our own level vs. a determined grade level assigned to an age. It is a nice fit and challenge.

Painting the Story of Art

It has been a hectic couple of month in the Wings classroom with choir, bucket band, dance rehearsals, and the painting of the backdrop canvases but it was worth it to see the way that it all came together so beauti-fully last Monday. Our focus in art class this quarter has been on creating the seven large canvas panel paintings that provide a glimpse of how painting has evolved through human history.

Once the overall design concept was in place, Jade Gibson, Lilli Taylor, and Alyna Carroll each took charge of one of the paintings, and directed a small team of painters through the process, resulting in the Egyptian harpist, Japanese tree, and impressionist ballerina paintings. It was inspiring to see the individual touches that the students put into their interpretations of classic works of art. Mary Thomas, a member of the balle-rina painting team, said it was nice to get back to painting again instead of her usual artistic outlets of doo-dles and cartoons.

A team of Owl students made up of Draiden Elliot, Brandon Cornetet, Journey Hall, Carson Malone, Sterling Wagner, Ethan Soto, and Kyle Fidler asked if they could paint one of the panels so they could have a way to contribute to the performance. The Wings were very grateful for the help, since our deadline was quickly ap-proaching at that point. The Owl team painted the center panel which was a stained glass treble clef, and did a remarkable job of capturing the look of light with canvas and paint. The remaining three panels - the cave painting, the cubist instruments, and the graffiti-style singer - were tackled as group art projects by the Wings art class students: Jonathan Hannah, Day’mon Harris, Ethan Hart-ley,Austin King, Seth Kissell, Demetrius Pearson, Kalib Strines, Kyle Strines, Brandon Temple, Rodnesha Thompson, Desirae Tyree, and Chad Younts. The group painting process was new to most of the students. Demetrius, Rodnesha, and Seth all expressed their surprise that paintings created by so many hands could result in such a polished looking final product.

While we enjoyed the process of planning and executing a large-scale work, we are relieved that the two-by-ten-foot canvasses are no longer taking up the limited table space in our classroom. We also can’t wait to see them hanging up on the walls of our new building!

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Thank You to Hillside Church of God and Pastor McKinney

for the much needed bigger space and beautiful stage!

We earned $1159 at our March Raffle that was showcased at

our program: Performing Arts Throughout the Ages

Thank you to our Basket Sponsors!

Bada Bing Chakeres Theater Judy Davy

Patty Dibert Fazoli’s Frisch’s Big Boy

Gold Fish Swim School Barbara Konecki Nicole Genetin

Ted and Stephanie McClain Mary Kay Melissa Schindler

NM Staff and Students Olive Garden Roosters

Scout’s Café Sip &Dipity Paint Bar Texas Roadhouse

Shawn and Jaymee Thomas Texas Roadhouse Thirty-One Gifts

Tropical Smoothie Café Wagner Subaru Xtreme Graphic