Check in on your discipline and respect trends with your children at home by following this series on discipline and respect. More videos and content will be added to this blog post this month as we go. Watch out for the first video coming up on self-discipline!

We all want our children to be motivated intrinsically, complete their daily tasks with pride and persevere when something is hard. We do two things that hinder the creation of their self-discipline though: 

1. We interrupt their concentrated work cycles.  
&
2. We offer or agree to help them. 

How can they learn to do something for themselves if they always receive help or never have time to try? 

​We can do three things to help them develop self discipline: 

1. Create an environment with: 
-Predictable routines 
-Consistant limits
-An understanding that mistakes are ok
-A value on the process, not the product
-Not sharing meaningless praise

2. Connect your child to that environment though: 
-Following their interests
-Offering choices (free, guided and/or directed choices) 

3. Make time and respect their activity  
-Children take longer than we do to set tables and dress themselves. Allow extra time so that they may learn these tasks without being rushed or assisted. 

Watch this video to learn more!

Have you ever tried to kindly help your young child only to be snapped at with the response, "I want to do it myself?"  Alternatively, after helping so much, have you ever wished that your older child could process through navigating their emotions a little more independently? 
Children learn through doing. Dr. Montessori proved this through her research.

This series will be a combination blog and vlog with short videos on topics (see the short videos below!).  It will cover one main topic (helping children to help themselves) through two categories: 

1. Independence- helping younger children (0-4 year olds) find joy through succeeding in the independence they desire. (We start by modeling and preparing the environment).

2. Emotions- helping older children (4-6 year olds) find joy through learning to take charge and respond to their own emotions independently without always needing to rely on an adult to help them process. (We start by processing with them).

Additional videos and content will be added to this post until late February. Little Hands Families may sign up for conversation sessions with Lee that will take place during the series as well,

We are super proud to participate with this program that the state of Michigan has been piloting for around 2 years. Since last spring, new students have been able to join us because of this blessing. It is an even greater aid than the full, 50% percent scholarship that we have raised for other students! Imagine paying less than $235 a month for your child to receive a bilingual, Montessori international accredited education for preschool and kindergarten? The Tri-Share coordinators are so organized and easy to work with as well.

At this time, the only employer in the Richland area that offers this benefit is Bronson. (Please share with friends that work at Bronson, as not everyone knows that this benefit is available to them!) —You could help LHM convince your employer to offer this benefit too! Any business in Michigan may participate. Simply share this flyer with your employer, let us know and we will help to try to convince your business to make this a benefit available to you too! This month is the month to share because benefits begin anew in January.
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You may have friends in Kalamazoo that already work for employers that offer Tri-Share benefits. Some of those businesses include YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo, United Way, Greenleaf Hospitality Group, Kalamazoo Defender and more.

Little Hands Montessori has 3 certified teachers and less than 20 students 
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Did you know that Montessori teachers can be certified without having a bachelor’s degree in education?  Did you also know that the legal student/teacher ratio in Michigan for preschool age children is 1 teacher to 10 students? 
 
When I began my bachelor’s degree, I hoped to get my Montessori certification before I graduated. This dream, however, was not possible in the United States at the time.  The very best Montessori training centers in the USA (AMI centers, Montessori International), did not admit students who had not yet completed a bachelor’s degree in education or early childhood.  Therefore, I applied to be accepted at the Montessori Institute of London, where Lynne Lawrence, the current president of AMI Montessori worldwide, is head of school.  In Europe, and every other country in the world, Montessorians did not need an educational degree to receive training.  In fact, it was considered a drawback to be previously trained in a traditional style of education, because it is hard to unlearn or relearn new or different teaching methods.  
 
Now it is not the same in the USA.  The certification is available to anyone who applies.  AMI Montessori training is very good, but not what you find at many Montessori schools.  There are various trainings that are not as thorough. Non-Montessori preschools also only need one teacher in the building to be certified.  
 
Nonetheless, Little Hands Montessori has a higher standard. We have 3 certified teachers. 

I was certified as an AMI teacher in London after all before completing my bachelor’s degree from Hope College. My co-teacher, Beata Guerra, was AMI certified in Spain. The teachers of the AMI Montessori Institute of Mexico traveled to Spain to train her there!  Finally, our literacy teacher, Margaret Christensen, has her undergraduate in Language Arts and an Education certificate for K-9th grade from Hope College and almost completed a Master’s in Education at Western Michigan University. (Did you know that many teachers do not fully finish their master’s degrees because they would need to be paid more and many employers don’t wish to do that so they would become at risk of losing their job or struggling to find one?)  Both Margaret and Beata received a prestigious AMI Montessori assistant training prior as well. That training was a 9am-5pm two-week straight training (they both took it in different states; AMI Montessori is the same around the world). The Montessori training that assistants receive in Michigan is only 3 days long. Little Hands Montessori is a one room school house with 13-20 children at any given time.  Three certified teachers for that number of children is unheard-of.  Our literacy specialist is part time.  We additionally often have a 4th part time employee, an assistant.  At any given time, there is almost always two highly certified lead teachers with the children.  The majority of the week, there are three.  
 
Education for staff members at Little Hands Montessori does not end there.  Beata has a bachelors in social work and I have a Master's in Education in World Language Instruction.  I also am a trained Music Together teacher, Children and Worship teacher and Canta y Baila Conmigo teacher. I was the first individual in Michigan certified to teach Canta y Baila Conmigo and I pilot the material in my school along with the director of the program who is in Boston.