A Montessori classroom is different than a traditional classroom as children are actively engaged in their senses. They are given opportunities to work with hands-on materials. In a child’s early year, education should focus on carrying out his or her operation skills. While traditional pre-school teaching is primary done through one-way communication, Montessori method respects children’s desire to be independent.

“He is happy about learning, and that’s what I want him to be happy about,” said one of the parents. Watch the video below and discover why Montessori curriculum is best for your children.

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By: Noel Hundley

Choosing the right school for your child can be a difficult decision and education is most important at a early age. At Smithville Montessori Academy (SMA), we strive to use a hands-on learning style for teaching  and build strong individual relationships with each child. Here are tips for parents to review when searching for the “right” school.

The Montessori “prepared environment”-The Classroom

-Sufficiently fenced outdoor area per age groups and is conveniently accessible without hazard to the children.

For more information please click here

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Hot summer Nights is a free concert series every Friday night through August. This is a great way to spend some quality time with the family and get out of the house for a little while. So grab some lawn chairs and come on down for a night of fun. Also we will have a tent for the children’s area at this event on August 20th at 6:00pm. It will be located on the town square, there will be will have face painting, balloons, games with prizes and an art project, all will be free to the public.

Click her for schedule

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Smithville Montessori Academy hosted a bake sale July 30, at the Big V grocery store to help end childhood hunger through the national organization The Great American Bake Sale.

Mandy Frayer, director of curriculum at Smithville Montessori Academy, said that the children raised $60.50 from the bake sale on Friday, July 30^{th. “}They made items such as brownies, rice crispie treats, banana muffins, cupcakes, cookies and a variety of different trail mixes.  The children actually made all the goods and even went to the city market for a field trip to pick out some of the ingredients.  They learned basic culinary and had a lot of fun,” said Frayer.

This year, nearly 17 million kids face hunger. That’s almost one in four. But, there is hope. Thanks to programs like Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale, we can all do out part to end childhood hunger in America.

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Thank you Tiernan McKay of SheKnows.com for featuring Smithville Montessori Academy in the article: Preparing Your Child for Preschool or Daycare!  Here is the article: http://pregnancyandbaby.sheknows.com/Preparing-your-child-for-preschool-or-daycare

Mandy Frayer, Director of Curriculum and Staff Development at Smithville Montessori Academy, is featured in this article, which offers tips to help ease parent’s and children’s transition into preschool or daycare. It gives six different areas of advice from experts, including Frayer. She is featured for her advice on developing children’s social skills, encouraging questions, and engaging through reading. 

Social butterfly

At this point in their young lives, school really is fun! It’s about meeting new friends, exploring their world and learning to navigate classroom dynamics. “Children need to be socially and emotionally ready for school,” says Mandy Frayer, Director of Curriculum and Staff Development at Smithville Montessori Academy in Smithville, Missouri. “Children need to be able to cooperate with their peers in group situations and activities.”

Join a play group or have a regular play date with some neighborhood friends and use that opportunity to encourage interaction and successful conflict resolution. “Children also need to be able to control their impulses and be able to relate to non-family authority figures,” says Frayer.

Curiosity is key

When children are curious, learning is an adventure. While some kids are naturally inquisitive, others need a little inspiration. “Our children need to be curious about the world, interested in how things work and know how to creatively approach problems,” says Frayer. “If your child asks you a question like, ‘Do mosquitoes sleep?’, resist the urge to answer right away. Instead try asking them, ‘What do you think?’ or ‘Where do you think we could find the answer to that question?’. By doing this, you are encouraging them to think for themselves and building a child’s self-esteem.”

The power of words

Reading together is one of the most effective and important activities you can do to help prepare your child for daycare of preschool. Spending time flipping the pages helps your little one focus, exercise her imagination and learn about the world. “Young children love being read to and looking at picture books,” says Frayer. “Encourage their language development by asking them to describe the pictures to you. As they get older, children enjoy turning the pages of the book as you read to them. This engages them in the story.”

Frayer also suggests asking questions that encourage social and emotional development, such as “How do you think that made him feel?” or “How would you feel if something like this happened to you?”

Read full article

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Posted By: Noel Hundley

Smithville Montessori Academy is participating in Platte Valley Bank’s Dollar Bill Club. The Dollar Bill Club’s goal is to help teach young people the importance of saving money while having fun at the same time!
Listen to the podcast

Mandy Frayer, the director of curriculum at Smithville Montessori Academy, discusses the details of the Dollar Bill Club. “There are no minimum deposit or balance requirements. Bank representatives will come to the school every two weeks to accept and provide children of any age with assistance in making their own savings deposit,” Frayer said.

Frayer said that the program is beneficial to children because it teaches them about the importance of saving. “It is vital that children learn about financial responsibility at a young age. It will help them understand what exactly a savings account is and encourage them to take an interest in their financial future,” said Frayer.

Other perks of the program include monthly drawings, family activities and events, and prizes with each deposit.

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Posted By: Noel Hundley

Smithville Montessori Academy is hosting a bake sale July 30, at the Big V grocery store to help end childhood hunger through the national organization The Great American Bake Sale.

Mandy Frayer, director of curriculum at Smithville Montessori Academy,  is looking forward to this bake sale. “We are excited about our upcoming event: The Great American Bake Sale. The event will take place July 30 at the Big V Grocery Store from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a national organization to end childhood hunger and all proceeds will go to The Great American Bake Sale” said Frayer.

The Great American Bake Sale is determined to make a difference in the fight against childhood hunger in America. It is committed to raising awareness and funds to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry.

This year, nearly 17 million kids face hunger. That’s almost one in four. But, there is hope. Thanks to programs like Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale, we can all do out part to end childhood hunger in America.

Come help us “bake” a difference!

Follow Smithville Montessori Academy’s progress to end child hunger or make a donation

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Posted By: Noel Hundley

I want to share a podcast from Mandy Frayer, director of curriculum at Smithville Montessori Academy, who speaks about SMA’s two-week Culinary Art Program July 26, to fight childhood obesity. This program will promote a healthy balanced diet by teaching food groups and the food pyramid to help children become more responsible of their diets. We hope this will benefit children by creating awareness to the national childhood obesity problem.

Listen to the podcast

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a healthy balanced diet help children’s bodies grow and develop healthy and decreases risks of health problems such as cardiovascular diseases. Childhood obesity is caused by unbalanced meals and inactive lifestyles, according to CDC.

SMA’s Culinary Arts Curriculum, will help children at a young age understand healthy eating and the benefit of an active lifestyle to help prevent childhood obesity in our area.

July 26, Smithville Montessori Academy will start a two week program: The Culinary Arts Program. This will teach children about healthy eating, meal planning and cooking fundamental.

It is important for children to understand and take responsibility of what they are putting in their bodies. Childhood obesity and world hunger are not only national issues, but world issues. Children need to be involved in the search for solutions to better our nation.

They will learn the food groups, the food pyramid, how to plan a balanced meal and how to shop for a balanced meal. When a child is well nourished we know they perform better academically, are more focused and are more socially involved because they are happier and feel better more active. This will help them become more responsible and accountable of what is going into their bodies and how theycan actively participate in meal planning at home.

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Posted by: Noel Hundley

These tips are written by Mandy Frayer, curriculum director at Smithville Montessori School, in Smithville, Missouri.

The school season is almost here. Smithville Montessori Academy summarizes skills that kindergartners and first graders are expected to have and tips to get your kids ready for a new start.

What does my child need to be “ready” for school?
• Children need to be socially and emotionally ready for school. This is one of the most important areas of readiness for children. Children need to be able to cooperate with their peers in group situations and activities. Children also need to be able to control their impulses and be able to relate to non-family authority figures.
• Children need to have acquired motor skills. Motor skills include large muscle activities necessary for walking in a straight line and throwing a ball. Motor skills also include small muscle skills such as drawing, coloring, cutting, and beginning handwriting.
• Children need to be cognitively and intellectually ready for school. Intellectual readiness is a term used to describe the learning skills a child needs to make a smooth transition into school. These skills include knowledge of colors, numbers through 10, at least some of the letters of the alphabet (e.g. particularly the letters in his/her name), and shapes. Other skills that children need are the ability to assemble simple puzzles, answer questions about his/her environment (e.g. how many legs does this spider have?), and understand similarities (e.g. how are an apple and an orange alike?), differences (e.g. how is an apple different from an orange?), and opposites (e.g. ice cream is cold, coffee is hot).
• Children need to be curious and eager to learn. Our children will be most successful if they learn to ask questions, think independently, and be creative. Our children need to be curious about the world, interested in how things work, and know how to creatively approach problems. So, if your child asks you a question like, “Do mosquitoes sleep?”, resist the urge to answer (you may not know anyway!) or to give them the answer right away. Instead try asking them, “What do you think?” or “Where do you think we could find the answer to that question?” By doing this, you are encouraging them to think for themselves. This also helps build a child’s self-esteem!

What can I do to help my child be ready for school?
• Encouraging their curiosity about the world they live in. For example, if you are on a walk with your child and spot a cocoon, ask your child what they think it is. Discuss with them the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. You may even want to watch the cocoon with your child over the next few days. Then, the next time you see a butterfly with your child, ask them if they remember where butterflies come from. This type of dialogue with your child stimulates curiosity. It encourages them to ask questions about the world they live in and it helps prepare them for school.
• Reading to our children so they discover the joys of hearing stories, learning about the world, and using their imagination. You can even start reading to your child in-utero, before the baby’s even born! Young children love being read to and looking at picture books. You can encourage their language development by asking them to describe the pictures to you. As they get older, children enjoy turning the pages of the book as you read to them. This engages them in the story. To encourage your child’s social and emotional development, you can also ask them questions like “How do you think that made him feel?” or “How would you feel if something like this happened to you?”

What characteristics do I need to look for in an early education center to make sure my child will be exposed to what he or she needs?
There are two critical concepts for how a child learns:
1. Children learn best when they are developmentally ready, which is NOT necessarily predicted by a child’s chronological age, and
2. Children learn best in enjoyable environments that provide positive feedback.

So, look for an environment that:
• Follows your child’s lead in terms of when they are ready to learn
• Focuses on learning in a positive, fun, well prepared environment
• Builds social-emotional skills, motor skills, and intellectual skills
• Encourages children to ask questions and be curious about the world
• Works with you around your child’s individual characteristics and needs

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Posted By: Noel Hundley

I want to share a podcast from SMA’s Director Of Curriculum Mandy Frayer who talks about The Dollar Bill Club savings program with Platte Valley Bank and why its important for children to start learning the value of their financial futures.

Listen to the podcast

SMA’s Partnership With Platte Valley Bank’s Children Savings Program: The Dollar Bill Club

Platte Valley Bank has invited Smithville Montessori Academy’s children to participate in its savings program, the dollar bill club. Platte Valley Bank has had great success with other schools in the area with this program.

It is important the children understand the importance of a savings because of the prevalence of debt and the way the economy is. Children need to understand what they can do to take responsibility of their financial futures. Platte Valley Bank makes it easy for the children to truly understand what a savings account is and how they can begin to put money away for their own future.

The club will be convent and easily assessable for children and parents. Every two weeks a Platte Valley Bank representative will help the children fill out a deposit slip, even if it’s just change. With a Platte Valley savings account the children don’t have to remember their account number, have a minimum balance or pay fees for not maintaining the minimum balance. Platte Valley Bank is paying a high interest rate for the dollar bill club savings account. The account will be open to the children until they are 23 years old. Our goal is to help children plan for their financial future.

For More Information:
Mandy Frayer
Director Of Curriculum
(816) 532-4905

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