Hey parents and friends of Aldea Montessori – this is a great opportunity to pick up some amazing finds at low prices, while supporting the wonderful children of Aldea. All the funds raised through your purchases will go directly to funding projects, supplies, and improving the campus at Aldea, so tell your friends, family, neighbors, anyone who will listen – THIS IS A DO NOT MISS EVENT!

WHAT: We will have for sale tools, furniture, clothes, toys, electronics, appliances and MUCH MORE!

WHERE: at the school, 15639 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85032 (east side of 40th St between Bell and Greenway)

WHEN: Saturday, January 21st, 2012, 7am to 1pm

HOW: How? Great volunteers like you make it happen! Call the office at 602-485-0276 if you have a little time to spare that day to help out, or if you have more items you’d like to donate to our school for the yard sale. Don’t forget to share the Facebook event link with your Facebook friends, too!

WHY: Because our kids are depending on you! Please consider volunteering your time, donating items and telling your friends and family about our event.

Categories : Events
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I often talk to parents about the relationship they want to have with their children.  Are you of the old school, where children are to be seen and not heard?  Are you of the new school, where we should all be BFF–friends who don’t even try to teach right from wrong?  Would you prefer to be somewhere in the middle?

I recently read the following article by a CNN analyst.  I think EVERY parent of a young girl needs to read this article and take note.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/19/granderson.children.dress/index.html?hpt=C2

As a preschool teacher, I have marveled (or observed in horror) as toddlers came to school in “darling” outfits of midriff tops and short shorts with their diapers hanging out.  I’ve tried to help the 4-year-old who can’t keep the spaghetti straps up on her shoulders as she tries to work.  I’ve provided longer shirts so a 5-year-old could climb on the playground without her bottom showing.  And every time I wonder about the parent who purchased these outfits.  Are we starting to treat our little girls as dolls, to be dressed up for show?  Are we imposing our wishes to be young and beautiful on a child who just wants the freedom to play?  Are we so brain-washed by the media that we believe this is how a girl should look?  The author of the above article raises excellent questions about the genesis of these clothes for children.  He also asks some serious questions of the parents and sets some expectations of how a parent should act.

If you were appalled by the description at the beginning of the article, stop and take a hard look at your own daughter.  Are you behaving like a friend or a parent?  Are you teaching her how to dress and behave like the confident, successful young woman you hope she will be?   Or are you letting our current social norms dictate those behaviors?  Ten years from now, will you be thrilled to see her dressed as she is?  Or will you be asking her to change into something more conservative?    For what target market are you preparing her?  Successful career-makers?  Or dance club dates?

Make a conscious decision to parent now and revel in being a friend with the wonderful young adult who will emerge later!

Categories : Parenting
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Here I am, just starting out, and I’m already talking about the Mafia?  Surely that doesn’t relate to a Montessori education, right??

Believe it or not, the distinguished publication known as the Wall Street Journal recently ran just such an article:

http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2011/04/05/the-montessori-mafia/

In the article, the author suggests that there are two possibilities:  either there is a covert organization of Montessori graduates forming their own “mafia” with the intent of taking over all our country’s successful technology companies (Google, Amazon, The Sims, etc.)  OR these brilliant young CEOs have discovered an amazing form of education that helps to create these brilliant young minds.  Which do you think is the case?

100+ years ago, a brilliant young doctor named Maria Montessori made it her life’s work to find a better way to educate children.  Those of us who have experienced a Montessori  education know that she did not merely meet her goal.  She created a method by which EVERY child can achieve his or her highest potential.  Sergei Brin of Google is just one shining example.  There are thousands of others who credit their Montessori education with their personal successes.  As we constantly debate the need for a better way to educate the future generations, our governing bodies need to be looking beyond the factory-model classroom at programs with proven track records.

Check out the article, then check out Dr. Montessori’s work.  Your life will be changed and perhaps you, too, can become part of the Montessori Mafia!!