• Engage with classroom materials and see how the prepared environment supports children’s curiosity and independence.

• Discover how Montessori practices nurture each child’s social, emotional, and academic growth.

• Through guided discussion and shared reflection, we will explore how these practices are applied in the classroom and at home.

Event is open to the public!

What: Montessori: How and Why It Works
When: Wednesday, February 11, 5:45 to 7:30 PM
Where: 1608 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca NY

Each year, we host regular educational events or discussions for adults in our community. Many of these events are also open to the public. These “parent nights” offer opportunities for adults to meet other adults in the community and learn, and discuss aspects of Montessori philosophy.

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What: Montessori Education and Literacy – Panel Discussion
When: Thursday, March 13th, 6 to 7:30 PM
Where: Jacksonville Campus (1872 Trumansburg Rd), Elementary Classroom
The school will provide childcare with pizza for Namaste primary and elementary students.
Childcare space is limited, RSVP required.

Each year, we host regular educational events or discussions for adults in our community. Many of these events are also open to the public. These “parent nights” offer opportunities for adults to meet other adults in the community and learn, and discuss aspects of Montessori philosophy. Literacy is often an important topic as there is a lot of pressure on children and parents. But brain development supports the development of literacy and cannot be rushed! This evening will help caregivers know how to support their student and recognize if the child is struggling.

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The annual camping trip helps to solidify the community of older children and strengthens their friendships. The work they do together to plan, pack, set up, and make meals gives them opportunities to take responsibility for the care of their peers. They have many adventures, helping them build respect for each other’s strengths and abilities compassion for each others worries and fears. All of this in the context of a meaningful learning experience of being outside and exploring the natural world! We are thankful to our teaching and administrative teams and the parents and caregivers who support this important opportunity for the older elementary students!

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The primary environment is connected to a fenced courtyard that includes tables, gardens, and work benches for using tools. The outside activities often include things like painting and washing cloths. Garden work includes activities such as weeding, watering, and cutting flowers and herbs for the classroom. There are tools, such as hammers, saws, and hand drills, that offer the children fine motor practice. Children can also choose to bring their work or snack outside to a table. The children enjoy hearing the birds and feeling the warm sunshine and cool breezes!

The indoor/outdoor classroom is somewhat weather dependent, but the children go outside year-round! When the weather turns cold, the children continue to go outside to explore the playground, and bring in things from the natural world to explore. The take hikes around the property and help collect sap for maple syrup. However activities like using tools or easel painting have to move inside or await space in the spring.

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History

Bridgid and Stanley Beames founded Namaste Montessori School 20 years ago, in August of 2004. The initial licensed program was located in the Beames’ family home, 3011 Halseyville Road, Trumansburg, NY.  It has been Bridgid’s lifelong dream to open her own Montessori school. This dream, combined with the high need for day care and overwhelming community support inspired the Beames to open Namaste.

The need to expand

In response to overwhelming interest in the program and an extensive waiting list, the Beames expanded the program in the spring of 2005.

Soon after the expansion Bridgid and Stan created a long-range plan and blue print for the growth of school.  The next phase in the growth of the school required moving the program to a larger site. In December of 2006 the building and property at 1608 Trumansburg Road was purchased.  The completed renovations in the spring of 2007.

In the June of 2007, Namaste Montessori School became a NYS licensed day care center and moved  into their new facility. The program expanded from a capacity of fourteen students to two classrooms with a capacity of thirty-one students. The program now included a primary and toddler classroom.

Adding the Elementary Program

In 2010 the school took a close look at the needs of their families and the community. After careful reflection a decision was made to continue to expand the school. Therefore, they established a long-range plan to grow the school through middle school and add more primary and toddler classrooms.

In 2011, the Beames purchased and renovated the property located at 1872 Trumansburg Rd. This property became the Namaste Montessori School’s Elementary Campus.  The founding elementary class opened its doors in September of 2011.

Facing a Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Namaste Montessori School quickly re-openned, with careful health and safety measures in place. The school has been able to provide an essential childcare service to families of young children. They simultaneously provided a vibrant place to continue learning and being with peers for our school-age children!

Looking to the Future

In the future, the school hopes to build additional classrooms and a community space at the Primary campus. Long term goals include relocating the elementary classroom to the Primary campus, and establishing a Middle School program.

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Exploring the natural world is an important part of the Montessori curriculum. The children enjoy observing the amazing changes in the world around them. Often these projects just arrive when a child finds a caterpillar in their garden! Or a child asks to bring in a tank of tadpoles. The children often find praying mantises and walking sticks in our outdoor courtyard. There is so much to discover in our world! Bringing some of these amazing seasonal experiences inside supports their sense of wonder and their love of the environment around them. Raising butterflies also offers opportunities to develop patience, gentleness, responsibility, and the ability to let go. The children feel the simultaneous joy and sadness of letting the butterflies out into the world where anything can happen.

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Each Spring, our 5th and 6th year elementary students plan a field trip to a nearby city. This year the students chose Philadelphia and planned for a very busy three days of activities. The activities included a visit to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Museum for a private tour and art lesson. The students visited the Philadelphia Mint to learn more about the minting of coins. Additionally, they chose to visit ‘The Art of the Brick’ exhibit at the Franklin Institute after their work with First Lego League Robotics. They ended their excursions with a visit to the Adventure Aquarium to further their research of ocean biomes for this year’s robotics competition.

The Importance of Going Out

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that learning is not limited to the classroom. The students need to explore the wider world to better understand and connect what they are learning with life. Each year the students help plan a city trip as part of their practice of “going out”. Through these excursions, the children apply practical math and language skills and deepen their understanding of topics they are studying. They also build confidence in speaking to adults, moving through public places, and managing time and money. They practice essential skills, like working with a group, compromising, and taking responsibility for themselves by planning and packing.

This is truly a student led and planned trip. The school provides the students with a budget and, with some adult guidance, plan for housing, meals, transportation, and sightseeing. This year, the students found a rental downtown and could shop and prepare meals in the apartment. This allowed them to accommodate dietary preferences and use budgeted money saved from not eating out for additional sightseeing activities.

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The spring festival is an opportunity for the children to share songs, rhythms, and dances from their music classes with their families. It is also an opportunity for our community to come together to share a meal and enjoy each other’s company. We were fortunate again this year to have some great music, and to do a little family-friendly dancing! The Ditch Lilies (Rosie Newton, Paul Martin, Lloyd and Valerie Graves) played traditional old-time string band music while Nancy Spero called some family-friendly dances. Special thanks to Jennifer Birnbaum for her work with the elementary children as their music teacher and to Valerie Graves for her work with the primary classes!

Namaste greatly values our community of families and all the positive energy and warmth they share. Events like the spring festival provide an opportunity to celebrate our community! Making food to share and joining hands to dance deepens our connections. Thank you to all our families for helping organize events such as these, and for prioritizing gathering with our community. There are so many activities calling to parents and children, we are happy to be one of the communities our families value in their lives as well.

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Our elementary students learned about the growing of wheat and milling of flour, the creation of sourdough starters, and the kneading, shaping, and baking of bread this spring! With guidance and support from staff from Wide Awake Bakery and Farmer Ground Flour, the children enjoyed in-class visits and field trips to gain hand-on experiences with the processes of farming grain and making bread. The children worked in groups to maintain their own sourdough starters and experienced the tangy shifts in flavors and then made their own loafs of bread to bring home to their families!

Hands on, sensory experiences are essential to Montessori education. Children learn and retain more when their learning involves meaningful projects, movement, and multiple senses. Many thanks to our parents for their motivation to create and support this project with the class!

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Poultry sciences are part of our annual curriculum at Namaste. Our chickens laid fertile eggs, thanks to our not-so-friendly rooster, and the elementary children were able to incubate and raise three chicks this spring! The children were able to observe at every step of the process. They candled the eggs to see the embryos form, and watched them hatch and grow. The life cycle is more fascinating and memorable when you get to watch and experience it!

Montessori observed that engaging the children in real, meaningful tasks led to more inspiration to learn. While it may seem obvious, this is an often overlooked aspect of education. Our elementary students have regular, hands-on projects that engage their senses and create solid memories. These projects lead to greater interest in related curriculum areas. In this case, the students were tracking data, managing temperature, maintaining safe conditions, researching types of chickens and their needs, and budgeting costs for care.

The Namaste Friends 4H club supports poultry sciences as part of the school curriculum. The children learn how to care for animals and if interested, can even show animals at the 4H youth fair. Namaste partners with Cornell Cooperative Extension and 4H to provide several other integrated 4H projects including robotics, coding, natural fibers, and Namastea.

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