Eureka! - Our Science and Gk club starts this february!

Dear Parents,

Wishing you all a happy Republic Day!

Gulmohar Days is pleased to announce that Eureka!, our science and Gk club will reconvene from the month of February.
This time we plan to run two sessions, for ages 5 to 7 years and ages 8 to 10 years respectively. Please find course details below:

Eureka! ( science and Gk for ages 5 to 7 years)

Date and Day: Sessions held every Monday starting February 2012. First session on Feb 6th 2012.
Time: each session lasts 1 and a half hours. 4 to 5.30 pm. The first few sessions will focus on topics such as 'The Human Body' and 'Senses'.
Workshop Mentor: Mrs. Kirti Behal


Eureka! ( science and Gk for ages 8 to 10 years)

Date and Day: Sessions held every Wednesday starting February 2012. First session on Feb 8th 2012.
Time: each session lasts 1 and a half hours. 4 to 5.30 pm. The first few sessions will focus on topics such as 'Sound' and 'Magnets'
Workshop Mentor: Mrs. Kirti Behal

About the Mentor: Mrs Kirti Behal has a rich teaching experience of over 27 years. She served as Headmistress of Bombay International school for the last several years and now post-retirement has made Pune her home. She loves interacting with children and is passionate about teaching science in a manner that will encourage children to think, infer, discover and explore. Her sessions will include simple experiments, model making, small projects and the like. All equipment will be provided to the children during class.

As always, we would like to keep the group size to a maximum of 12-15 kids. So please do call/email or drop by to register your child's name. Please feel free to email us if you have any queries on fee and course structure.

Looking forward to your whole hearted participation as always!

Holiday workshops - pictures!

The month of December saw some hectic activity at Gulmohar Days. Our workshops received fantastic response and we are extremely thrilled to see how much the children enjoyed themselves. From paper quilling to fabric painting, math and story telling to fun craft activities, there wasnt a dull moment. We promised to share the pictures and here they are!

Celebrations at the Montessori!

Happy Holidays everyone! Enjoy the pictures!

Thank you!!

We had a fabulous Christams party at the Montessori yesterday! Thank you parents for the cookies and sandwiches and yummy treats you sent in! And Dipale Parmar, you made a fabulous santa! The kids loved you! May we say, you have found you're calling!! :) Cheers to all the mommies who helped make the celebration a success!

Winter Holiday Workshops in December 2011

Dear Parents,
We are glad to announce the following workshops for children in the month of December. Please do go through the details below. Max no. of enrollments in a workshop is 12 kids. Kindly do call/email or drop by to register. Registrations on a first cum basis.

Workshop: FABRIC ART
Age group: 8 to 12 years
Description: An intense and enjoyable workshop that will focus on weaving, tie and dye, fabric painting, block printing techniques.
Mentor: Divya Easwar
Dates: 19th dec to 23rd dec
Time: 10.30am to 12.00 pm


Workshop: Paper Quilling
Age group: 8 to 12 years
Description: A fun workshop that will focus on different paper quilling techniques to make simple jewellery, decorative gift tags, cards and the like.
Mentor: Divya Easwar
Dates: 26th dec to 30th dec
Time: 10.30am to 11.30 am


Workshop: Crafty Hands!
Age group: 4 to 6 years
Description: Our little creative geniuses will learn to cut, glue, decorate, draw, paint and much more at this fun hands-on craft workshop. Craft attempted will revolve around texture painting, sand art, creating winter landscapes etc
Mentor: Sarah Kurien
Dates: 19th Dec to 26th Dec
Time: 11.00am to 12.30 pm


Workshop: Math-a-magic!
Age group: Kids in LKG/UKG, Montessori year 2 and year 3
Description: A workshop that teaches simple fundamental math concepts using montessori techniques. Exercises revolve around counting, number recognition, odd and even numbers, intro to decimal system and first steps to addition and subtraction.
Mentor: Devika Gugle Kanstya
Dates: 19th december to 30th december
Time: 10.00 am to 11.00 am


Workshop: Tell me a Story!
Age Group: Kids 3.5 to 5 years
Description: This one is for all those who were most upset when we shut down one of our most successful and longest running activities: Our Story Club! The much loved story sessions make a comeback these holidays. One hour of pure storytelling and imagination as kids build on vocabulary and communication skills.
Mentor: Nandini Nair
dates: 19th dec to 23rd dec
Time: 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm
We look forward to hearing from you at the earliest. do email us on gulmohardays@gmail.com for any further information. I take this opportunity to wish you and the family health, happiness and contentment in the New Year! Have a joyous holiday season!

The 7 Steps to Becoming a Montessori Parent

If there is one thing we as parents are good at -  its "Worrying"! We worry ourselves night and day over anything and everything our child does.
" My child is not toilet trained! what am i doing wrong?"
" My 3 year old isn't learning as much as she should be? Is she a slow learner?" "
"My child isnt eating or sleeping well....is she hyperactive?"
" My child never tells me anything that happens in school...why does he not share with me, or are they doing things he does not understand/"
" My son hates to write, what am I going to do when he turns 6 and goes to a big school?"
" My child's teacher rarely has a complaint about him ...are they paying enough attention?"
" My child has no friends...and shes almost 3!"

The list could go on. So often we are consumed with self doubt, so often we look for someone to blame ( my child has picked up bad behavior from the nanny, from a classmate, its because of too much TV). It is at moments like this we must take a step back and view ourselves and our children objectively. Be an observer for a change. Perhaps the next most difficult thing to being a Montessori teacher, is being a Montessori parent. 

Here's a good read that reminds us of the real things that matter. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

7 Steps to Becoming a Montessori Parent

by Edward Fidellow, reprinted with permission
There are seven simple steps to becoming a Montessori parent. When we say simple we don’t mean that they are not challenging. It is a lot like the definition of bull riding.  “The object is to keep the bull between you and the ground.” Simple – but challenging.

The first step to becoming a Montessori parent took place when you enrolled your child in a Montessori program. That in itself is a challenge. Most of us weren’t raised in a Montessori school. The whole concept is foreign and takes a bit of courage to step out of the norm and our comfort zone. We may have chosen the program because it wasn ’t like our school experience (which is why we chose it.) Or we chose it because we saw something unique in a Montessori child we knew. Or we were just plain lucky and stumbled on to a Montessori school and were fascinated by what we saw. Even then we had to deal with the question,  “If this is so great, how come the whole world isn’t lined up outside the door to enroll? ” (Which is the same question Montessorians keep wondering about too!) But you made a complex and challenging decision to become a Montessori parent. And here you are. So how do you get the best out of your decision? You go to step two.
You begin to understand the core philosophy of what Montessori is all about. Fortunately, you don’t have to become a Montessori teacher to be a good Montessori parent. (You don’t have to know how to manipulate all of those materials and you do ’t have to keep fifteen children from climbing the walls.) The most significant Montessori concept is to respect the child. I can almost hear the wheels turning , “Of course I respect my child, I love them very much that, ’s why I have them in Montessori, I want the best for them., ” Of course you love them , – but respect is different. Respecting the child is first, to respect the nature of children. Children are not mini adults waiting to be molded. They are like tadpoles and caterpillars that have their own form and function of life waiting to become what they are intended to be. We are often impatient for them to become because we don’t realize that childhood , – with its curiosity, playfulness, messiness and all , – is part of the process of them transforming themselves into the adults they will become. We have to respect that process  – which doesn ’t mean they always get to do what they want. One of the operative words in Dr. Montessori ’s writing is the word  “train ”. We do need to train our children but we need to train ourselves  “not to destroy that which is good ” in the nature of our children.  The second part of respect is to respect the personality of your child. Your child is not a blank slate. They are already imbued with the unique characteristics of who they are. The artistic bent is already there. The math bent is already formed. The leader, the follower, the giver the taker, the extrovert, the introvert are already dn A’d into your child. Right or left handed, right or left brained are already formed.

So how do you cooperate with nature? You become an observer. That is the next step in becoming a Montessori parent  – you train yourself to observe. What does your child gravitate to? What gives them great joy? What occupies them endlessly? These are all clues to who you child is becoming. You are fortunate that you have a trained helper in your child ’s Montessori teacher. Your next parent conference should ask more than what has she done but who do you see her becoming. It is hard to cooperate with nature if you are not aware of the nature of your child.

Our third step is to become their champion. I know. I hear you say,  “Of course, I ’m their champion. I love them. ” And so you do. But are their goals your goals? Translation: Do you have goals for them that do not take into account who they are. (There are many jock fathers who do not have jock sons.) Yes, you have many wonderful goals for them to be caring and loving, honest and faithful, upright, truthful, etc  – and these are worthy, significant and meaningful goals which they should attain to. But the expression of their lives  – career, vocation, work  – is best met and fulfilled according to their gifts. When your five year old says,  “I want to be a fireman. ” He may be reflecting the latest book or television program he ’s seen. However, if you continue to ask the why questions,  “Why do you think that would be a good job? Why do you think that you would enjoy that? ” you may discover that you child is not drawn just to the excitement but to the fact of wanting to help people or he likes the aspect of being part of a team. All are important clues to his personality. Your child needs you to champion and encourage his personality (especially, if it is different than yours.)

The fourth step is to practice what they learn at school  – grace and courtesy. Please and thank you, may I, excuse me, please forgive me and a host of other considerations practiced (and modeled) at home will go a long way to giving your child every advantage in life. People respond favorably to a child with great manners.

Fifth, practice independence. Independence is the ability to be self-governing and that comes from making choices, living with the consequences and having responsibilities. As often as possible give your children choices.  “What do you want for breakfast, cereal or eggs? ”  “Do you want two spoonfuls of carrots or one?, ” (don’t offer choices where there are no choices.  “Do you want carrots? They say no and you serve them anyway.) Give your children chores they can accomplish  – making their beds, putting dirty clothes in the laundry, dishes in the dishwasher, etc. Chores build responsibility; responsibility builds independence; independence builds confidence.

Sixth, give them the gift of time. Give them time to accomplish their chores. Give them time to be children. Give them time to breath. Give them your time.

Seventh, practice humility. They have a lot to learn from you. What is easy for you as an adult is mystifying and beyond challenge for them. Let your words be seasoned with grace. Look for the good in what they do. Their motives are often pure; their actions imperfect. Yet, we have a lot to learn from them also. And when you are wrong (when, not if) practice the humility of saying,  “Please forgive me.” It will not destroy your authority or their respect for you. It will teach them one of the great lessons of life  – when you fail, whether it’s in a relationship, school, career or life – own the failure and start over again – to succeed another day.

Becoming a Montessori parent is to become the best parent you can be.

Monday: Holiday for Id

The school and day care will remain closed on Monday, the 7th of November 2011 on account of Id. The Activity Clubs however will meet in the evening. Children who have enrolled in the GK club and Trinity Speech and Communication prog. are requested to come in for class at the usual time.

Thanks!

Diwali @ Gulmohar Days!

Dear Parents,

Hope you all have had a great week of fun and festivities with your family. Gulmohar Days reopens tomorrow with the Montessori, Day Care and Activity Clubs swinging back into action. A big thank you to all the parents from our montessori and day care who joined us for our Diwali celebrations!Thank you for bringing in all that delicious food and making the evening more special. Many Thanks to Michal for taking some wonderful photographs for us!!  There were too many to upload one by one, we have put up a photo collage on our Facebook page! Do take a look!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gulmohar-Days/111030148911956

Looking forward to meting the kids this week!

Gulmohar Days Montessori: Admissions Open for New Term

Dear Friends,


Admissions are now open into the Gulmohar Days Montessori programme.

Montessori Toddler Programme: Children must be 2 yrs or above to be eligible for this programme

Montessori Year One: (equivalent to Nursery )

Montessori Year two: ( equivalent to Lower KG)

Montessori year 3: ( equivalent to Upper KG)

Please note that admissions are currently open for term 2 of this academic year, i.e. December 2011 to April 2012

ADMISSIONS FOR THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR ( JUNE 2012) WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN FROM DECEMBER 20TH 2011 . THIS HOWEVER WILL DEPEND ON AVAILABILITY OF SEATS.

For further information on school fee structure, timings, day care facilities and teaching methodology kindly email your queries to gulmohardays@gmail.com or call Nandini Nair on 0-9890530248. Kindly call on the number and fix an appointment before dropping by to collect admission forms or discuss admission procedure.

Regards