Namaste Montessori School

September 22, 2024School Eventsalternative education, child development, Community, elementary, Montessori

Upper Elementary Annual Camping Trip

Each year, the upper elementary heads out on a fall two-night adventure to an area state park. This trip offers valuable experience planning, preparing, and packing, as well as a opportunities to cook meals, explore the area, and bond with peers. Before the trip, the students decided on meals and went on a field trip to Wegmans to purchase food. …

September 19, 2024School Projectsalternative education, child development, Montessori, primary, Science

The Indoor/Outdoor Classroom

The Montessori Primary program incorporates the natural world into the curriculum and prioritizes the freedom to go outside (when the weather is mild), allowing young children to move as needed and participate in activities that are inspiring and meaningful to them! When the weather turns cold, we continue to continue to go outside to explore the playground, and bring in …

September 9, 2024School Eventsalternative education, child development, Community, elementary, Montessori, primary

Namaste Celebrates 20 Years of Serving Children and Families

Current and past members of the Namaste community gathered to celebrate 20 years of excellent early childhood education with shared food, music, activities, and memories! Namaste sponsored free carousel rides for visitors to the park for the day. History Namaste Montessori School was founded in August of 2004 by Bridgid and Stanley Beames. It was initially licensed as a NYS …

August 31, 2024School Projectschild development, Montessori, primary, Science

Butterflies are Miracles!

The primary children raised swallowtail and painted lady caterpillars this summer! They watched the tiny caterpillars eat SO MUCH, grow very fast, make their chrysalis, finally hatch, and then fly off into the garden. Their experience ignited interest in insects and other small creatures we find around the school, such as toads, frogs, salamanders, and arachnids.

June 30, 2024School Events, School Projectsalternative education, child development, Community, elementary, Montessori, Music and Art Education, technology

Elementary Annual City Trip for 5th and 6th Years

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, including visits to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Museum (the oldest art museum in the US) for a private tour and art lesson, the Philadelphia Mint …

June 23, 2024School Eventsalternative education, child development, Community, elementary, Montessori, Music and Art Education, primary

Annual Spring Festival

What a joy to be together as a community this spring, to spread blankets across the lawn and watch performances! The Spring Fest was an opportunity for the children to share songs, rhythms, and motions from their music classes with their families and for us all to share a meal, enjoy each other’s company, listen to great music, and do …

June 18, 2024School Projectsalternative education, Careers, child development, Community, elementary, Montessori, Science

From Seed to Loaf

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 …

May 14, 2024School Projectsalternative education, Careers, child development, elementary, Montessori, Science, technology

Poultry Sciences

The 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, candling the eggs to see the embryos form, and watching them hatch and grow. The life cycle is more fascinating and memorable when you …

March 19, 2024Uncategorizedchild development, Community, literacy, Montessori, primary

Thank You for Making our Book Sale a Success!

We are grateful for all the families and friends that participated in our “We Love Books!” Barefoot Books, Book sale last month! With the credit we earned from Barefoot Books publishing company, we were able to purchase some beautiful books for our classrooms, including short chapter books with themes of friendship, loyalty, perseverance, and grit. These books will be wonderful …

November 16, 2023School EventsAdult Education, child development, Early Childhood, Montessori, Montessori Primary

Workshop: Primary Level Curriculum

Do you wonder how a Montessori Primary classroom environment supports children’s growth and development? Join us for hands-on lessons, exploration of the materials and curriculum areas, and a greater understanding of the magic of Montessori for the young child! We hope to see you on Thursday, December 7th at 6:00 – 7:30 PM, at the Primary Campus (1608 Trumansburg Rd). …

November 7, 2023School EventsAdult Education, alternative education, child development, media, technology, Workshop

Workshop: Technology, Media, and Child Development

The internet and modern technology make media exposure almost unavoidable even for young children. While technology can provide education and entertainment, it can also impact children in a less positive way. As parents and caregivers, how do we find that right balance of what to offer our children and when? With the holidays approaching, it can be especially difficult to …

child development