June 2006

Message from the President

Dear Fellow Montessorians,
This newsletter is being sent to you with the intention of sharing the future vision of SAMA, to let you know where we are going. I would like to let you know what has been happening over the past few months. We are looking at the Montessori community and encouraging all schools to become more professional.

I would like to encourage all schools to look at upgrading your staff to NQF level 5 as soon as possible. Also to register your schools with the local municipality, Health and Social services, education Department, Umalusi, and of course, SAMA.

Is your staff registered with SACE? SAMA can help you to register with these departments if you do not have their contact details etc. Please remember that these departments want to see the Montessori Community as professionals, help us to let them know exactly how many teachers, pupils and schools are out there, enroll with SAMA today!

I would like to urge Montessorians to attend workshops and SIGS, as these are put together by fellow Montessorians to help you as a member to further your knowledge of Montessori and also to meet fellow Montessorians. Remember-we all had to go through the same growth procedures, you are not alone, SAMA can help you.

We have a number of items for sale; sweatshirts, CDs of procedures, the Montessori recommended Curriculum and the Parent Handbook. All of these items have been produce by Fellow Montessorians who are extremely passionate about Montessori.

Our Annual Conference was in Johannesburg. The conference was hugely successful and approximately 200 people attended. Marlene Barron was the main speaker and she helped us all to see Montessori education in a different light.

Next year the Conference will be held in Natal and I would like to take this opportunity to encourage as many members as possible to attend this AGC.

We are looking at a member Quality satisfaction questionnaire to be sent out to all schools and members in the near future. This is in order to find out from the Montessori community what you, as the member are satisfied/not completely satisfied with, and what you as a member require from SAMA, and to resolve as many items as possible.

We are also looking into the possibility of Accreditation, which needs to be looked at in greater detail.

We are looking into the viability of upgrading the website to make it more user-friendly and have links to other Montessori sites, more information on Montessori and other items of interest.

We are also looking for unused equipment to be given to schools who are struggling financially, or new schools that are opening in underprivileged areas.

We promise to keep you informed as we progress, we urge you to support SAMA and we in turn hope to supply all your needs for the coming year.

Regards
Christine Clark, on behalf of the Executive Committee


Congratulations
to Antoinette van Winkel of Timlin Montessori School on their 20th Anniversary. ‘As a friend and colleague for a long time, I salute your commitment and efforts to maintain a high standard of Montessori education in the Eastern Cape. Without amazing stalwarts like yourself, many of us would not have gone as far. On behalf of all Montessorians in the Eastern Cape and Southern Africa, thank you. May your next 20 years be as great!’   Sam Streak, Port Elizabeth

SIG Meetings
All Regions will hold their SIG meetings on the 9th September.

Regional Representatives: 
          Gauteng North: 082 486 2076
          Gauteng South: 072 609 5979
          Western Cape: 072 1105 205
          Eastern Cape: 082 411 7154
          Kwazulu Natal: 082 851 8536

Products Available to paid-up SAMA Institutional Members
• The SAMA Recommended Curriculum – An integration of the Montessori Recommended Curriculum with the Revised National Curriculum. Cost is R500. Please order from Tina-Lynn Jones.
• SAMA Policies and Procedures CDs – a comprehensive compilation of Government Laws, Acts and Policies on CD1. examples from montessori schools and school management resources on CD2. Cost is R300 each or R500 per set.
• Parent Handbooks (full-colour) – Provides a wonderful introduction to new parents. Please order from Tina-Lynn, at R25 each.
• SAMA Navy Blue Winter Fleece Tops – Available to all members. With 'Follow Me... I’m a Montessori Child' printed in white. Details from Tina-Lynn.

"The education of even a very small child, therefore, does not aim for preparing him for school, but for life."
     – Maria Montessori – 'Discovery of the Child'


Inspirational words from Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech
     "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves; "Who am I to be brilliant/ gorgeous/ talented/ fabulous?; Actually, who are you not to be. You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel secure around you. We are meant to shine as children of God do. We are born to manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, we automatically liberate others."
     – Nelson Mandela

The Montessori Academy for Teacher Training
held a workshop last weekend to provide their trainers with the opportunity to peer lecture and to interact on a professional basis with each other.
     The format of the workshop was that all lecturers researched and presented a topic that would be included in our training with students – and which would bring our training more in line with the unit standards required of us by the ETDP SETA.
     These presentations were all of an exceptionally high standard – lecturers used a variety of lecture methods: power point, physical activity, games, written activities etc in order to provide a varied and interesting talk that would ultimately inspire and motivate the students we work with. We now have at least 6 more lectures between us that will enrich the students course content tremendously.
     Emphasis was also placed on our professionalism – something that we pride ourselves on – and ways in which this could be improved in a Montessori manner. Although we were sorry that it was not feasible to join up in Cape Town with the others this time, we look forward to sharing with trainers throughout South Africa on future workshops of this nature.
 

REGIONAL NEWS


Port Elizabeth
A SIG meeting was held on Saturday 3rd May which was well attended. The items discussed included ...
• The Exco’s position on the 3 qualifications for membership
• Regional meetings: it was decided that 3 meetings a year will be held in each of the main centers, namely PE, East London, and Knysna. The next meeting will be hosted by Maya’s Montessori in east London on 2nd August 2006, and Knysna will be asked to host the 4th term meeting. A mini conference will be held annually, to make up the 4th meeting, starting with PE in April 2007.
• Rita van Heerden gave feedback on the drama workshop she had attended.
• Sam involved everyone in making a ninja star, using origami and geometry, a challenging task! 

Cape Town
A weekend workshop, under the auspices of THE COUNCIL FOR MONTESSORI TRAINING PROVIDERS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, to train trainers was held at Mercy Montessori training college on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 June. Some highlights were...
• A need to standardise training programs offered by the montessori training institutes was identified and discussed. Also the fact that there need to be clear, consistent standards in order to attain credibility for Montessori in SA.
• Lynn Moss (a Toastmaster) discussed communication skills and gave valuable tips.
• Bronwyn Evans presented a music program, making us more aware of the need for movement during song/mat time.
• Gayle Thompson spoke on the esoteric aspects of Montessori – where attitude equates to 100%, and laid emphasis on the respect we should all show to the children and to each other.
• Judith Foghill presented "a Matter of Ethics"; where she reminded us of our responsibility towards looking after the world we live in.
• Jacqui Price spoke on "Classroom Etiquette" and, again, the need for respect in the environment and how to focus on positive language and behaviour.
• Professor Derek Smith blew us away with his talk entitled: "Learners of the 20th Century" – highlighting the tremendous barriers that now exist in educating this new techno-generation, who are geared to "instant gratification".
• Dr Lindsay van den Berg spoke on "Adult Learners" and "Tips for Teachers", which included many practical tips for trainers.
• Su Cunningham concluded by bringing our attention to the need for extensions in our environment to stimulate, in particular, the 5-6 year olds in our class.

From KwaZulu Natal
• Preparations for the 2007 SAMA Annual Conference in KZN are already underway. The 2007 Conference Committee would like to encourage all Montessorians to start planning towards attending the conference as soon as possible.
• A Materials Making Workshop will be held at Great Heights Montessori School on the 1st of July. This is part of the Outreach Programme in KZN. Teachers from the Umlazi Creche Owners Association will attend and Dee Khuzwayo of the Downs Syndrome Association will give a presentation.
 

VACANCIES


Hermanus Montessori  
is looking for a 3-6 Directress. Fax CV and covering letter to: 028-3124301
Rainbow Montessori School  
is looking for a 9-12 Directress from January 2007. Please fax CV to Christine 021-9754831
Nahoon Montessori  
needs a 3-6 Directress/Assistant, as well as a 6-12 Assistant. Please contact Sharon Caldwell
Morning Star Montessori, Pretoria
is looking for a 3-6 Directress. Send CV to 012-991 0228. Jenny Miller 082 602 4427