text:
I was excited to capture this video of a preschool friend doing the 9 Layout recently. The 9 Layout is a Montessori math activity that presents the ideas of place value and increments. Beads representing ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands are counted and matched with the numerals. Here, my friend has completed the ones place and has started the tens. She is adding bars of ten until she makes ninety. (You might turn down your volume. The background is a bit noisy.)
What I noticed when I reviewed the video is how she stops to reflect after each increment. She moves the bars up, adds one, then sits back to review or reflect on the work. This is one of the beautiful aspects of Montessori - or really, just scientific pedagogy in general - the child doesn't need a teacher to step in and say, "Great! That makes 60!" All she needs is to see how to do the work then be allowed to do it. When she is all finished with the tens, then she looks up at me. My mentor, Don Czerwinskyj, made sure I understood the importance of offering a child a reflection when they were finished with work. He told me to wait for the child to finish and watch her face when she looks up. Is she pleased? surprised? excited? confused? Wait for her to assess her own work before offering any feedback. In this child's case, when she looked up at me and seemed satisfied, I said, "Ok. You did it! You completed the tens. Are you ready to count the hundreds?" She said she was and she continued.
A friend of mine told me recently about visiting a preschool where every child's work was praised lavishly. Every painting or block structure was met with, "Oh my! That's the most beautiful picture/castle/birthday cake I've ever seen!!" Montessori educators try to avoid empty praise because it causes children to look outside themselves - rather than inside - for affirmation. Just like adults, kids have opinions about their work and their performance. If a child is happy with her work then we can be happy for her. If she is unsatisfied with her work or feels she doesn't understand it, we can offer empathy, advice, or suggestions - depending on what's needed.
When this student was finished with the work, I snapped this photo just as she added the last thousand cube. She was pleased with herself, as the photo shows.
Now, because my job is to observe and assess her understanding of the concepts she was learning, I noticed that she had only stacked 8 cubes, instead of 9. This was no time for criticism - look at that beaming face! So I commented on how pleased she was with her work. I asked her if we could count all of those cubes. When she got to 8 thousands she realized that she needed one more. She added one more cube, we counted them again together, and I said, "There are 9 thousands and this says 9000. Is that correct?" She said it was, and together we determined that her work was complete. She then put all of the materials away.
Sometimes we think our grown-up words are essential to motivate children to learn and to keep them on track. But most of the time, we could get by with a few words and more time simply observing and offering reflections. Rather than saying, "That's a beautiful painting," we could say, "Wow! You used 5 different colors in this painting. Do you have a favorite?" It requires more work for us to look so carefully before commenting, but it shows the child that we are truly interested in her work. And, we are interested in the process and not just the product.
If words fail us, we can always try those three little words everyone loves to hear, "You did it!"
~ Heather
Children at work in the Montessori Elementary class.
October is observation month at our Montessori school. Now that the classrooms have been up and running for six weeks and the children are mostly adjusted to being away from their parents, we invite the parents to spend 15 minutes in the class just observing to see what their children's days are like. Parents are given a clipboard with an observation sheet that asks some general questions about what they see. After class, the teachers read over the observation sheets and respond to any questions or concerns the parents may have at the upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences. Observation month is offered again in April.
Parent observations are important to the teachers because they keep us focused on our own observations. "I'm seeing that this child rarely chooses to work by himself. I wonder if his parents will see the same thing? Is that how he is at home or only at school?"
Observations are important to parents because they can serve as an informative window into a child's day. "I didn't realize she had so many friends at school. Does she ever work by herself?"
Observations are also important to the children because every child enjoys when Mom or Dad come to visit. "Mom's at MY school watching ME work??? Awesome!" Being a part of your child's day promotes good feelings and almost guarantees terrific dinner conversation.
Children at work in a Montessori preprimary classroom.
So what can you expect during your in-class observation?
Children working in the Montessori toddler classroom.
Sign up for an observation time outside your child's classroom. We look forward to seeing all of our parents in our classrooms!
Miss Emily tries out a science experiment during the Teachers' Silent Journey and Discovery.
Have you ever wished you could experience Montessori through a child's eyes? We would like to offer you the next best thing. Please join us on Monday, September 22nd from 6:00 - 7:30 pm on the MSGL campus for the Montessori Silent Journey and Discovery. This is your opportunity to see the classrooms as your children do and to use the same materials they use to develop their bodies, minds, and spirits.
The Montessori Silent Journey and Discovery will take you on two guided tours of the school, starting as an infant and progressing through the Toddler, Preprimary, Extended Day, and Elementary classes. The first tour is silent. Your tour group will spend 5 minutes in each room looking at - but not touching - the classroom environment and the various materials. After the first tour, your guide will once again take you to each of the classrooms, but this tour will be the Discovery portion when you can use the materials, ask questions of the guides and teachers, and take part in the teachers' presentations. We will wrap up the Montessori Silent Journey and Discovery by gathering together for refreshments and discussion afterwards.
Miss Stacie presents the Squaring Chains.
We are very excited to offer this new parent education event and we highly recommend it for all new families and anyone who would like a hands-on experience in our Montessori classrooms. This is also a nice tour for grandparents and caregivers. The teachers practiced the Silent Journey and Discovery in August and really enjoyed the experience. You can read about one parent's experience with a Montessori Silent Journey and Discovery on the I Heart Montessori blog.
Childcare is available for children ages 2 and older who are currently attending MSGL or familiar with MSGL. All of our teachers will be on hand for this special evening and we look forward to seeing you there, too!
Please register for this fun event and sign up for childcare in the office or by phone by this Friday, September 19th.
Following Friends to Physics
Free play and building with logs and boards is a realistic way to explore physics concepts. MSGL has an outdoor space that allows for more than just "recess." Outside time is not a chance to get away from the classroom, it's an opportunity for children to use their whole bodies to learn and, most importantly, have fun with friends.
On Thursday, a quartet of boys was getting very silly in the back corner of our Montessori classroom. They were speaking with outside voices and using all available paper to make pretend swords so they could have a pretend swordfight. When I tried to redirect them, they asked to make paper airplanes and see whose would fly the farthest. Although Montessori teachers are known for their flexibility and laid-back grooviness, I could not condone sword-fighting and airplane-flying during class on this, only the second full week of preschool. What would people say?
I empathized with these friends because they wanted to play together and needed to actively move their bodies, but it was still 30 minutes before we (read: I) could even think about going outside where this type of gross-motor play was appropriate. They took a half-hearted interest in another activity and I sat at a table nearby to observe. When they realized I was there to stay, they started putting away their work and chanting with dead eyes and sad voices, "No more fun. No more fun. No more fun." It would seem I had officially become "the man." They went to the other side of the room to build a tower with the brown stair and the pink cubes and within minutes, they were using the smallest brown stair as a lever to launch the smallest pink cube across the rug. Clearly, they were trying to tell me something.
What these boys wanted was action. They are perfectly willing to come in each morning and work on their maps or practice writing their names, but after a time they really want to make things move. And it's not just the boys, of course. Girls thrive on kinesthetic learning activities and they are usually the first to line up to walk across the log seesaw.
In fact, all young children are kinesthetic learners. Most mature into adolescents who can learn successfully through watching and listening, but not all. As long ago as 1979, researchers studying how humans learn understood this:
"Restak (1979) and others have indicated that many students do not become strongly visual before third grade, that auditory acuity first develops in many students after the sixth grade, and that boys often are neither strongly visual nor auditory even during high school. Therefore, since most young children are tactual and kinesthetic learners, such resources should be developed and used, particularly for those who are experiencing difficulty learning through lectures, direct verbal instructions, "chalk talks," and textbook assignments."- See the full article at Education.com
No one is suggesting that preschoolers should be taught through lectures, but sometimes society (or maybe our high school principal's voice in the back of our head) worries us into thinking that if we don't make our children sit down, concentrate, and learn - how will they ever be successful in school or the Real World that supposedly comes after?
Parents sometimes ask, "When will you teach him to sit still and listen to the teacher?" The answer is that he will sit still and listen when what I am saying is of interest to him. It's my job to find the topic that is so fascinating to the child that he can't help but hold his body still so as to not miss a single word. A teacher's job is to be fascinating; but only until the child is so interested in the subject that he sets off to explore it on his own. At that point, the teacher observes and prepares for the child's next question then guides him to find the answers on his own. (Please note: Matters of health, safety, and courtesy are always addressed immediately. No one in the classroom has the freedom to hurt themselves or to hurt or disrupt others.)
Maria Montessori observed that not only do young children learn kinesthetically, they absolutely MUST learn this way for proper brain development.
"Movement, or physical activity, is thus an essential factor in intellectual growth, which depends upon the impressions received from outside. Through movement we come in contact with external reality, and it is through these contacts that we eventually acquire even abstract ideas." - The Secret of Childhood
So, as a good teacher who believes in a research-based approach to education, I am obligated to consider the kinesthetic learning style of my preschool students. I am also obligated to follow a child's interests because a child who is studying something she is interested in, as opposed to an externally-imposed curriculum, is much more likely to retain that information and build connections in her brain. So why were we still inside the classroom and NOT outside studying the physics of flight and simple machines? Because I didn't know they were interested until Thursday. But now I do.
As a result, my assistant and I will be following our 3, 4, and 5-year-olds into the action-packed world of physics this week starting with the simple lever. We will spend a little extra time outside on the log seesaw for some major gross motor exploration, then we will scale down the kinesthetic experience to make smaller levers inside the classroom using blocks, rulers, pennies, rocks, and pompoms. We will introduce the appropriate words such as "load", "effort", and "fulcrum" and we will figure out how many pennies it takes the raise the rock load. I will do my best to be fascinating. There may be squeals of joy and pompoms flying through the air, but no more "No more fun."
Thanks for reading,
Grace's first day of Montessori preschool, 1997.
Last summer, my 19-year-old daughter was getting ready to move into her first apartment. I was excited for her to have the chance to live on her own and had been setting aside household items that I thought she could use. One day, after admiring the "steal" of a chair I had found at Goodwill, she asked me, "Aren't you sad that I won't live here anymore?"
"Well, honey," I said, "I always imagined that you would grow up and move out of the house. That was our goal all along for you to be an independent, self-sufficient person."
"I know," she said. "But I'm kind of sad that I won't be sleeping here anymore."
I reminded her that she had hardly slept at home at all since she started college last year. She lived in the dorm, four hours away from home and we often didn't hear from her for days.
"Yeah, but this is different. I just can't believe this won't be my home address anymore. Are you going to change the garage door code?"
A-ha! Then I figured it out. She was worried about cutting the cord from the house where she grew up. I had been concerning myself with making sure she was comfortable "out there" and she was worried she would no longer be welcome back at home.
It occurred to me that not much has changed between that day and the day sixteen years ago when we were preparing to send her to preschool here at the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette. Back then we were so excited to help our "baby" pick out a new lunch box and indoor shoes but we had little idea what to do to help prepare her (or ourselves) emotionally for this new chapter. She sailed through preschool and is now working through nursing school just fine, but we have learned a lot since then. Today I am sharing some tips and advice gathered from teachers and parents here at MSGL to help you and your child prepare for the first days of preschool.
Talk about school - mindfully. Talk with your child about preschool when he is in the mood. Maybe he will bring it up or you can start the conversation, just don't push too hard. If your child seems "done" with the conversation or is becoming anxious, let the topic drop until later. And be honest about your feelings when you do talk about school. Some children worry that their parents will be sad or lonely when they are gone. When you say, "I am going to miss being with you in the morning, but it makes me happy to know you will be enjoying yourself at school," it lets him know that you will miss him but you are confident that school is a good place for him to be.
Check out the new environment. MSGL's Parent Work Day is Saturday, August 16th. This is a great time to get familiar with the school and classroom environments and to be part of the school community. Children are encouraged to help clean lockers, pull weeds, and load and unload wheelbarrows full of mulch right alongside their parents and new classmates. And, each family member's time counts towards your volunteer hours requirement.
You will have another opportunity to get familiar with the school when your child attends her New Student Orientation visit on Monday, August 18th. This is her first opportunity to see her teachers and classmates in her new classroom. She can put her indoor shoes in her locker, locate her cubby and extra clothes box, and see where the bathroom is. The whole family can attend the Parent Orientation later that evening and maybe your child can give a tour of her new classroom.
Make new friends. You will receive a class list via email in August. Consider contacting a few families on the list to set up a playdate before school starts. Even if you can't get together with any other families, you and your child can look over the names on the list together. You may discover that one of his classmates lives on your street or maybe someone has the same name as a sibling or a friend.
Help her dress for success. Our Montessori classrooms are prepared to encourage your child's independence and you can help by providing your child with shoes and clothing that she can put on and take off by herself. Belts, suspenders, and jumpsuits look smart but they can be difficult for your child to use successfully. Provide your child a choice of clothing that allows her complete independence in her self-care routines. And please remember that preschool is a time to jump in and explore. Paint, snack, sand, and dirt from the garden can stain your child's clothing, so please send her to school in clothes that can stand to get dirty.
Plan a morning routine. Now is a good time to do a mental run-through of your morning routine. Consider how much time your child needs to wake up, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Allow time for packing lunches, finding coats and shoes, and getting on the bike or in the car. Then add a few extra minutes. Parents and children who are not in a rush tend to have much better experiences at drop-off. Some families even do a few "practice runs" in the summer to see if they can get to school and work on time.
Create a goodbye routine. Discuss with your child how you each want to say goodbye at drop-off. Some families say, "After you put on your inside shoes and put away your lunch box, we will walk to the classroom and I will give you three hugs and two kisses before I go to work." Some children like to wave to dad out the window and some parents leave their children with specific plans for what they will do after school. "Sonia is picking you up today" or "we are going to the Farmer's Market on our bikes after school today." Children have so little control over their daily lives that they appreciate at least knowing what is happening and when.
And while we're talking about goodbyes, let's take just a moment to consider the specter of separation anxiety.
What if my child cries when I walk away? Separating from your child that first time can be heart-breaking, but remember - it's only for a few moments. The majority of children who are sad when they separate from their parents are able to calm themselves and choose an activity within a few minutes. If you have gone through the goodbye routine and are finding it hard to turn around and walk away, ask your teacher for help. Sometimes parents say, "Please help me. I need to leave." That is the teacher's sign that she needs to hold your child's hand or pick her up so that you can walk away. Teachers don't want to step in before you are ready to go but they are happy to help when you ask them.
The best thing you can do for your child at drop-off is to be consistent and walk away when you say you will. Lingering tends to just prolong the heartache for the parent and the child. The first few times you drop your child off may be difficult, but trust that with consistent repetition you and your child will develop a peaceful good-bye routine.
Talk with the teachers. Talk with your child's teachers about how the adjustment period is going. The teachers help dozens of children adjust to school every year but this may be your first time. They expect you will have questions and concerns. Email is a great way to communicate with your child's teachers and all of the contact information is available on the classroom web page at Msgl.org.
Help your child talk about his day. If this is the first time your child has been away from home you will no doubt be very eager to know what he did all day. Unfortunately, preschoolers often say they "did nothing" or "just played." A lot of things happened between the time you dropped him off that morning and when you picked him up several hours later, but he might not yet be able to give a sequential list of his activities. Here are some ideas to help your child tell you about his day.
Take care of yourself! The best thing you can do during these last few weeks of summer is to give you and your child the gift of a regular bedtime that allows enough sleep to wake up refreshed and ready for the big days ahead. Fill up with a good breakfast each morning and be extra patient with your child and especially with yourself. Parenting preschoolers, like college students, is hard work and there is no right way to do it. Follow your heart and follow your child, and in sixteen years, or so, you will be very proud of the people you have both become.
What are "Indoor" Shoes?
MSGL students get to play outside every day that the weather allows. This means their shoes can get wet and muddy. To avoid tracking that dirt onto the carpet, we ask that you provide your child with one pair of shoes to wear outside and one pair to wear inside.
Your child will probably change outdoor shoes with the seasons - from sandals to sneakers to snow boots - but indoor shoes can stay the same all year. Walking around in the classroom with bare feet is not allowed, so a comfy pair of shoes that the child enjoys wearing is a must.
Below are some good examples of indoor shoes that work well for the children. These styles of shoes keep a child's foot dry from spills, are non-slip, stay attached to the foot, and they allow the child to get them on and off by themselves.
Below are some examples of indoor shoes that DO NOT work well for the children. Slippers are not water-resistant and they can be difficult to walk in. If a child has not yet learned to tie, shoes with laces can be impossible for a child to get on and off by himself. Please save these types of shoes to wear at home.
Because so many children choose the same types of shoes, please be sure to write your child's name on each shoe so we know whose shoes are whose. If you want to be fancy, you can order personalized labels for shoes and clothing online.
Your thoughtfulness when shopping for indoor shoes will help put your child on the path to independence. Thank you!
Bunny the Guinea pig came to us when her family decided to adopt an actual rabbit, sometime around 2010. She was the much-loved and snuggled River Birch class pet until her death last week while the children were on summer vacation.
Bunny didn't really like to move around very much. She was content to sit in her well-appointed enclosure and munch on carrots and timothy hay. The children were allowed to pet her, brush her, and feed her as long as they were gentle and respectful. She sat in a box on their laps in the green chair and they could pet her with one finger or two.
Bunny never required medical care, but she did get a few check-ups.
Bunny tolerated being brushed, especially if she had a sweet apple core to keep her occupied. She really loved spring and summer when she could get fresh lettuce from the school garden.
Bunny was peaceful, quiet, and - did I mention - tolerant? She only nibbled a couple of fingers but we are sure she was just testing to see if they were carrots.
Thank you for remembering Bunny with us, today. She is certainly going to be missed.
Happy birthday! Two of the four Wyandotte chicks have hatched in the Birch room. Stop by before or after class to meet them.
What did your child do at preschool today? You can try asking, but often they will say they did nothing or they "played." The most common question I receive from parents is, "How can I know he is doing anything at school? He never tells me anything and his cubby has been empty for days."
Please believe me, your child is doing something. A lot of stuff, actually. But he may not remember "doing" anything at all that day. And his accomplishments often cannot be held in the hand or seen with the eye at pick-up time. If he could tell you, it might sound like this:
I concentrated today!
When someone asked to play with me, I said yes.
I looked at the caterpillars in the jar - for a very long time. Then my teacher read me a book about butterflies. Twice. Because I asked.
I sat next to a friend who was labeling the lifecycle of the frog. I handed her the labels and helped her match them. I got her a paper towel when her fingers were gluey.
When everyone was talking about bees I told them, "Bumblebees don't sting. Only honey bees sting. Bumblebees just bumble." Everyone agreed with me.
I looked at a real chicken egg and a real duck egg. I said the duck egg was bigger.
I used the very heavy tortilla press to make playdough tortillas. My friends helped and we laughed. None of us pinched our fingers.
I compromised about sitting in the comfy chair.
I served myself a snack, ate it politely alongside my friends, and cleaned up after myself.
I felt sad - just for a little bit - because I missed my mom.
I noticed that the lizard's food bowl was empty and cut some lettuce for him.
I waited for a turn on the orange bike.
I heard that a friend is going to Korea for the summer and I gave him a hug to say goodbye.
A preschooler's greatest and most important work often doesn't have any external product to show for it. Having and being a friend, acting out of kindness, demonstrating patience and self-control, taking care of oneself, feeling satisfied with a job well done - these things are all internalized. The children in our classrooms build their character and their understanding of the world every day, but they can't always verbalize it. They are doing so much challenging work! But they do not yet see their actions and successes as separate from themselves.
After a sunflower seed sprouts in the garden we might notice as the stem grows taller, but we cannot see the acts of photosynthesis and respiration and transpiration that take place every single day. The sunflower plant continues to do its work converting sunlight to sugars and sugars to fuel - the internal work of living - whether we take notice or not. Then, one day it blooms and we look at it and say, "Finally!"
Maria Montessori believed that the child reveals himself through his work, not through his outwardly visible successes and accomplishments. Every experience he has is internalized and becomes a part of his very being. She put it this way, "The things he sees are not just remembered; they form a part of his soul."
Stories from their day and recorded work, like the blooms of a sunflower, are parts of the child we can see and they might be pleasing to us, but they are only the product of a monumental amount of internal work. So please don't worry when your child says she did nothing all day. Nothing to grown-ups can be everything in the life of a child.
Lots of peace, lots of love ~ Heather
I had the great pleasure of working in my former classroom today and it reminded me of why the three-year cycle in Montessori classrooms is so beneficial, not least of all, to the teachers.
Our Montessori preschool classrooms are composed of a mixed-age group of children who remain, ideally, in one classroom for three years. A child starts at age three and stays through her Kindergarten year. This is called the three year cycle. Each of those years brings new and unique learning opportunities for the child. As a three-year-old, the child observes her older peers and benefits from their experience. As a four-year-old, she starts to see herself as one of the "big kids" and expands her social circle. In her Kindergarten year she is recognized as a leader and takes pride in helping others.
When I took a sabbatical at the end of the school year in May, I left behind children who had been in my classroom for one or two years. I was able to catch up with many of those students today when I visited the classroom. I observed that two of "my" third-year students, I'll call them S and K, were part of what Montessorian John Chattin-McNichols calls a "roving pack of 5-year-olds." They were wandering around with some other boys and mixing it up a little. I knew these two boys when they were just barely three years old. I knew them before they could consciously control their bodies at group time and even before they could dress themselves successfully. Now, here they were - big, bold 5-year-olds and I was curious to see who they had become eight months after we last worked together.
Angie, my dear friend and the lead teacher of my former class, shared with me that S and K had been working on the squaring and cubing chains in the math area, so I asked them about those activities. They were eager to show me what they had already done and tell me what came next. Within a few minutes, they broke off from the pack and were ready to master the 10 cubing chain.
The 10 cubing chain - or 1000 chain - is a concrete representation of 10 cubed. It's made up of one thousand pea-sized beads organized into bars of ten. The bars of ten are attached at the ends to make a chain. Children are ready for this work after they have mastered the 1 - 10 squaring chains and the 1 - 9 cubing chains. This video from the DuPage Montessori School in Naperville, Illinois provides a good overview of how the squaring and cubing chains are presented in the Montessori classroom.
The 10 cubing chain is nearly 30 feet long so it must be laid out in the hallway outside the classroom. So, off to the hallway we went.
S and K divided up the tasks between themselves. One carried the rolled-up mat and the other carried the chain. We established the space we would use in the hallway and K unrolled the mat while S went back into the classroom for the number tabs. We discussed how they would sort the tabs on the tray and move it down the mat as they worked.
S found the 1000 tab. He knew it went at the very end of the chain but he left it on the tray. There was a pause before they started and I asked what number they would start with. S said, "We have to count them all."
That is certainly one way to do it. But when a child is ready for the 1000 chain, he is generally ready to complete it without counting every number because he can now count by tens and hundreds. Once you trust that 10 is ten, you don't have to count it again.
I asked if they thought they could first put tabs on the hundreds. Yes! They were sure they could. Together, we counted the bars as 10, 20, 30 and so on until we got to 100. S got the 100 tab and marked that spot. K quickly grasped the system and immediately went to work sorting out all of the hundreds tabs in a separate group so that S could place them. This was my cue to find something else to do. I went back inside the classroom to assist Miss Angie while the boys marked off every 100th bead on the chain with the appropriate tab.
They repeated the process, stopping after each bar of ten. K was the sorter, S was the placer. "150! I need 150," S said. K had it ready. There was never any disagreement, that I heard, over who would do which task. They just got started and they each found their niche as they went. And they were really digging their work.
They started the cubing chain work at 9:45 and I checked in with them every few minutes. They finished at 11:00. One of them stopped to use the bathroom then went straight back to his work. Other children would step into the hall to see what was happening and then go back inside to their work.
Sometimes I checked on S and K without speaking and other times I acknowledged their progress. Once, I said I would be back to check on them in a bit unless they needed some help. "We need some help," S said. They could not find the tab for 590. I suggested they leave a space for that number and they could put it there when they found it. They never found it, but they were able to move on without hesitation.
As they got to the very end, S picked up the 1000 tab and started to place it under the 1000th bead. K said, "Hey! We decided we would put that one on together!" And so they did. That's when this photo was snapped.
If you had asked me three years ago if these children were developing normally and if they were going to learn to read and write and grow up to be compassionate humans I would have responded, "Of course they will!" But in the back of my head there would have been a tiny voice saying, "What if they aren't? What if they are never able to sit in a chair for more than 8 seconds? What if they never learn to put their shoes on by themselves? What if they show no interest in reading? What if they always write six as 9?"
That doubtful voice is a familiar one to parents because most of us only get to experience the development of one or two children. We fear we will do something wrong and our children will not achieve their potential. Preschool teachers should know better because we get to observe hundreds of children over the course of our careers, right? But sometimes, even with years of experience, we forget that our job is simply to prepare a nourishing environment. It is the child who must do the work of building the man.
In 1949, Maria Montessori offered us some guidance in our quest to relax and trust that each child will reveal himself as a competent and confident being in his own time. In The Absorbent Mind she wrote, "...for while, in the traditional schools, the teacher sees the immediate behavior of her pupils, knowing that she must look after them and what she has to teach, the Montessori teacher is constantly looking for a child who is not yet there."
Dr. Montessori also implemented the three-year cycle in our classrooms to give us enough time to look for that child and see him before he moves on to primary school.
I am not at all surprised that S and K can count to 1000 by tens and hundreds. I am not surprised that they can recognize 3-digit numerals or that they can prepare, complete, and put away their work. I am not even surprised that two 5-year-old boys willingly work together on a math material for 1 hour and and 15 minutes with only a bathroom break and very limited guidance. I've seen it before.
I am surprised at the sense of joyous relief I feel each time children reveal themselves in this way. It's an experience that never gets old. I suppose that's the ultimate reward of being a teacher.
Somdatta and Felicia of the Canoe Birch Class and Cathy and Mary of the All-Day Program invited the children to tell who and what they are thankful for and then wrote their answers on leaves. Each class has a paper tree by the door displaying the children's gratitude. As this Thanksgiving Day draws to a close I thought it would be nice to share the gratitude of these 3, 4, and 5-year-olds with all of you.
Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Today's Wayback Wednesday comes from March, 2000. The children in Room B were treated to a science presentation by a group of MSGL parents.
These parents must have been SO COOL! We are thankful for all of the Montessori parents and grandparents who have shared their interests and their time with our children over the past 41 years. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
We're keeping things simple on Wayback Wednesday this week with a short and sweet little collection of photos from October, 2002. Teacher Judy West took the children of the Red Oak class on a nature hike to Purdue's Horticulture Park to enjoy the crisp morning, collect leaves, and hug some very deserving trees.
Do you have favorite photos you would like to share on Wayback Wednesday? Please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com. Have an outstanding Wednesday!
First, I will start with what I saw this week. This was my favorite moment.
Another photo. If you are familiar with Humans of New York, the book and website by Brandon Stanton, then I know you can relate. If not, I know you can relate.
Children dress so fabulously and so beautifully because they have not yet learned that other people are judging their choices. They wear what they like. I want to wear what I like but I feel childish. How old will I grow before I truly understand that being childish is the truest way to be?
And, one more photo.
And now, for what I heard.
1. I erroneously asked a child how she was enjoying her Kindergarten year at MSGL. She responded, "I'm not IN Kindergarten. That's why I'm HERE!"
2. "That's a small story."
3. A friend was reading me a note from his lunch box. "Look! Look it! It says I'm going to my grandma's house. And I think I'm gonna get a Spiderman hat when we go to the store."
4. "Yeah. Let's do our maps."
5. "Where's the damn lizard?"
Rest easy. That darned lizard was found.


text:
Skydiver Wear
Seirus Snowthing Neck Gaiter
$24.95The Seirus Snowthing is a unique multi-use neck/head protector. This warm, fleece-lined cold weather protection can be worn as a neck gaiter, head/face clava, beannie, bandana and much more. Features a 4-way stetch polyester, which gives it a smooth outside available in several designs.
Learn More | Add to Wishlist | Add to Compare

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Through the American Graduate project WFSU is hosting a series of professional networking lunches for students at Ghazvini Learning Center. Once a month, 32 students are selected to attend the lunch and meet professionals from the community and learn firsthand what it takes to work in a particular profession. Students have the opportunity to have lunch with and ask questions of one of eight professionals representing different career paths.
American Graduate "helps students create the framework to fulfill a vision of success."
The 2012 events are scheduled as follows:
"It is important to know the difference between a dream and a vision," said Tallahassee, Florida Mayor John Marks during one of the lunches. "After you have a vision, you must lay a framework; the American Graduate project helps students create the framework to fulfill a vision of success."
Students have shared that they have learned "to push on towards your goal even when there are obstacles," and the series "makes me happy to hear from people that love their careers."
Leah Dienger, the teacher at Ghazvini who oversees the project commented, "The American Graduate professional lunch series has been an excellent way to connect students to their community and to a myriad of professions that they might have never known existed. Watching high school students light up when they hear a professional speak and share their passion in a particular career indicates that students have connected to the idea that having a profession is "cool" and is something to be attained at all costs."
*Visit the national American Graduate website at americangraduate.org.
WFSU has been selected by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to be the American Graduate public media hub station for the North Florida area. American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting working with national partners, such as America's Promise Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal is to help local communities across America find solutions to address the dropout crisis. The initiative builds upon public media's long-standing commitment to education by facilitating conversations and strengthening partnerships between public media stations and local schools, businesses, and community organizations. The goal is to help students stay on the path to a high school diploma.
WFSU will be working with five other stations in Florida: WLRN in Miami, WEDU and WUSF in Tampa, WDSC in Daytona Beach and WJCT in Jacksonville. There are 19 other American Graduate public media hub stations across the country that are part of this national initiative.
WFSU will implement awareness strategies and engagement activities in collaboration with local schools and other interested community partners.
Florida high school students are at risk for failure. The Alliance for Excellent Education indicates that just 63% of high school students graduate. As the economy evolves from an agriculture and tourism base, it can no longer fully absorb unskilled labor. We must re-evaluate how we are supporting student success and if we are creating pathways that take students from school to career. Educators must determine what motivates students, how they learn and how we can be more successful in supporting students towards positive outcomes.
Operation AGES (American Graduate to Economic Security) – Connecting Teens to their Future
GOALS: To connect students to their future; to understand the importance and value of a high school diploma; to map pathways to jobs and careers.
DESIGN: 18-week program meeting once a week for a class period (January 2012-May 2012). 25 students from the Ghazvini Learning Center will be selected to participate in an intensive examination on connecting to future aspirations through a series of exercises that examine social and emotional well-being, preparing for academic success and learning about potential professions.
LEADERSHIP: WFSU will contract Zachary Richardson, President of the Character Center. Zack Richardson has more than 20 years of professional experience teaching, counseling, and mentoring "at-risk" youth of all ages. To date he has spoken, trained, and performed before more than 20,000 students and parents.
Tuesday, January 17th, 6:00-7:00 pm at Ghazvini Learning Center – parents welcome.
WFSU facilitates field trips and mentoring opportunities for participants in the project. WFSU hosted a graduation for the first cohort of teens on December 7th, 2011 at WFSU.
The Florida Teacher Town Hall Meeting will take place on April 28th, 2012. WJCT in Jacksonville will host.
Become a mentor, volunteer at a school or after school program, talk to teens about your career and help connect a student to their future. Contact Kim Kelling-Engstrom: firstname.lastname@example.com or 850-487-3170 x326.
WFSU Dimensions
WFSU's Kim Kelling-Engstrom gets perspective on the drop-out crisis through interviews with local education story-makers on WFSU-TV's Dimensions.
Television Documentary: The Graduation Gateway
This WFSU-TV documentary examines Florida's High School Graduation Rate and efforts to increase it. The focus includes what not having a diploma means in the search for a job and ways the state is trying to make all high school students career ready.
Radio Series
WFSU-FM will produce an ongoing American Graduate radio series featuring voices from the community. These two-minute radio segments will air once a week between January 2012 and December 2012. The audio segments will be archived on this website.
Florida High School Graduation Rates (Class of 2007) | ||
State-Reported | U.S. Department of Education-Reported | Independently Reported |
70% | 65% | 62% |
Florida High School Graduation Rates by Race (Class of 2007) | ||
Florida | Florida | Nation |
All Students | 62% | 69% |
White | 68% | 76% |
Black | 51% | 51% |
Hispanic | 58% | 55% |
Asian | 83% | 79% |
American Indian | 51% | 50% |
MORE >> Source: Florida High Schools – Alliance for Excellent Education (PDF)
The Success Academy at Ghazvini Learning Center
Ghazvini Learning Center (GLC), formerly the Alternative Learning Center, was started in 1991 as an alternative to complete expulsion from schools in the Leon County School District. Ghazvini Learning Center has no specific schools or neighborhoods that serve as an established feeder. Students, grades K-12 who attend GLC, reside within the boundaries of the Leon County School District. The goal of the school is to provide a "second chance" for students who can be legally excluded from participation in school and who have no other educational options. Students are enrolled weekly throughout the school year.
The focus is to improve student behavior while adhering to district academic requirements. Many students who attend Ghazvini Learning Center have violated the Leon County Student Code of Conduct at their previous school setting resulting in an expulsion. GLC also accepts students that come from other school districts or programs. These students are then placed at GLC through the school board decision-making process, which includes stipulation agreements in lieu of expulsions. Additionally, GLC student population includes students who commit felony law violations in the community and students who are returning from, or who have been terminated from, the Department of Juvenile Justice programs. GLC receives voluntary placements by the student guardian in situations where the structure and online acceleration core curriculum plus the availability of course/credit retrieval options provide an environment for optimal student success.
Back to the Basics at the Palmer Munroe Teen Center (PMTC)
This PMTC project is funded through a grant from the Ounce of Prevention using Project Aim curriculum. Project AIM is a group-level youth development intervention designed to reduce HIV risk behaviors among youth. It is based on the Theory of Possible Selves and encourages at-risk youth to imagine a positive future and discuss how current risk behaviors can be a barrier to a successful adulthood.
Project AIM consists of twelve sessions divided into four parts. Project AIM uses group discussions, interactive and small group activities, and role-plays to encourage youth to explore their personal interests, social surrounding, and what they want to become as an adult. Activities include taking a career interest inventory, developing business cards and resumes, and participating in interviews. These activities allow youth to envision themselves in a future career and involve them in the planning and decision-making for their future. Target age is eleven to fourteen.
Distinguished Young Gentlemen of America, Inc
Ramon Alexander, Program Director (DYG)
Distinguished Young Gentlemen of America, Inc. (DYG) is a national non-profit entity fully committed to addressing a myriad of multi-dimensional issues permeating throughout the world. DYG of America, Inc. firmly stands on the principles of Manly Deeds, Academic Excellence, and
Servant Leadership. Our comprehensive strategies encompass an innovative accelerated student curriculum designed to tangibly impact the quality of
life of young men.
WFSU will be working with the Tallahassee chapter providing mentoring and tutoring support.
Funded by:


text:
Author Interviews
These author interviews were conducted by Orem Public Library staff. Please enjoy!
These author interviews were conducted by Orem Public Library staff. Please enjoy!
58 North State Street // Phone: 801.229.7050
Hours: M-F 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm
The Orem Library is open Monday through Friday 9am until 9pm and on Saturdays from 9am until 6pm. We are closed Sundays and Holidays. Click here for a list of observed holidays.
If you need to return books outside of these hours, a 24 drive through book and media drop is located on the North side of the Library.
The Main Library is located at 58 North State Street in Orem, Utah at the north end of the City Center Complex (on the northeast corner of State and Center Streets). Parking is to the east of the library building and is accessed from 100 North. If you need assistance please call 229-7050.


text: DANCING ISLAND AMORGOS - 2nd editionSummer Residence of DanceHaus10-16th June 2014DOWNLOAD PROGRAMSRegistration by March 31, 2014For the second consecutive year, the DanceHaus company of Susanna Beltrami chose to give life to a New International Edition of " Dancing Amorgos Island ", a space and experiential training for artists, performers, creative or for anyone who wants to dive into an extraordinary experience of "detachment from everyday life" based on dance, art, nature, creativity and energy.Each day you will experience a wide range of activities from the dance-energy-breath on the seashore up to the Atelier of contemporary dance and physical theater hold by the italian Choreographer Susanna Beltrami in an exclusive location with one of the most evocative views on the Island: the Aegialis bay. The program also includes workshops, yoga classes, visit of an herbal distillery, discovery of traditional music, dance and gastronomy. This year, participants will be able to choose between two different paths: one "performers" and a "wellness lovers."


text:
Well another Super XV has come and gone for us Saffas. A disappointing one to say the least. The way the Bulls "threw" away the game against the Brumbies speaks volumes to what a crappy year it has been for South African rugby in particular. Let us hope that the Boks under Heyneke can give us some hope.
That being said it's that time of year again when us couch coaches start making our predictions of Bok colours for the upcoming Rugby Championship. I hope Heyneke has been buoyed by the performances of form individuals and doesn't bank on names again like he did last year. That being said, even though our teams have been dismal this year, save maybe the Cheetahs, some of our boys have been at the top of their game.
I know that Doc Craven has spoken about when he picks a team he picks a tighthead and a fullback first and then picks the rest. However, I don't have the luxury of Doc's talents so for today's piece we will just start with the front row and in each position pick the best possible three in my opinion, and probably name one or two unlucky contenders.
So it's off to loosehead first and in our country we are blessed with some pretty good loosehead talent. Fist and foremost on the list of Bok potentials is the ever green Tendai "Beast" Mtwarira. The Sharks loosehead has almost always been an automatic selection but I feel that being over-played has dulled him a bit. Of his strength and speed there is no doubt but where one was accustomed to bollocking runs from the big man it now almost seems like he is just huffing and puffing his way through a match. I would love to see him get a nice long holiday but for the Rugby Championship I'd still pick him. Second on my loosehead list would be Steven Kitshoff. The ginger-ninja from the Cape franchise has really impressed me and I feel he deserves a call up to the national squad and am kind of baffled as to why he hasn't received one. My third loosehead choice is that irresistible gummi bear Trevor Nyakane. I was one of those supporters who whooped for joy when he crossed the white-wash for his first Springbok fiver. Nyakane has talent, of that there is no doubt… he is like the loveable fluffy toy with a mean streak. One can't help but smile when he smiles but at the same time he lets his work on the field do the talking. JC Jansen van Rensburg would be my unlucky-to-miss-a-spot pick. The man has oodles of power and in my opinion is the strongest loosehead scrummager out of the lot. I pick the others above him purely for overall work rate.
Off to hooker now and here we are blessed in two of the world's best. Bismarck du Plessis and Adriaan Strauss. The dilemma of picking one is luckily not in my hands. But if I had to pick I would always go with Bismarck. He is strong, moves around the park and out of the two the best pilferer on the ground of opposition ball. There is very little to choose between the two and as such Bismarck's raw strength if what sways me. Third in the line we have Chiliboy. He has been playing good rugby for the Bulls and is also a massive asset on the deck. However the other two are stronger and produce more in the loose in my opinion. However after these three there seems to be little depth in this country. One hooker who seems to have the potential is Kyle Cooper of the Sharks as well. However he is not there in terms of Bok honours just yet.
Tighthead is a position that seems to be causing a headache world wide. I blame the scrum laws. The laws seem to benefit a loosehead in the exchanges and that is why tightheads are becoming a rare and special breed. That being said Jannie has been a stalwart for the Boks for a long time now. He is like the energiser bunny but sooner or later the battery needs a recharge. He would be my first choice for the Rugby Championship and I think him, together with Beast deserve some time off at the End-of-year tours. Second in line for me as a tighthead would be Lourens Adriaanse. He has the potential and I feel he is our second best tighthead in the country at the moment. He has done well for the Cheetahs and deserves a shot. My third choice would be Coenie Oosthuizen. I wish they would settle on a position for the kid because buggering him around like the Cheetahs and Heyneke are doing is only going to turn him into another CJ van der Linde. Coenie has the potential to become one of the world's great props… if they let him. My unlucky picks here are Wiehan Herbst whose form took a spectacular dive, Frans Malherbe who is more injured than not, Jacobie Adriaanse for leaving before show casing his true potential and then we have Brian Mujati of course. He is highly rated, even by Meyer… but no passport equals no play.
Next week I will be looking at the second row and exploring our particularly thin options in this department.


text:
Roll Over Image to Zoom
Gear-Up Watercolor Dot Tote Lunch Bag
No longer available
- Overview
Treat yourself to lunch in standout style that's built to last. Our insulated, reusable tote is reinforced with extra-strong stitching and finished with a sturdy zipper. A variety of punchy new prints adds plenty of personality.
- 10" wide x 4" deep x 11 high
- Shell is made of rugged, water-resistant 600-denier polyester.
- Interior lining is made of PEVA, a food-safe, environmentally friendly vinyl that's made without chlorine, plasticizers or phthalates.
- Includes a heavy-duty nylon zipper.
- Personalization is available for an additional $8.50.
- Click here to Preview Font Colors.
- Dimensions + Care
- Wipe with a soft, damp cloth.
- Shipping Info
- Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery. Delivery estimate includes monogrammed and gift-wrapped items.


text: Welcome to Fat Tuesday — aka Mardi Gras! If you aren't able make it to the French Quarter to celebrate with beads and beers, bring the occasion to your own home today with a few Cajun and Creole classics — as well as a few contemporary riffs on traditional New Orleans fare. Here are some of our favorites.


text:
This page provides answers to questions that are frequently asked of the Office of Council Services.
What is a City Councilor?
The City Council is the legislative body that governs the City of Albuquerque. The Council generally functions as a parliamentary or congressional style legislative body, proposing bills, and passing laws to help govern the city. The Council is comprised of 9 Councilors who are elected on staggered terms every 4 years. You are always welcome to call the Councilor's office with any questions, concerns or opinions.
Public Participation
- Does the Council participate in any social media platforms?
- How do I find out what items are on the agenda at a regular City Council meeting?
- How can I get a copy of a bill?
- How can I find out what the City Council has voted on?
- How do I find out who is the sponsor of a piece of legislation?
- Can I speak at a City Council Meeting?
City Councilors
- Which Councilor represents me?
- When are City Councilors elected?
- What is the salary of each City Councilor?
- Are the Mayor and City Councilors full-time?
- Does the City Council have a President?
- How does the City Council elect its officers?
- What are the powers and duties of the President and Vice-President?
- What are the duties of the City Council?
- What relationship does the City Council have with the Mayor?
Office of Council Services
- What does the Office of Council Services do?
- What is the role of Council staff in policy development?
- What is the role of Council staff in dealing with Constituents?
- Who is the Director of Council Services?
- How is the Director of Council Services selected?
- What are the powers of the Director of Council Services?
- Is Council Services restricted by rules of confidentiality?
- Is Council Services prohibited from working on political campaigns?
- How do I contact Council Services?
Does the Council participate in any Social Media platforms?
Yes! The Albuquerque City Council's official Twitter handle is @ABQCityCouncil. Read more about our social media terms of service.
How do I find out what items are on the agenda at a regular City Council meeting?
Because the agenda for a Council meeting is ever-changing, the actual agenda for a meeting is not final until 72 hours prior to a meeting, which is typically 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately prior to the Council meeting. At the meeting, copies of the agenda can be found just inside the entrance to the Council Chambers. Also, you can access the City Council agenda from our web site by accessing the calendar on Find Legislation, Meetings, Agendas.
How can I get a copy of a bill?
There are a two different ways to obtain a copy of a bill currently being considered by the City Council. All legislation being considered by the Council is available on the internet and can be accessed through Legistar, the City Council's Legislative Information Portal, by clicking Find Legislation, Meetings, Agendas on the City Council web site.
If you do not have access to a computer, you can purchase a copy of the proposed legislation. The cost is 50 cents a page. Please stop by the City Council Office located at One Civic Plaza , on the 9th Floor, Room 9087 to purchase a copy of legislation - phone requests are not able to be processed at this time.
How can I find out what the City Council has voted on?
This can be found by using the Search Engine in the City Council's Legislative Information Portal. From the City Council web site select the Find Legislation, Meetings, Agendas link to access Legislative Information Portal . Choose the Legislative Calendar option to view the Council's meeting calendar and then from the calendar on the far right-side (you may need to scroll to the right) select an Available Report marked "Minutes". The resulting display will include which councilors voted for and against each item on the agenda. The calendar can also tell you when an upcoming piece of legislation is scheduled to come before the Council for a vote.
How do I find out who is the sponsor of a piece of legislation?
The sponsor of a bill currently being considered by the City Council can be found on the City Council's Legislative Information Portal, which can be accessed by clicking Find Legislation, Meetings, Agendas on the City Council web site. You can go to Legislative File Search, type in the legislation name or key words such as Animal Ordinance (click on Advanced Search for further search help). Then, click on the bill title and on the page that opens, look at Sponsors. If you see "by request" after the name of a Councilor, this means that the Councilor was merely introducing the legislation on behalf of the Administration, by request .
Can I speak at a City Council Meeting?
Anyone can appear before the City Council and express their point of view. You may speak during the general public comment segment toward the beginning of each meeting, on any topic that is not related to legislation being considered that evening. Or you may address a specific legislative item on the agenda, in which case you will be called to speak when the item comes up for discussion. In either case you must sign up to speak with Council Staff by 5:30 to address the Council under General Public Comment, or prior to the start of the item that you want to address and your name will be placed on a speaker list. If you are speaking on a specific item it is helpful to let Council Staff know the agenda item reference number. Council Staff is usually seated at the entrance to the Council Chambers. Speakers are taken in the order they signed up. The Council President determines the length of time allotted to each speaker at the beginning of each meeting, and due to the frequently long agendas, this is typically two minutes. To be fair to others waiting to speak a time keeper will ring a bell when the allotted time is up. Therefore, it is important to keep your comments short and plan on making your point as quickly as possible.
Which City Councilor represents me?
You can find out online which councilor represents you.
When are City Councilors Elected?
City Councilors are elected in staggered 4-year terms. Terms end in November, with the swearing-in ceremony generally scheduled in early December. The new terms for Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 began December 2013. The new terms for Council Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 will begin December 2015.
What is the salary of each City Councilor?
Each Councilor earns $17,500 annually. The Council President earns $19,500 annually.
The Councilors' salary is determined by the Citizens' Independent Salary Commission.
Are the Mayor and City Councilors full-time?
According to the City Charter, the Mayor shall devote full time and attention to the performance of the duties of office and shall hold no other paid public or private employment. On the other hand, City Councilors are only part-time Councilors.
Does the City Council have a President?
Yes, the Council elects a President and a Vice-President each December of every year.
How does the City Council elect its officers?
Election of President . At the first meeting of the City Council in the month of December of each year, the City Council shall elect one of its members to act as President of the City Council. The President shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council until December 1st of the next year or until his or her successor has been selected. In the event that there shall occur a vacancy in the office of President, except one provided for in Article V Section 5.(c) of the City Charter, an election shall be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council to fill the vacancy. Election shall require a majority of all Councilors.
Election of Vice-President . At the first meeting of the City Council in the month of December of each year, the City Council shall elect one of its members to act as Vice-President of the City Council. The Vice-President shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council until December 1st of the next year or until his or her successor has been selected. In the event that there shall occur a vacancy in the office of Vice President, an election shall be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council to fill the vacancy. Election shall require a majority of all Councilors.
What are the powers and duties of the President and Vice-President?
A. The President shall call the Councilors to order, and upon a quorum being present, shall proceed to business.
B. The President shall possess the powers and perform the duties herein described, to wit the President:
- Shall preserve order and decorum and have general direction of the Council/Commission Chambers or any location where the City Council holds its meetings.
- Shall assign bills and have the responsibility for preparation of the agenda and dissemination of the agenda with the public notice for the meeting.
- Shall decide all questions of order, subject to a Councilor's right to appeal to the City Council as a whole.
- Shall speak to points of order in preference to other Councilors.
- May speak, as other Councilors, on general questions from his or her chair.
- Shall vote upon all questions in the same manner as other Councilors.
- Shall announce the result promptly on the completion of every vote.
- Shall appoint all Committees whether standing, joint, or special, subject to the approval of the City Council except where otherwise indicated. Special committees shall consist of five members. The President shall designate the Chairperson of each Committee subject to the approval of the City Council with the exception of Chair of the Committee-of-the-Whole. The Chair shall be selected by a majority of the City Council.
- Shall sign all bills passed by the City Council.
- Shall receive all formal messages and communications from the Mayor and others.
- Shall serve as Chairman of and designate a selection panel of three (3) additional Councilor s to undertake search and preliminary screening of candidates for the position of the Director of Council Services.
- Shall hold over or refer to the appropriate Standing Committee or Committees any bill or executive communication. Upon the request of the bill's sponsor seconded by another Councilor or upon the vote of a majority of Councilors, a referral may be changed or deleted; if referral of a bill is requested at a meeting other than the one at which it is introduced, the President shall make the referral upon the vote of a majority of the Councilors. The President, at his/her option, may refer appeals, appointments or other matters to the appropriate Standing Committee.
- Shall have the authority to sign all decisions of the City Hearing Officer regarding the issuance or transfer of liquor licenses pursuant to Section 13-2-3 ROA 1994.
C. In the absence of the President, upon his or her inability to act, or upon request of the President, the Vice-President shall preside and shall have all the powers and authority of the President.
What are the duties of the City Council?
The City Charter states that the Council shall:
- Be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members;
- Establish and adopt by ordinance or resolution five-year goals and one-year objectives for the city, which goals and objectives shall be reviewed and revised annually by the Council;
- Consult with the Mayor, seek advice from appropriate committees, commissions and boards, and hold one or more public hearings before adopting or revising the goals and objectives of the city;
- Review, approve or amend and approve all budgets of the city and adopt policies, plans, programs and legislation consistent with the goals and objectives established by the Council;
- Preserve a merit system by ordinance;
- Hire the personnel necessary to enable the Council to adequately perform its duties;
- Perform other duties not inconsistent with or as provided in the City Charter; and
- Faithfully execute and comply with all laws, ordinance, regulations and resolutions of the city and all laws for the State of New Mexico and the United States of America which apply to the city.
What relationship does the City Council have with the Mayor?
The Council shall have the power to adopt all ordinances, resolutions or other legislation conducive to the welfare of the people of the city and not inconsistent with the City Charter. The Council shall not perform any executive functions except those functions assigned to the Council by the City Charter.
The City Charter establishes the executive branch of the city government. The Mayor shall control and direct the executive branch. The Mayor is authorized to delegate executive and administrative power within the executive branch. The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer with all executive and administrative powers of the city and the official head of the city for all ceremonial purposes.
What does the Office of Council Services do?
The Office of Council Services consists of three units of organization - Legislative/Council Support Services, Constituent Services and Community Relations, and Policy Evaluation and Development Services. The office operates under the guidance of the Director of Council Services. The following are some of the primary areas of responsibility for each division.
Legislative/Council Support Services |
Constituent Services and Community Relations |
Policy Evaluation and Development Services |
What is the role of Council staff in policy development?
The role of staff in the development of legislation is not only to analyze and evaluate legislation originating from the Administration, but also to independently recommend and develop policy. Often, this occurs as a result of issues which surface through citizen input to this office or to individual Councilors.
What is the role of Council staff in dealing with Constituents?
Council staff regularly attends neighborhood and other community meetings and assist Councilors in a variety of areas. Staff is familiar with constituent and neighborhood issues in each Council district and help develop solutions to community concerns. Council Services staff works closely with all City departments, the Office of Community & Neighborhood Coordination as well as neighborhood coalitions and neighborhood associations and are well-equipped to deal with any issue a constituent may have. Council staff communicates with Councilors to keep them apprised and informed of both specific and general issues their constituency has brought to their attention.
Who is the Director of Council Services?
The Director of Council Services is Jon K. Zaman.
How is the Director of Council Services selected?
When a vacancy occurs in the position of Director of Council Services, the selection panel designated by and including the President of the City Council shall initiate a recruitment, screening and interviewing of candidates and shall submit the name of one qualified candidate to the full City Council for final selection. The Director of Council Services shall be selected by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of all Councilors.
What are the powers of the Director of Council Services?
The Director of Council Services shall, after consultation with the President and the members of the Internal Operations Committee, hire, have charge of, and see that all employees of the City Council perform their respective duties and shall have general control of the City Council Office.
Is Council Services restricted by rules of confidentiality?
Neither the Director nor any other employee of the Council Services shall reveal to any person outside of the service the content or nature of any request or statement for service made by a Councilor, except with the consent of the Councilor making such request or statement. No member of the City Council staff shall urge or oppose any legislation, nor give to any member of the City Council advice concerning the economic, social or political effect of any bill or proposed bill except upon the request of such member. This, however, does not restrict or preclude City Council staff from providing staff reports of, analyses of, and amendments to, proposed legislation, appropriations and appeals.
Is Council Services prohibited from working on political campaigns?
Council Services employees shall not engage in any political campaign activity during work hours or using office resources to support or oppose a candidate for public office. During the normal course of business, City Councilors shall not request Council Services employees to perform any activity, the purpose of which is to support or oppose a candidate for public office. Examples of prohibited activities include but are not limited to drafting campaign press releases, conducting opposition research or research on issues primarily related to a campaign, scheduling campaign appearances, drafting campaign-related correspondence and taking campaign-related phone calls except to refer callers to the campaign office. Nothing herein, however, shall be construed as prohibiting and City Council Services staff member from exercising his or her First Amendment right privately to express an opinion or cast a vote. Any member of the Council Services staff who believes that a request by a Councilor is in violation of this policy shall inform the Director of Council Services who shall have an obligation to investigate the complaint and if necessary present the findings to the Council or its appropriate committee.
How do I contact Council Services?
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1293 , 9th Floor - Room 9087, Albuquerque , NM 87103 .
Telephone Number: (505) 768-3100, Fax Number: (505) 768-3227
There is a Councilor site with Councilor and Staff Analyst information if you prefer to contact through email.


text:
ADDITIONAL 25% OFF SALE U.S. Orders Only
FREE SHIPPING on orders of $75 or more. U.S. Orders Only
Shop Handbags
Shop Totes
Shop Travel Bags
Shop Scarves
Shop All Jewelry
Shop Gifts $100 and Under
Shop All Sale
Carry this color and show your support for breast cancer research. Learn more about the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.
This style can be Personalized! Learn more about Personalization
Yes, I'd like to Gift Box this item ($4.95 each).
A feminine-shaped handbag acquires a modern add-on in this new style. Carry the bag by its rolled handles or attach the chain shoulder strap for a completely different look.
13" W x 8½" H x 5" D with 7" strap drop and 34¾" detachable chain strap


text:
Bigger hopes, earlier hours, more technology at play this Black Friday
BY SANDRA GUY Business Reporter email@example.com November 20, 2012 8:14PM
Tony Avitar sits in his tent outside the Best Buy store in Cuyahoga Fall, Ohio, Monday, Nov. 19, 2012. He set up the tent for Black Friday sales last Thursday to snag the early deals at the store. This is his ninth year camping out. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Scott Shaw) MANDATORY CREDIT; NO SALES; MAGS OUT
Updated: December 22, 2012 6:35AM
Tensions are at a new height this Thanksgiving as consumers cautiously open their wallets, snap open their digital devices and browse store aisles for deals, while retailers ratchet up the intensity with earlier-than-ever Thanksgiving night doorbuster sales and price-matching offers.
Small businesses are getting into the act, too, using a new supply of apps and technology tools to appeal to shoppers' consciences to support local merchants and, in some cases, locally sourced goods at the kick off of the holiday shopping season.
Traditional gifts endure, however, with doorbuster sales on sweaters, electronic games and colorful scarves.
"Part of what is disturbing is that merchants are encroaching on one of the best and most pure of American holidays," said Paco Underhill, a New York-based researcher, shopping anthropologist and author of "What Women Want — The Science of Female Shopping."
Underhill blames retailers having "a certain edge of anxiety" about people's distractions with the presidential election and bad weather, including Hurricane Sandy. This year also marks the earliest Thanksgiving in five years.
"Retailers' expectations and needs for this holiday to be better are exaggerated," he said.
Sears, Kmart, Toys R Us and Wal-Mart are among retailers that will open at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving night, while Target will open at 9 p.m.
One of the ironies of the holiday shopping season is that Americans have too many places to shop — experts call it being "over-stored" — while they brag about how little they spend each time they shop. The cultural phenomenon reflects both product commoditization and people coveting goods they cannot afford, Underhill said.
At the same time, mostly female shoppers are turning back to timeless style and value, and are making fewer purchases of better goods, Underhill said.
While retailers are starting the sales earlier, fewer shoppers are expected to come out.
The National Retail Federation says up to 147 million people plan to shop this Black Friday weekend, a 3.3 percent decrease from the 152 million who planned to do so last year.
The survey showed 71 million said they would shop Black Friday and another 76 million said they would wait and see what retailers have in-store that weekend, the National Retail Federation reported.
But the federation predicts the average shopper will spend $749.51 on gifts, décor, greeting cards and other items, up 1.2 percent from last year.
The federation predicts overall holiday spending in November and December will jump 4.1 percent from last year, to $586.1 billion.
Technology will play an increasingly important role, both among shoppers comparing store price tags with online prices on their mobile devices, and as salespeople armed with iPads help shoppers avoid lines by swiping their mobile devices or payment systems to make a quick exit.
The National Retail Federation's survey shows more shoppers than ever will use smartphones to compare prices. More than half (52.9 percent) of smartphone owners, compared with 52.6 percent last year, will do so. Of tablet owners, 64.1 percent will use their devices to research and buy holiday gifts, decor, food and other items, down slightly from last year's 70.5 percent.
Shoppers will set two new highs shopping online, with 51.8 percent planning to shop online, up from 46.7 percent last year, and the average person doing 38.8 percent of their holiday shopping online versus 36 percent last year.
Chicago shoppers who shop online, in stores and on their smartphones plan to spend $1,650 this holiday, or 79 percent more than those who shop only in stores, according to the Deloitte survey.
IBISWorld expects spending for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday to jump, with Cyber Monday achieving a record-setting $1.5 billion in online revenues, up 21.4 percent from last year.
Shoppers are expected to push online sales this holiday to 16 percent of the total $586 billion in overall sales, according to Forrester Research.
Retailers are targeting shoppers who spend the most by shopping online and inside stores. About a third of retailers told Shop.org's eHoliday survey they will promote their in-store Black Friday deals with mobile alerts, up significantly from the 18.4 percent who planned to do so last year. Eight in 10, or 80.6 percent, will use Facebook to alert shoppers about in-store deals, up from 73.7 percent last year, the survey showed.


text:
Drop those pickles and ice cream, ladies! Becoming Mom Spa in Mason is looking for the hottest pregnant gut in the Tristate for its Beautiful Belly Contest.
Knocked up chicks are encouraged to send in a photo of their lovely lady lumps, which will be displayed on the spa's Facebook page for public voting. Because that doesn't sound like it could go horrifyingly wrong.
For every vote on the photos, Becoming Mom will donate $1 to the March of Dimes. Prizes for top-voted bellies include gift certificates to The Polo Grille, Buy Buy Baby, Radiant Hair Removal (which you should probably think about before you submit a photo...) and other businesses. Becoming Mom will also crown Most Creative Belly Shot, Belly Shot that Best Represents the Journey to Motherhood and Most Beautiful Belly with $100 a pop.
Before MomsLikeMe.com hijacks this shit, I want to be clear. Being pregnant is totally cool (as long as you aren't a white trash idiot who learned the hard way that a pregnancy pact doesn't come with an MTV contract). I mean, you and a dude made a person! Holy shit, that's like one of the coolest things humans can do. And it's particularly special for women, because they get to let the thing simmer in 'em, pop it out and then feed it with milk their own bodies produce. That's hella eco-friendly. Pregnant women even look cool most of the time.
Terrifying other times.
Motherhood should totally be celebrated. I don't think a pregnant woman needs to hide her belly under a tent dress by any means, but do you really have to go to Sears, strip down and get a portrait of yourself covering up your boobs and vag like you're some kind of bloated Venus? No amount of retouching in Photoshop is going to make you feel like you look like Demi.
Not pictured: a normal pregnant person
But I know what you're thinking. You're going the tasteful route: planning on the denim/white oxford ensemble?
What a unique idea!
And let's think about who's truly affected by a contest like this: the little tadpole inside. How's Junior gonna feel when he finds out mom whored him out on Facebook before he was even born? All this for a couple bones and some Greater's gift cards. It's bad enough you picked the kid's name off a Web site, then tweaked it to end with "-ayden."
But if you disagree, send your belly shot to email@example.com by April 22. Winners will be announced on - wait for it - Mothers Day. Aw!
This is the caliber of photo Becoming Mom is looking for, so, preggy ladies, take note:
Mariah Carey continues to set the bar high:
Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that it's Shark Week, an annual weeklong series of programs on Discovery Channel dedicated to the underwater beast.
The hugely popular programming seems to generate more and more buzz every year — especially by online word-of-mouth. You know it's that time again when Facebook and Twitter become flooded with updates and tweets like "OMG!!! Shark Week," "Don't text or call- Shark Week" and finally the ubiquitous expression: "Live every week like it's Shark Week."
Which is really catchy and all, until you stop to contemplate what it means. What does it entail, exactly, to live every week like it's Shark Week?
I decided to ask around to gain some enlightenment. The responses ranged from clueless to philosophical to just plain unhygienic.
"I don't know, man. No clue. Why?"
"Happiness, and the best week ever?"
"Shark Week is awesome and exciting and makes people want to behave like sharks. So I suppose it means to live every week like you're the beast of the sea."
"Watch Discovery Channel all day every day."
"Stay inside and watch more 30 Rock?"
"Watch TV all day and never shower again."
"Considering that I didn't do shit for Shark Week, it means live life normally."
"That is my mantra. Whoever told you that is a very wise person."
"Live like it's exciting and frightening? So laugh, cringe and be squeamish every week."
"Live every week like it's an adventure. Take advantage of every opportunity you're given. And stay out of the ocean."
To the Point:
"Live like you're about to be eaten."
"Live every week like it's the greatest week ever."
I don't know exactly how to behave like the beast of the sea, and I don't know about you, but "cringe and be squeamish" doesn't sound like a great way to live. Still, there's truth in these words. Shark Week is simultaneously entertaining and frightening, addictive and unwatchable. There's something about sharks that both fascinates and scares the living bejeesus out of all of us.
I've deducted this much: Living every week like it's Shark Week means to live life energized, on the edge and with just a little, healthy dose of fear — and awe — of the crazy world in which we live. It means to live life uncompromisingly, aggressively — to eat or be eaten.
What's it mean to you?


text:
Processing Time - Orders typically ship in 2-5 business days. Transit via UPS Ground can take up to 6 business days. Braided and custom-made products may take 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
Free Shipping to Contiguous United States - We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii or the Caribbean Islands at this time.
Oversized items - Orders that ship freight may take up to 2 weeks from shipment date to be delivered. You will be contacted by the trucking company to schedule a delivery appointment.
Shipping to Canada - Orders shipping to Canada will be subject to a 15% shipping surcharge fee. The shipping surcharge does not cover duties, customs, taxes or brokerage fees which may be charged to you by the shipping courier at time of delivery. At this time we are not shipping to Yukon and the Northwest Territories in Canada.
Pin It | Houzz |
United Weavers Marshfield Pine Valley Multi Rug
Item #: 14113310643-P Add to Wishlist
Description: Marshfield collection is a complete composition of color, style, versatility, and value. A decor-specific color palette gives each design the true rich authentic look ideally designed for theme extreme decorating.
- Collection: Marshfield
- Brand: United Weavers
- Material: 100% Olefin
- Weave: Machine Made
- Styles: Southwestern Rugs
- Origin: Saudi Arabia
- Available in the following sizes: 1' 10'' x 3', 3' 11'' x 5' 3'', 5' 3'' x 7' 6'', 7' 10'' x 10' 6'' and 1' 11'' x 7' 4''
United Weavers
United Weavers offers a wide selection of inexpensive rugs for any decor. You will find contemporary designs and south western patterns, wildlife themes, kitchen looks, florals and more. Each rug is available in an assortment of sizes at a price you can easily afford.
Fill out the information below.


text:
I am a fan of mechanical pencils, but continue to be underwhelmed with the minuscule erasers they provide with them (almost as if they expect you not to make a mistake?). I'm tired of buying overpriced refills, and am more interested in finding something that could be used in addition to the pencil. What's the best pencil eraser out there? Are there significant differences amongst the materials? What makes a good eraser? asked Jun 20 '11 at 19:52 oliver |
Mars plastic, as above. Abrasive erasers tear up the paper surface too much, and unless you have mastered pressing really hard without breaking the lead a mechanical pencil doesn't draw that deep anyway. The plastic erasers can also be cleaned with a wet thumb or a rub on scrap paper for neat work. I always find the "gritty" or "gummy" erasers get so dirty you spend half your time rubbing out their own mess. The Mars compound is stiff enough that corners can be used for fine work, or large areas erased with the flat end. The dirty, used portions just roll off as you use it and are cleanly blown/swiped away. I like the idea of putty/moldable erasers, but they get filthy, crumbly and horrible if kept in a pocket or bag. linkanswered Jun 24 '11 at 06:55 Alan17 I just placed an order for a pack of 4. What's the best lead replacement for a mechanical pencil? outside of different hardnesses, are all the brands comparable?
3 years, 7 months ago
@oliver, check out The Lead Cup in davesmechanicalpencils.blogspot.com . The short answer: Pentel won Dave's 2006 competition.
3 years, 4 months ago
My vote goes to the Mars Plastic by Staedtler. A latex free, soft non-abrasive white vinyl compound. linkanswered Jun 21 '11 at 00:29 Gryhze |
Those white erasers that come in a plastic pencil-shaped case with a pocket clip that pushes the eraser tip down as it wears away. They last forever. The brand I use is a Pentel Rock n' Write eraser. I've also seen them called "Clic" erasers. I like the pencil-shaped form. They're good for precise erasures. The Mars Plastic erasers can also be carved to make rubber stamps. linkanswered Jul 11 '11 at 09:56 Amy Thomson |
I like this one from pencils.com. The triangle design makes it very easy to use. linkanswered Oct 02 '11 at 13:26 kodemage |
If you'd like something that is integrated with your mechanical pencil, I love the Pentel Twist-Erase line. Agreed with other answerers that plastic erasers tend to be cleanest, though. linkanswered Oct 02 '11 at 17:14 timfrisby |
Tiny/capped erasers are just too silly, aren't they? Pentel's "Twist Erase" pencils are what I've been using for years. There's a much larger (& replaceable) eraser that's operated like a woman's lipstick. Excellent pencils - I bought several boxes of them so I'd never run out and I keep them everywhere, too. There are several line width version available. linkanswered Oct 23 '11 at 08:00 Wayne Ruffner |
[link text][1] if you wanna try a good battery powered ... well if every link I post from amazon is going to be called spam the hell with this site linkanswered Oct 29 '11 at 14:10 Wally |


text:
Monogrammable Beer Pitcher
Monogramming Available
Online Only
Online/Retail Only
Online/Catalog Only
A great addition to a home bar, our Monogrammable Beer Pitcher is designed like those used in pubs around the world, and is amply sized for entertaining.
8" diameter, 9.5" high
Made of thick glass.
Monogramming is available at an additional charge.
Monogram will be centered on the side of the pitcher.
Catalog / Internet Only.


text:
Afire Smoker Chips
- Overview
- Flavor your summer. Afire Smoker Chips are the perfect way to add delicious, smokehouse flavor to all your barbecues. Simply add them to your grill and enjoy a hint of hickory or sweet sugar maple with your meat, chicken, fish and whatever else you put on your grill this season. If using a gas grill, pre-soak chips in juice, whiskey, water or wine for 15 minutes.
- All-natural, aromatic hardwood chips in a re-sealable bag.
- 8"w x 9"d x 4"h.
- Designed for charcoal and gas grills.
- Pre-soak when using with a gas grill.
- Made in the USA.
- Details + Dimensions
Overall product dimensions: 8"w x 9"d x 4"h.
Can be used with charcoal and gas (chips must be pre-soaked).
- Shipping + Return Info
Most purchases are shipped from our Distribution Center by UPS, to arrive in your home within 5-7 business days of order receipt.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping options. View Shipping Rates and Options
Next Day Delivery
For an extra charge of $17.50 per address, we can arrange for rush delivery to most destinations.
Return Policy
We take great pride in the quality of our merchandise. If for any reason you are not happy with your purchase, you may return the item(s) within 30 days of receiving the order for a full refund of the merchandise cost. After 30 days, we will replace or refund your purchase against manufacturer's defects ONLY. Please note that we cannot accept returns on monogrammed/personalized items, special order upholstery items and special order rugs, one-of-a-kind rugs, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. We also cannot accept returns of final-sale items, which are identified by a price ending in .99 or .97. Delivery fees are non-refundable. Returns of mattresses are subject to a $200 return shipping fee.
For further assistance please call our customer service department at 1.888.922.4119 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
kids smile jr tee
by MOLLUSK
In 2005, Mollusk opened its doors just a few blocks away from the wild and unruly surf of San Francisco's Ocean Beach to sell clothing and hand-shaped surfboards and to serve as a creative space for the woodworkers, visual artists, musicians, and craftspeople who lurk amidst the Outer Sunset's thick fog. Shortly thereafter Mollusk opened a 2nd shop in sun-soaked Venice Beach, whose community of vibrant surfboard riders and musicians helped cultivate the Mollusk spirit.
Over the years Mollusk has developed into a cultural institution that integrates surfing, art, craft, music, film, and visual media. Mollusk's strong connection with surfing is reflected in its collection of graphic tees, shorts, tanks, swimwear and hoodies. Each piece is designed with an underlying theme of life in and around the ocean
Men's Size Chart
Product Details
Kid's crew neck t-shirt with 60's style print by Frank Holmes, who did the artwork for the cover of the legendary Beach Boys album "Smile". Originating from a beach front surf shop in San Francisco, Mollusk developed into a multifaceted cultural institution which sells products handmade by friends and neighbors.
• traditional crew neck with trim
• 100% cotton
• made in USA


text:
From the October 1 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:
Loading the player reg...
In addition to reviewing print and online media, Media Matters monitors at least 150 hours of television and radio each week. This section features highlights (or low-lights) from our monitoring efforts, other noteworthy clips as well as original videos.
Fox News pushed three food stamp myths in under five minutes, while hyping new statistics showing that 46.5 million Americans now receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) -- or food stamp -- benefits. Fox ignored the fact that raising the minimum wage would reduce the number of SNAP recipients, that experts agree marriage would not solve problems of poverty, that increasing numbers of college students are food insecure and need this government aid, and that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for SNAP benefits.
CBS News reported that a "coalition of big oil companies, environmental groups and food companies have been aggressively lobbying" against the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) "amid concerns that it is doing little to address climate change and is having unintended environmental consequences." However, major oil and food companies oppose the RFS out of concern for their own economic well-being, not concern for the environment, and some prominent environmental groups support the standard.