Dr. Zhao is pictured with FOA’s Director, Kathleen Trewhella Grant and Executive Coordinator, Jessica Greer, at a reception at the Hyatt prior to his speech.

The Greenville News recently gave Five Oaks Academy recognition of our 10th Anniversary by saying, “One Upstate school is trying to change education, and not just in the way it teaches kids inside its own walls.” One of Five Oaks Academy’s missions is to improve education for all children and for this reason we invited Dr. Yong Zhao to the Upstate to speak to the Greenville community. Our goal was to open a community-wide dialogue on “how” we are educating our countries children.

Dr. Zhao, an internationally known scholar, writer, and speaker, has studied education globally and presents a unique cross-cultural perspective on education.  Dr. Zhao’s examination of educational systems worldwide has given him insight into China’s educational struggles. On his recent visit to Greenville, he pointed out that by looking at the international test scores alone you would think that American children are significantly behind their Chinese counterparts and by these reports should not be as successful as the Chinese students. However, if you look at that data and compare it to the amount of patent applications the Chinese have applied for versus the American’s patent application for the same time period, then you can start to look at the significance of testing a little differently. Americans actually applied for significantly more patents than the Chinese.  Dr. Zhao has examined why China has failed to produce the creative and entrepreneurial talents that have been found in the United States and if the Chinese students being spoon fed material has prohibited them from learning how to learn.

Dr. Yong Zhao held a book signing at FOA during is recent visit to the Upstate.

Dr. Zhao cautions educators against putting so much emphasis on standardized testing because of the narrow focus of these tests. He believes that the standardized tests are not an accurate indication of a child’s success. Because of their narrow focus, they lack the ability to gauge the child’s creativity and own personal strengths. With the introduction of technology, the jobs and the skill sets needed to be successful have become very different for the 21st century work force. Technology has replaced many of the jobs that have traditionally employed our middle class workers. Dr. Zhao believes that “To succeed in this ever-changing world, students need to be able to think like entrepreneurs: resourcefully, flexibly, creatively, and globally.” To read more on what Dr Yong Zhao has to say, you can pick up his latest books World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students and Catching Up or Leading the Way.

Dr. Maria Montessori was far ahead of her time when she developed the Montessori method of learning. Her astute understanding of  how children learn aided her scientific approach to designing the materials the children use. She developed a method that allows children to authentically learn how to problem solve, use critical thinking skills and to think flexibly and creatively.  The Montessori method also has the ability to address the needs of each individual child and can propel a child forward in areas in which they excel while giving additional support in areas in which they are weak. For more information on the Montessori method, please contact us for a tour of Five Oaks Academy.

To read the article in the Greenville News go to http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013309190006&nclick_check=1

On September 27, Five Oaks Academy held an International Tea to welcome our new international families and celebrate the unique diversity of our community. We appreciate all who attended and made this event a success. It was so exciting to find out where each person was from and see how many countries are represented by the FOA community. New connections and friendships were made by parents from different classrooms. A special thank you to the PTO and parent volunteers that made this event possible.

In celebration of our ten year anniversary, Five Oaks Academy is working with community partners to bring internationally known scholar, author and speaker, Dr. Yong Zhao, to the Upstate for a very special event. His works focus on the implications of globalization and technology on education. On September 19 at 6pm, Dr. Zhao will host an evening of  “Synergy”. This unique event will be held at the Hyatt, downtown and bring the Business, Education and Art communities of the upstate together to examine “how” we need to educate this generation of children to get them ready for the 21st century workforce and global economy. This event is free to all of our families as well as the Greenville community but does require reserving the complimentary tickets.

Dr. Zhao, named one of 2012 Tech & Learning Magazine’s Top 10 Most Influential People in Educational Technology and the recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association, will challenge us to examine our current obsession with test scores and common core curriculum standards. He will address questions such as: how do we prepare this generation for a globalized world and how do we create more entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs? Dr Zhao’s presentation will not focus on education reform, but instead will present a compelling argument for a complete transformation in the way we educate. Zhao believes, “To succeed in this ever changing world, students need to be able to think like entrepreneurs: resourcefully, flexibly, creatively, and globally.”

Dr. Zhao has written and published more than 100 articles and books, including Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization and World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students. He has designed schools that cultivate global competence, developed computer games for language learning, and founded research and development institutions to explore innovative education models.

Please request your complimentary tickets online and join us for this exciting event.

We are very excited about a innovative new high school that is scheduled to open in Greenville for the 2014-2015 academic year. FOA’s Executive Director, Kathleen Trewhella-Grant and Executive Coordinator, Jessica Greer, attended the Next High School Education Summit where the plan was unveiled to create the Next High School. The Next High School, modeled after Cart High School in Fresno C.A., will be a public charter school. The pioneer of this school is the Next Group, a group of entrepreneurial businesses dedicated to bringing commerce to Greenville. Their mission is to bring community leaders and businesses together to create a school that will have project-based learning with an emphasis on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. The school will have flexible work spaces and work schedules with a focus on creating real life connections to help prepare students for “life after school”.  The Next High School’s philosophies fit very well with what Montessori has been doing for 100 years. To get more information please go to www.nexthighschool.org. They would like feedback on your level of interest in enrolling your child at enroll@nexthighschool.com.We feel our students would be great candidates for the Next High School.

On Friday, May 3, FOA held our annual community wide International  Festival to celebrate our wonderful cultural differences. We are very proud that FOA’s student body is composed of students from over 16 countries. We seek to expose our students to a global vision of our world.  This festival is a favorite of many of our students  because everyone dresses in the traditional garb from a variety of cultures and each family prepares an international dish for all to enjoy. The classrooms prepare special songs for the students to perform along with our Spanish, World Music and Classical Music departments.  A special presentation of dancing and cultural sharing was giving by Cordao de Ouro,a Brazilian dance group.  This festival is a day our students look forward to each year and many of them were planning their outfit for next year’s festival at the end of the day.

Our culture curriculum is geared towards giving our students authentic cultural experiences they can identify with all year long. It is only fitting that we top it off with a very special festival at the end of the school year.

Grandparents Day was held on Thursday, May 9 from 1-3pm. FOA students were very excited to have their grandparents come on campus and proud to show them what they have been working on in their classrooms. A lemonade and cookie reception, with many of our talented students providing the musical entertainment, set a perfect backdrop for this community event.  The Middle School students organized and ran a book fair through Barnes & Noble as a fund raiser for their bi-annual class trip. This event is an excellent way for grandparents and other extended family members to have the opportunity to visit the campus and see some of the wonderful things happening here at Five Oaks.

On April 25 at 9am, FOA will have a special performance given by  The Dancing Gauchos, a world renowned Argentinean Duo. This performance is part of FOA’s cultural program that helps provides our students with a global vision of the world. The duo will entertain our students with a high action performance of breathtaking routines while educating them about the uniqueness of Argentina,  its’ Gauchos and Spanish culture. Beautiful music and costumes, flamenco dancing, fast action boleadora routines, and rhythmic percussion are combined to make this an incredible act.

On Friday,  April 19 at 11:00 am, FOA will hold a celebration for the life of Sophia Hammer. Two years ago, Sophia was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called a Coarctation of the Aorta and her parents were told she would need surgery just two days before she turned 7 Months.  You can read Sophia’s story at http://sophiahammer.wordpress.com. Sophia is now two and a half years old and is doing wonderfully thanks to the help of many amazing healthcare professionals in Greenville and Charleston.

The family received assistance from a non-profit organization  called Palmetto Hearts. They assisted them both emotionally and financially.  The Hammer Family would like to give back to this organization that has given so much to them. Please consider joining Team Sophia at the 2nd annual Palmetto Hearts 5K Run/Walk on June 1, 2013 at Duncan Park in Spartanburg. Please go to www.palmettohearts5k.org for more information or contact our toddler teacher Genie Matt who is sponsoring Sophia for this event. Happy Heart Day Sophia!

What is your definition of “well-grounded”?  We might say that an individual who is well-grounded has a firm foundation: one who is solid, positive and steady. As parents and educators, indeed, our hope for our children is that they are well-grounded. And Dr. Maria Montessori envisioned that trait for children as well but her definition of “well-grounded” goes perhaps a step further.

Dr. Montessori was an early proponent of the value of outdoor learning. “Well-grounded” children, she thought, are those who are connected with nature…to the ground, we might say. The land is where our roots are. She saw an outdoor environment as an extension of the indoor prepared environment. The connection to the natural world gives children the opportunity to understand and appreciate life in all its forms. The connectedness of the child with the earth cultivates curiosity, enhances awareness of the world and offers the child real, hands-on experiences.

The Primary learning environments do not stop at our doors: instead, we utilize the best classroom in the world….the world itself. We offer our children the chance to take a step beyond, to breathe the fresh air, to experiment with land, air and water. Outside is where we can dig in the dirt, cultivate and grow plants, to see seasonal changes. Walking the nature trail, listening to the sound of birds, caring for tiny seedlings and waiting with anticipation for their growth and development and learning about the needs of all living things mirrors the development of the child. A respect for life, said Dr. Montessori, develops and enhances a child’s understanding of the earth and everything that lives upon it. Offer the world to the child and he or she will be an eager participant in the needs of all life – by showing a desire to make a difference. Now that’s well-grounded.

We are fortunate to have Mrs. Molly Wimmer as the well-grounded parent volunteer and coordinator of the outdoor classroom. The arrival of Spring gives us the chance to enjoy , to experiment and learn outside once again. Tuesdays and Thursdays find both Primary classrooms eager to do just that. But Ms. Molly can’t do it alone! Please consider volunteering to help. Let your child’s contact teacher know if you can help.

Ms.  Beth

Help Children be Helpful

In a Montessori classroom, children are taught to love and care for the environment around them. They have important jobs such as loading and emptying the dishwasher, dusting, sweeping, planning snack for a week, cleaning up their desk and area around them and taking care of classroom pets. These activities help the children to feel that they are valuable members of the classroom and raise their self esteem. It is important for children to complete these types of activities at home as well. Through giving children opportunities at home, they will feel like they are a vital and important member of the household.

To help children be helpful, you must first take the time to teach. Children absorb a great deal through observation, but many tasks will require you to show your child step by step what to do. You should teach each skill separately and with a lot of patience, confidence and love. We all have very busy schedules and may rush through the teaching of a task to a child. However, keep in mind, that if you don’t take the time to teach your child how to complete the task appropriately the first time, you will spend more time later on feeling frustrated with the quality of the work and correcting your child. Taking the time to teach your child a step by step task will not only help your child to feel like a valued member of the household , but will give you quality one on one time with your child.

There are all sorts of ways for your child to help out around the house at the Lower Elementary age. They can make their own lunches, set and clear the dinner table, fold and put away their laundry, feed and walk family pets, sweep, pull weeds in the flowerbeds/garden, clean mirrors and windows, load and unload the dishwasher, bringing in the mail/newspaper, make their own bed and vacuuming. These tasks are not just chores or housework. They are opportunities for your child to learn valuable, practical life skills that they will use for the rest of their life! As the parent, you can teach them to enjoy the process of the tasks and admiring the finished product. This time you spend with your child is quality time where you can bond, enjoy each others company and learn more about each other.

Establish Order

When you first walk into a Lower Elementary classroom, it may look quite chaotic. You will observe some children working in groups, some alone, others may be in lessons and there is overall quite a bit of movement happening. If you look through the surface there is a substantial amount of order in a Montessori classroom. Every single thing in the classroom has a purpose and a location. Each child has a job to do and an assignment to work on. Establishing order in the classroom or the home helps the child to develop independence. Having an orderly environment will support your child in focus and concentration. Contrary to the current state of your child’s bedroom or playroom, children have a natural affinity for order. Just like you have to take the time to teach your child to be helpful, you have to take the time to teach your child to be orderly.

Below are some tips and suggestions for your quest to establish order in your home:

• Keep Clutter to a Minimum: Set up a schedule to rotate toys and clothing in and out of storage. Set up specific times to go through these items with your child and make a donation and throw away piles.

• Have Designated Areas for All Things: Have a specific location for your child’s coat, boots, dirty clothes, toys, etc. Walk your child through the steps of putting things in these locations. In the classroom, your child is responsible for putting classroom materials and their personal items in specific locations. They can also be taught and expected to do this at home.

• Take the Time to Set up Each Room in the House: This is an imperative step. Your child should also be involved in this. You can start in your child’s bedroom by using different types of shelving, hooks, organizational supplies, storage containers. Have your child help make decisions on where things should go and how to organize their personal belongings.

• Lower or install a towel hanger in the bathroom so your child can hang up their own towel after a shower/bath.

• Hang a color chart in your child’s bedroom so that your child can see for themselves what colors go together when picking out their own clothing.

• Dresser drawers can be labeled with fun pictures of shirts, socks, underwear, pajamas and dividers so your child’ drawers can be better organized. You can also print labels of the names and place them next to the pictures (print them out in Spanish too!).

• Lower shelves in your child’s bedroom/playroom so that they can easily store their toys. However, avoid big toy boxes as they will quickly become disorganized! Have a small bin/box for specific toys and label them on the front.