Tuesday, 2:40 pm, and a third-grader is deep into a book. While his Lower Elementary teacher is presenting a lesson to a small group across the room, and the rest of his classmates are working in pairs and small clus-ters at a variety of tasks, he sits alone reading. No, he’s not anti-social; he has plenty of friends, but on this day he is consumed by the novel Inkheart (http://www.kidsreads.com/guides/inkheart1.asp), a fantastic tale about the power of reading.

He began the book just today and is already well into its 544 pages. He stopped to talk to me and was amazed to realize he had been read-ing so long; it reminded me that Mon-tessori children will take on tasks much larger than any teacher would dare to assign.

It also reminded me what a gift it is to the children to have long stretches of uninterrupted time during which they are able to make their own work choices and therefore to deepen and lengthen their concentration. It is

“flow” at work (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow _ (psychology)); it is student engagement; it is the opposite of drudgery.

Why is he reading this book? A friend told him about it. He thought it was a Texas Bluebonnet Book (an an-nual statewide reading program our elementary students participate in—see http://www.txla.org/groups/tba); it is not. But it is a good book, he said, so he is reading it.

I M P O R T A N T D A T E S

October is Annual Giving Month!

O C T O B E R 1 4 – 2 0

Mon. 10/15

“Montessori 101” parent class 7–8 pm, Atrium

Tue. 10/16

“Partnership Agreement” class 9–10 am, Reading Room

MS Bearkats soccer game 4:15 pm, Feld Park

Wed. 10/17

UE Bearkats soccer game 4:15 pm, Feld Park

Fri. 10/19

The Montessori Journey begins: reservations required 6–9 pm (see page 5)

Sat. 10/20

The Montessori Journey continues: 8 am – 2 pm

Birth of the Báb (Baha’i)

O C T O B E R 2 1 – 2 7

Tue. 10/23

“At Home with Montessori” class, 9–10 am, Reading Room

Wed. 10/24

MS Bearkats soccer game 4:15 pm, Feld Park

Thu. 10/25

Elementary Parent-Child Night 7–8 pm, in the classrooms

Fri. 10/26

School closed: faculty retreat no children attend school.

This morning I walked into an Upper Elementary classroom and found the teacher sitting alone at her table as the children clustered in work groups of four or five. They were discussing books. Each group had read a dif-ferent novel and they were engaged in focused and lively conversation. I learned that most Upper Elementary students are also reading another book of their own choosing, or two.

A culture of literacy permeates Post Oak. Our children love books. Our teachers love books.

Searching for the origin of this love of reading, I looked into each of the Primary classrooms and saw reading and writing everywhere. A five-year-old was covering an entire chalk board with script. Another had filled two rugs with words made of

Post Oak School News 20072008

Vol. XIII, Issue 6: OctOber 11, 2007

Read On!

4600 Bissonnet • Bellaire, TX 77401 • 713-661-6688 • www.postoakschool.orgFounded in 1963; accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)and by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS)

(continued on page 16)

by John Long, Head of School

T H I S A N D T H A T

See Post Oak’s Field Day coverage, pp. 6–11.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 2

About The Post Oak News

• The Post Oak News is published weekly while school is in session.

• It is distributed each Friday to the oldest child in your family.

• It is also available at the school’s web site: www.postoakschool.org

• The deadline for material to be considered for inclusion each week is 5 pm on the Tuesday preceding the publication day.

• Please send text or images in electronic form (email or disk) to Post Oak Director of External Affairs Joseph Lockett: josephlockett@postoakschool.org

• You may also call Joseph if you have any questions: 713-661-6688 ×149.

Written language can be acquired more easily by children of four years than by those of six....

While children of six usually need at least two years to learn how to write, children of four years learn this second language within a few months.

— Maria Montessori, The Formation of Man

Post Oak Scenes: Big Work

Top, left to right: a Primary child learns the countries of Africa; Alma Lloyd portrays Mexican artist Frida Kahlo for the Primary; an infant cleans classroom windows.

Bottom, left to right: a huge Negative Addition Snake in Upper Elementary; Primary children clean up the classroom.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 3

Elementary Rolls Out

MRXBeginning this school year, elemen-tary teachers are maintaining student records on an Internet-based system called Montessori Records Xpress (MRX). This powerful and flexible tool allows teachers to store, access, and share a variety of student records using less time than with previous methods.

As with any new system, its useful-ness and time-saving qualities will grow as our knowledge and experi-ence increase. Please keep this in mind as you join your child’s class-room teacher for the upcoming fall conference.

Each teacher’s focus will be on providing you with meaningful information regarding your child’s development in all areas. For now, the MRX report will represent a few strokes of the picture being painted for you about your child’s progress. Our experience with MRX up to this point has been very encouraging, and we anticipate the reports becoming increasingly useful.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how MRX is being used.

by Jeff Schneider, Upper School Director

The 2008 Post Oak Fund: Outlining Excellence

Clarke 18%

Hacker 33%

Middle School 23%

Nickerson 18%

Parraguirre 13%

E. Pinto 7%

M. Pinto 21%

Rebuffini 6%

Reilly 17%

Samede 21%

Smith 25%

Tracy 20%

Wagner 100%

Wells 6%

Winton 16%

Board of Trustees 100%

Faculty & Staff 100%

Total parent participation: 18%

Annual Giving Month continues!

If you need a response card, please visit www.postoakschool.org/Forms

Leadership Circle

A new giving group called The Leadership Circle will begin in 2008. With a contribution of $2,000 or more to The Post Oak Fund, you become a charter member of this group, which comes with special recognition in the 2008 annual report and a private reception in the spring

Th e 2008 Post Oak Fund: Outlining Excellence

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THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 4

SPOTLIGHT onPOST OAK GRADSSPOTLIGHT onPOST OAK GRADS

Thank you to all the parents who participated in the POPA Workday last Tuesday. We appreciate your good company and great work for the school. We'll see you next month! —Katie Orr and Michelle Lu

Thank you to Upper School Director Jeff Schneider for leading the great discussion on nutrition and the morn-ing coffee on “Parenting the Plugged-in Child.” Also, thanks to all the parents who shared such interesting and unique insights in the meeting. The monthly coffees are terrific! —Anonymous

Think Thanks: send praise and plaudits for anyone at the school, parents or staff, via email to josephlockett@postoakschool.org.

Amelinda Melanson (Post Oak 2001) is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M. The culture at A&M empha-sizes community. Amelinda grew up in the supportive environment of Post Oak; like all POS students, she was involved in volunteer work and com-munity service at an early age. When she first got to college and was over-whelmed with engineering classes, that fell through the cracks. But she really felt the absence of service work and wanted to change that while she was still in school.

Now she has found a place at A&M in an organization called The Big Event, a student-run one-day volun-teer effort to thank the surrounding community for its support. The Big Event has been running for 26 years and is one of the largest one-day student-run service projects in the na-tion. Last year it involved over 9,700 participants (almost a quarter of the student body!) completing over 1,000 community-service projects around the city, in just one day. The organi-zation really reflects Aggies’ com-munity involvement in the Bryan/College Station area.

Amelinda is a member of the Programs Subcommittee, in charge of fundraising. Committee members like Amelinda spend all year getting ready for the day of The Big Event in March, raising the more than $70,000 needed to buy tools and supplies for the projects. One major fundraiser is a silent auction on October 27th,

Right: Post Oak alumna Amelinda Melanson (2001) in Spain during her summer session.

Below: A&M’s Big Event program commit-tee (see Amelinda, second from the right in the second row).

Photos provided by Christianne Melanson.

before the Kansas State home foot-ball game. If any Aggies (or others) in the Post Oak family would like to support this event, please contact Amelinda to donate auctionable items or money towards the supplies needed.

You can reach Amelinda by email as amelinda08@yahoo.com, by phone at 832-293-9850, or by mail at 523 Southwest Parkway #104, College Station, TX 77840. Thanks, and “gig ’em!”

Engagement Announcement

On another note, Amelinda’s sister Caroline Sharp (Post Oak 1997; see also March 23, 2007, alumni notes) recently became engaged to M. Ryan Traylor, an up-and-coming director/producer for film and TV. No date has been set, but the Post Oak family sends its heartiest congratulations.

Post Oak Alumna Helps Organize 9,000+ Volunteers, Seeks Help for Silent Auction at Texas A&M

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 5

ReseRve youR space now: The MonTessoRi JouRney

Friday and Saturday, October 19–20 both Friday 6–9 pm and Saturday 8 am – 2 pm

From last year’s participants: “How will the Journey influence your relationship with your child?”

More patience.

I want my child to be more responsible.

I will look for more meaning behind simple activities.

It helped remind me of how the environment plays such a critical part in learning.

I have a much better understanding of what my son’s day is like and also

what a nurturing, stimulating environment he has at school.

I will seek to be more observant and to encourage my children to explain what they do

rather than tell them what to do.

Cost is $30 per person. Space is limited to 40: approximately 30 spaces have now been taken.

Call the front desk soon to make a reservation!

Download last year’s commemorative Journey booklet at: www.postoakschool.org/Forms/Publications/POS-Journey.pdf

In this week’s interview, we talk to... Debbie Nickerson, Lower Elementary

You’ve trained and taught in both Primary and Elementary. How are they different?

Where to begin? In Primary the child is in the “absorbent mind” period, and in the Elementary they’re in the

“reasoning mind” period. In Primary, they work on important tasks like care of the person, paying attention to detail, the development of concen-tration—basic kinds of development that, in Elementary, they build upon.

What happens in Elementary that is so inspiring and exciting is this incredible explosion into wanting to know everything. The Elementary child wants to know all she can as quickly as possible. The work they do in Primary prepares for this trans-formation: if a child has really taken in all that Primary offers, then when they come to Elementary they just fly.

Another exciting aspect of Elemen-tary is how the children are learn-ing so many different things at the same time. Some of them are learn-ing about astronomy, others about zoology; some are learning about proper sentence construction, others are working with static and dynamic addition, multiplication, and division problems. There’s just an incredible amount of knowledge that they’re taking in. Primary is the foundation that is necessary for them to experi-ence the Elementary in the best way.

What’s something unusual about you that parents or students probably don’t know?

I love the outdoors; I like to get out in nature whenever I can. I have antique roses growing in my backyard.

I like to make things, like using a cut-ting torch to make different shapes and sculptures out of steel.

And I still want to go back to school, just to study different subjects that

are interesting to me. One of the new courses that I think I’m going to go take soon is Art History—but I’ll need to finish my Montessori admin-istrator’s course first.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 6

team of volunteers including: Tanya Gee, Rennae Henry, Colleen Chang, Ravi Gudimetla, Sherri and Gary Sargarnaga, Alma Lloyd, the room parents, and many others. To all of you, thanks for a job well done.

Field Day was a blast! With no rain and enough humidity to remind us we’re in Houston, this festive family event went off without a hitch.

The dunking booth and rockwall were popular activities at the event entrance. The “dunkees” heckled the pitchers with good humor and braced themselves for the click of the switch and the splash into the water below. Our thanks to each of them for their great sportsmanship and willingness to help the Middle School raise funds for the fight against multiple sclerosis.

Inside the gym, children moved back and forth between the inflatable, the cake walk, and face painting—parents moved back and forth to get a dose of air conditioning.

As guests walked out to the Post Oak field they were shocked to see an inflatable Titanic sinking into the ground, serving as a humongous slide for kids of all ages. The water-balloon toss was a burst of fun and helped children cool off, and the petting zoo was a real favorite.

The big moments arrived when the mystery boxes were raffled in front of a huge crowd of hopeful children. Congratulations to all 45 box win-ners, and many thanks to all of you who purchased raffle tickets, worked on the boxes, or brought donations for the boxes—all of which helped us cover the costs for this family day.

All these plans were put in place by our amazing Field Day Chairs, Karen Redding and Trish Moore. Thank you both for your creative ideas, attention to detail, follow-through, and enthu-siasm. You brought together a terrific

Field Day Photos Feature...by Christina Kopanidis-Cantu,

Development Director

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 7

...Phenomenal Family Fun!

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 8

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 9

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 10

© 2006 Richard Tait. Initially published in Parade magazine on July 30, 2006. All rights reserved.

Online copy at http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_07-30-2006/Play_feature

It’s a scenario we know all too well. We walk in the door, tired from work, and are faced with the needs of our family: make dinner, speed-eat, clean up, help the kids with homework, put them in the tub, get them to bed, now pay bills, maybe check email. Phew! No wonder we’re stressed. We are a society starved for play.

As amazing as it sounds, I get paid to play for a living and yet, as a parent of three, even I find it hard work to carve out a place for play. I know I’m not alone. According to Yankelovich, a company that tracks lifestyle trends, nearly half of today’s parents are too tired to play with their young chil-dren in the way the children would like.

Unlike exercise and vitamins, there is no daily recommended dose for play. (Only two states, in fact, mandate school recess.) In this generation, play—the kind that fully engages you and gets you completely swept up in a moment of pure enjoyment and fun—has lost its place in our lives.

Why is play important? It’s nature’s way of training us for what life has in store. Play serves more than 30 developmental functions—from motor skills like running, jumping, and balancing; to cognitive skills like creativity, logic, and problem-solving; to self-esteem—says Prof. Gordon Burghardt of the University of Tennessee in his book The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits.

Field Day Follow-up—Let’s Play: Why it’s important to put the world on hold and just have fun

In the animal world and in ours, play isn’t only for children. Play brings us together, allows us to put the rest of the world on pause, and encourages us to laugh. (Research shows that a kindergartner laughs 300 times a day; an adult only 17.) It teaches us trust, cooperation, respect for others, sharing, mastery, and many of life’s other lessons. Play is a fundamental need, just like air, water, and the five food groups. Yet our current lifestyle makes play a luxury few of us can afford.

We now work nine more hours a week—an entire extra workday—than parents did two decades ago. When we’re not working, we’re plugged in and tuned out. The Family Research Council found that the aver-age parent spends only 38.5 minutes a week in meaningful conversation with his or her children. In contrast, research from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the average child (ages 8 to 18) spends 6.5 hours a day using electronic media. It’s as if we’ve delegated the responsibility to engage with our kids to electronic devices.

Thankfully, it’s not too late to add play back into our daily diets. Rather than force it into your day, find ways to inject playful moments into the things you’re already doing. At my house, we use the laundry hamper as a basket and turn picking up clothes into a game of basketball. We’ve made a fun ritual with a weekly nacho night: we cook together, and everyone has his or her own spe-cial role. And while it’s important for children to play alone and learn their own sense of self, it’s equally

important to create opportunities for families to enjoy the laughter and togetherness that only play brings.

Here are some of the ways I stay open to play:

• Get on the carpet. It’s easy to watch your child play from the couch, but not as much fun—for either of you! Build with bricks, wriggle like a snake, be a pony—all at her level. We made a game where the kids had string fishing poles, tied socks on the end as worms, and I got to be the fish they tried to catch. The giggles went on forever.

• Return to your childhood. Many of the things that you loved as a kid are still fun to do with your young-sters, and you already know the rules! I recently watched my mom skipping with my wife and my twin girls as if they were all at school to-gether—a moment they’ll cherish. Bring your own fondest childhood play moments to life with your kids and grandkids.

• Take it outside. Turn a nature walk into a treasure hunt. Throw a ball or a Frisbee. Play hide-and-seek in the yard. On rainy days, we dress in full rain gear and have a splashy puddle parade. Magic!

• Know the power of the “off” but-ton. We are increasingly addicted to email, cell phones, iPods, and devices that keep us from focusing on the moment. We regulate our kids’ “screen time” and should do the same for ourselves. Read with your kids, sing with them in the car, cook together. Turn the power off and create time to play.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 11

I believe that laughter and together-ness are key to our health, growth and relationships. They’re the fabric that holds us together as families, and it’s up to us to keep them strong and intact. I also believe the world needs more shining moments every day. So, come on! Let’s get on the carpet and play!

How Do You Like To Play?

You don’t need a station wagon, a room full of toys, or even children to feel the glow that comes with play. For some great ideas on embracing your inner kid, see below.

• This year, become a master! Every year, pick something fun to master. This year for me it’s cupcakes. In the past, it was martinis, ice cream, banana bread: things that are as much fun to learn as they are to en-joy and share. Make this year your year for Frisbee, dancing, knitting, or the guitar.

• Get sandy! Next time you’re on the beach, put down the book, build a sand castle, and make it awesome! Or just ride the waves. You’ll be giggling in no time!

• Movie matinee madness. On Sunday, forget the newspaper. Rent your favorite childhood movies for a daylong flashback matinee. Pop corn. Stay in your jammies. Get a sleeping bag, snuggle up, watch some of your favorite childhood movies, and remember what it felt like to watch Star Wars, E.T. and Grease for the first time.

• Swing for the stars. Go to the play-ground at dusk and swing as high as you can. With the air on your face and feet toward the sky, you won’t stop laughing.

• Get a kick out of romance. On your next date, go to the park and

kick leaves together. People may look at you funny, but it’s a good When Harry Met Sally moment, and that hug and kiss… oh my.

For more fun ideas, visit the web page at cranium.com/parade

Richard Tait is the founder and “Grand Poo Bah” of Cranium, Inc., the games and toy company.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 12

Discover the majesty of Earth’s solar system and learn about the complex science of the galaxy dur-ing Astronomy Day at the George Observatory on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 3–10 p.m. This free family event is an interactive space experi-ence, from simulated missions in the Challenger Center to the opportunity to look into deep space through large, powerful telescopes.

“There are activities for all ages hap-pening all day, but Astronomy Day really comes to life after dark," said Barbara Wilson, astronomer for the George Observatory. “As the sun sets, the skies darken and the stars begin to shine, dozens of privately owned telescopes are set up to give everyone a chance to enjoy the delights of the night sky, which will include star clusters, planets, and entire galaxies.”

Budding astronauts can follow in Neil Armstrong’s footsteps in “Return to the Moon,” a simulated mission to outer space at the Observatory’s Challenger Learning Center. As

night falls, visitors can gaze into the depths of the galaxy through the Observatory’s professional research telescopes or through one of the many telescopes set up for public viewing.

Solar telescopes will be available during daylight hours to observe sun-spots and solar prominences, which are like eruptions of gas shot out from the sun. Professional astrono-mers will speak on a variety of topics ranging from “Comets and the Witch Hysteria of 1692” to “What's Up with Pluto?” and they will be available throughout the day to answer ques-tions about how to get started in as-tronomy. There will be many indoor displays, including a NASA space suit, and other activities for children, including face-painting.

Sponsored by dozens of area as-tronomy clubs and organizations, local colleges and universities, The Houston Museum of Natural Science, and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lunar

and Planetary Institute, this event is free to the public. There is a $4 charge to enter Brazos Bend State Park. Children under 12 are admitted for free. For more information, visit www.astronomyday.org.

The George Observatory is a satel-lite facility of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located in Brazos Bend State Park, approximately a one-hour drive from downtown Houston.

To reach the park, take US 59 south, past Sugar Land, to the Grand Parkway / 99 exit. Turn left and fol-low the state park’s brown informa-tion signs. Pass the railroad tracks and follow FM 762 past the George Ranch for about 11 miles. Turn left at the yellow flashing lights and continue to follow the brown signs to Brazos Bend State Park. Or, take Highway 288 south, take a right on FM 1462, go about 13 miles and turn right on FM 762. The park entrance is 1.5 miles further, on the right.

Stars in Their Eyes at Astronomy Day

Unclaimed Keyring in the Front Office

Could these be yours? The front of-fice has been holding onto them for some time now, and would like for the owner to come and claim them.

The keyring holds several personal shopping barcodes, several keys (some with a distinctive decorative finish), and a car entry remote, all at-tached to a medium-sized carabiner.

If you are the owner, or if you know her or him, please contact Post Oak receptionist Francesca Shoemaker.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 13

Eligible Products – Here’s What to Save

®

®

®

™

®

- UPC CODE

Campbell’s Condensed 10 to 11 oz. Soups (Specially marked packages only)

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Chunky Soups (bowls) Campbell’s Chunky Chili (bowls) - UPC CODE

SpaghettiO’s Original (15 oz.) SpaghettiO’s Meatball (14.75 oz.) (Specially Marked Packages Only)

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Soup At Hand - UPC CODE

Campbell’s Supper Bakes Meal Kits

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Select Soups (bowls)

- UPC CODE Goldfish Crackers

- LIDV8 Splash Juice Drinks, all varieties V8 Splash Smoothies

™™

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Beans Products Campbell’s Condensed 10 oz. Soups Campbell’s Condensed 26 oz. Soups Campbell’s Low Sodium Soups Campbell’s Fat Free Soups Campbell’s Kitchen Classic Soups Campbell’s Tomato Juices Campbell’s Gravies

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Soup & Recipe Mix

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Chunky Soups Campbell’s Chunky Chili Campbell’s Chunky Fully Loaded

- UPC CODE Campbell’s Healthy Request Soups

- UPC CODECampbell’s Select Soups Campbell’s Select Gold Label Soups (carton)

- UPC CODE Franco-American Gravies

- UPC CODE

Pepperidge Farm Soups Pepperidge Farm Breads, Croutons, Rolls & Stuffing Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Crackers, Goldfish Cookies & Snack Mixes Pepperidge Farm Frozen Garlic Breads, Cakes, Turnovers, Dumplings and Puff Pastry

- UPC CODE Swanson Broth (can and carton) Swanson Canned Chicken

- UPC CODE Selected products (tub/carton)

- UPC CODE Prego Pasta Sauces

- UPC CODE SpaghettiO’s Original (7.5 oz., 26 oz.) SpaghettiO’s Meatball (7.5 oz., 26.25 oz.)

- LID V8 100% Vegetable Juice, all varieties

- LID V8 V-Fusion 100% Juice, all varieties

## - 2 CODE NUMBERS FROM OUTER CASE Campbell’s Tomato Juice (11.5 oz./24 cans/case) Campbell’s Tomato Juice (5.5 oz./48 cans/case) Campbell’s Chef’s Kettle Soups (50 oz.) Campbell’s Foodservice Soups (50 oz.) Campbell’s Low Sodium Soups (50 oz.) Campbell’s Healthy Request Soups (50 oz.) Campbell’s Chunky Soups (bowls) Campbell’s Select Soups (bowls) All Pepperidge Farm Products V8, V8 Splash, V8 V-Fusion Prego Foodservice

®

™

®

™

™™

®

™

®

Products Worth 1 Point

Products Worth 5 Points

™

Questions? Contact Post Oak Primary teacher Barbara Hacker

for details.

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 14

The Post Oak School Book Fair 2007

Thursday, November 8th, 9 am – 9 pmor shop all week, from Sunday, Nov. 4, to Friday, Nov. 9,

at Barnes & Noble, 3003 West Holcombe

Need help or suggestions for books to add to your family library?

Want to take the guesswork out of selecting kids’ books or gifts for friends?

Here are a few suggestions to help you select the right books for you!

1. You are all welcome to visit the school library, browse, and ask our librarian, B.R. Simon, for her wonderful insights.

2. Book Fair is on the web at www.postoakschool.org! Go to the “POPA” webpage and click on “Book Fair.” Check out all of the wonderful “Recom-mended Reading Lists” we are gathering there from staff and faculty! (This site also has Book Fair vouchers, pre-order forms, and other information.)

3. Visit the websites for several respected book awards, also listed on the web at www.postoakschool.org, under “POPA,” then “Book Fair.”

4. Browse online at www.bn.com (Barnes & Noble’s website).

Happy Hunting!

Your Book Fair Co-Chairs:

Jane Greenberg

Traci Marable

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 15

The Post Oak School Book Fair ~ 2007

““FFRRIIEENNDDSS OOFF TTHHEE LLIIBBRRAARRYY””

DDoonnaattiioonn FFoorrmm

We invite you, parents and friends of students at The Post Oak School, to take this opportunity to become a “Friend of the Library” by making a donation to our school library. It is a unique and wonderful way to contribute to our school. B.R. Simon, our librarian, will make selections for you from a list of books that will enhance the school’s current collection.

Thank you for your support, POPA Book Fair Co-Chairs Jane Greenberg & Traci Marable

[Please complete and return this form to the Front Office.]

“Friend of the Library” Name(s):

Address:

City/Zip: Phone:

Donation Amount: $ Date:

Please make checks payable to “The Post Oak School.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For Credit Card Payments:

Circle: Visa Mastercard AMEX Discover

Card #: Expiration Date:

Name (as it appears on card):

Signature:

Book Fair Is Thursday, November 8th

THE POST OAK NEWS Thursday, October 11, 2007 PAGE 16

Read On! by John Long, Head of School continued from page 1

moveable alphabet letters. A third was matching written labels to pic-ture cards. A fourth was sitting in a comfortable chair reading a phonetic book. And a fifth was returning from the school library with a book about dinosaurs under his arm.

Experts in reading instruction make the distinction between “learning to read” and “reading to learn.” In traditional settings, learning to read can be a laborious process. Mixed success in teaching reading has led to the battle over phonics vs. whole language. Google the phrase “moti-vating readers” and you get 1,860,000 entries. Clearly the love of reading we see at Post Oak is not universal in schools across America.

Some critics of Montessori educa-tion say we push early academ-ics on young children. In fact, Dr. Montessori only introduced writing and reading after the Primary chil-dren asked her to do so. Those first Montessori children, and the ones we work with every day in our Primary classrooms, have a thirst for literacy.

First we teach them to write. Most children then discover spontaneously that they can read. Montessori named this “an explosion into reading” and it generally occurs at around five years of age. At Post Oak, children “learn to read” in the Primary class-room, and when they move to the Lower Elementary they “read to learn,” using their literacy skills to study history, geography, the sci-ences, and literature.

While “reading to learn,” these Elementary students continue to refine their skills in reading. To aid this process and to support Lower Elementary teachers this fall, Up-per School Director Jeff Schneider held individual reading assessments with our 33 first-graders. In addition to this, throughout the Elementary years our teachers use Star Reader, a computer-based reading-assessment tool that gives an accurate measure-ment of a student’s reading level. This quick and easy instrument helps us to keep track of each child’s prog-ress in reading.

On the other hand, Mr. Schneider’s individual assessment takes more time but gives a more nuanced picture of each student’s fluency and understanding of what they read.

We want no-one to fall through the cracks and, for students entering Lower Elementary, his evaluation helps to guide the classroom teacher’s work with each student. His assess-ment also gives an accurate measure of reading level. Post Oak students entered first grade with reading levels ranging from 1.1 (1st grade, 1st month) to 4.9 (4th grade, 9th month); the median for the group was 2.4 (2nd grade, 4th month).

The children’s work in the Primary establishes a remarkably strong beginning. From there they read on. And on. And on.

Copyright John Long and The Post Oak School.

Post Oak students entered first grade with reading levels ranging from 1.1 (1st grade, 1st month) to 4.9 (4th grade, 9th month); the median for the group was 2.4 (2nd grade, 4th month).