Fire Truck Visit: National Fire Prevention Week

We had a surprise visit from the Fire Truck last Friday, during the conclusion of National Fire Prevention Week. Our young friends had the opportunity to sit inside the firetruck, and discover the many tools, buttons and sounds that a firetruck makes. Fun Fact: did you know that a fire truck holds over 500 gallons of water?! That’s amazing!

We learned not be afraid of fire-fighters when they come to rescue us in a house fire. Even though they wear a big mask, and their air tank is loud, they’re there to help us!

If we see a fire, we always call 9-1-1. And of course, our friends had fun practicing the “stop, drop, roll” tactic whenever our clothes catch on fire.
We listened and waited patiently as the firemen explained the process of putting out a house fire, and the many tools they use in order to efficiently complete the job.Even the littlest of our friends enjoyed a sneak peak at the fire truck during their morning stroll outside.

It’s important to always be prepared in the event there is a house fire that requires emergency evacuation. For tips on how to incorporate fire safety and prevention in your home, visit the links below:

http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/home-fire
http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Pages/Fire.aspx

Special thanks to the City of Plano Fire Department for taking the time to visit our school and educate our students on fire safety and prevention!

The Montessori Peace Curriculum

“Establishing a lasting peace is the work of education.”

Maria Montessori, Advocate for Peace

Maria Montessori, medical doctor, educator and visionary, opened her first school, the Casa dei Bambini,  in Rome in 1907. In the next two decades, Dr. Montessori’s methods achieved worldwide currency,  in part through the publication of The Montessori Method (1912) and Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook (1914). In the early 1930’s, the changed political climate in her native Italy, namely the rise of fascism, made her work difficult, and in 1934, Dr. Montessori’s refusal to politicize her work and schools resulted in the shutdown of all Montessori schools and her departure from the country.

World unrest and her own exile led Maria Montessori to advocate publicly for peace, and thus make clear the connection between her teaching methods and a social and world order generated by respect, cooperation and the intelligent activities of citizens. In a series of speeches, conferences and other activities, conducted in India and Western Europe, Dr. Montessori spoke about educational reform and the benefits to a world society. A number of her lectures were published as Educazione e Pace (1949), translated, Education and Peace (1972). Her work, embraced by a worldwide community of educators, politicians and academics, earned her nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949, 1950 and 1951, and in recent years as well.