Events Montessori 100 Steps Montessori View Steps Around the World
Centenary


School or Organisation:

Montessori De Manila, Las Piñas City, Philippines

Date of Event:

20 March 2007

I just wanted to share some photos of our 100 Steps for Montessori held last March 20, during our end of the school year fair.

We all wore matching shirts (a fundraiser by the Secondary Student Council) with a logo designed by some pupils and the Centenary logo (which we got from the website) on the back. Secondary students were assigned to hold the Primary pupils and Upper Elementary students were also paired with the Lower Elementary. For about 10 minutes and more than 100 steps (!- the younger ones lost count!), we went around the block and even had a lyre band (students) marching behind the streamer which we had hung since the start of last school year to inform people of the Montessori Movement's Centenary. We will also be giving out certificates of participation to every one who joined the walk. (I still have to submit a list of names to you for our steps to be counted!)

The Walk & Fair are just some of the activities we had planned for the Centenary celebration. Since last school year, we have had: timelines of Maria Montessori (which we put up yearly anyway, during her birth month) and the Montessori Movement, Parent Enrichment Seminars with Interactive Demonstrations, painting contests for the children (theme is of course, peace), a short film made, starred in and produced by our students (Maria: Vita di Universita -- very reminiscent of old, classy black and white films! I couldn't believe our own students made it! Their peers loved it!), stage plays by the Elementary pupils, and an audio-visual presentation of Dr. Montessori and her work, again, made by one of our Senior students. (One parent even offered to buy it!) We have more lined up for this school year when it opens in June!

Best regards!

Kay Zamora Buenaventura
Academic Affairs Directress
Montessori De Manila
Las Piñas City, Philippines
Maria Montessori Training Organisation, UK (2000)


Guide to photos:

1) Elementary & Secondary Student Council Members holding up the Centenary streamer

2) My sons (of course, both Montessori pupils!)

3) Stage where we hosted the school fair

4) With my mom, Marie (alumna of the 1st AMI Training Course in Manila, 2003) and sister Krissie (alumna of Montessori Institute of Milwaukee 2006 )

5) Team of Montessori De Manila school administrators who have been with us for 20 years(It's a family affair! I work alongside my mom, the Head Directress, my dad, the President, my sister, aunt and uncle!)

6) Families who gamely bought shirts for the whole brood and attended the festivities

7) MDM students

8) The actual walk -notice the parents, school bus drivers, conductors and cleaners (who formed a protective barrier between the students and the road!) and kibbitzers :)

9) Nearing school grounds again