The South Lake Montessori School continues to focus on inspiring creativity for their students to celebrate art, creativity, history, culture, life and all aspects of learning. The arts have always been a mainstay at Montessori. With a lack of field trips and special guest speakers this past year due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions, they have shared many exciting new opportunities and alternative experiences with their students. They were inspired to use their own visual creativity, while sharing their own interpretive studies in art, science, culture and history.

Outdoor Art Museum: Their second annual art project and outdoor museum exhibit are displayed now with educationally-based art projects. They have studied famous artists’ lives, their artwork and their varied art techniques, including Salvador Dali, Van Gogh, Matisse, Cezanne, Da Vinci, Edward Hopper and Georgia O’Keefe. The students replicated famous artwork and the techniques by these artists with their own creative versions. The students were able to use acrylic paints, pastels, watercolors, pencils, chalks or any visual medium they wanted. Student art is now hanging on their outdoor backyard fence as well as at the South Lake Art League.

Creative Art Assignments: Elementary Instructor Tracy McCoy noted, “Each student was assigned to create at least 3 different pieces of artwork in various mediums. It is important for the children to know about famous artists, art history and where the different art techniques come from. We want the students to learn how to best appreciate art, while blending it into their studies of music and culture. For example, we taught them about DaVinci’s famous ‘Contrapposto Technique’ where the body faces one way and the head faces the opposite direction. They were able to learn about how many of the most famous artists were friends and competitors as well as to learn about impressionism, surrealism and many other modern art styles while attempting to make personal connections with their art presentations.” Other students yelled, “We all love it here – it’s like family!”, “Montessori is an important part of who I am!” and “I’m the happiest person here!”

Student Comments: Student Kiley noted, “I really liked this art project. It helped me learn how to express my artwork in different ways. My favorite and most colorful medium is acrylic paint.” Patrick added, “Art takes time! You can’t rush artwork! I worked with pieces by Salvador Dali, Wangechi Mutu and Edward Hopper. I have really enjoyed creating my own artwork at home and at school.” Evelyn shared, “I really like Georgia O’Keefe and all of her flowers.  Radley added, “I like abstract and surrealism art. I learned how Dali painted what he perceived and saw in his dreams.”

The Montessori Method: As an AMI-recognized school, Jan Sheldon and her staff help children reach their fullest potential at their own pace. Led by Sheldon with Tracy McCoy and Emmanuella Rojas, the South Lake Montessori philosophy is a forward-thinking educational method. Instead of dividing their school children by grade, the South Lake Montessori classes place children in age groups from ages 3 to 6 and 6 to 12. There are no defined grades, yet their teachers train, observe, keep records and plan individual projects that ensure that each child is completely engaged to learn at his or her best pace. Classrooms help children develop their social skills while challenging them to learn to work together, with other students’ best interests in mind. Their staff uses extensive observation to creatively guide their children to learn and develop at their own pace. Sheldon notes, “A respect for your child’s dignity and ability is a critical element of all we do. While the basics are taught, our teachers encourage children to explore other styles of learning and expression, from artistic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and intuitive techniques.” As well as encouraging children to find answers and solutions to many defined challenges, their instructors are trained to ask thought-provoking questions rather than to merely provide answers and solutions. They feel that discovering answers for themselves helps children to better develop their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Jan Sheldon & The Montessori Team: As owner and founder, California was her primary home state, while spending some of her childhood in Hawaii. Her father was in the Navy and her mother was a Social Editor of a San Diego newspaper. She fell in love with theatre and Shakespeare. After marriage, she and her husband Richard Judkins moved to Florida. In 1982, she became the first President of Lake County NOW Chapter — National Organization for Women. In 1983, she began working at the Lake Montessori school in Leesburg, Florida. In 1997, when her two sons were in middle and high school, she decided to open the South Lake Montessori School. Sheldon remains proud to have a diversely talented staff with McCoy and Rojas. Rojas is bilingual, fluent in Spanish and an American sign language expert. Montessori remains a very creative educational environment. They are licensed for up to 65 children. They have two classrooms, with one for primary students serving 3 to 6-year-olds and another one for elementary students serving 6 to 12-year-olds.

For More Information, make an appointment to visit the South Lake Montessori School, located at 983 West DeSoto Street in
Downtown Clermont, FL 34711. Call: 352-365-7212, email: slmsoffice13@gmail.com, like them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SouthlakeMontessori/ and visit: https://southlakemontessorischool.com/.

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I had just purchased a building at 983 West DeSoto Street in Downtown Clermont and was
preparing it for what would be the South Lake Montessori school. The inside of the schoolhouse was ready for class and a few children had already been enrolled. The only thing needing to be done on September 11, 2001, was the pouring of additional cement on the outside walkway.

On that morning, my assistant rushed from my office to inform me of the tragedy occurring at the Twin Towers in NYC.  I went outside to where my friend was pouring cement and asked him if he knew how to make a peace symbol. He reassured me that he did.  He told me he had placed the peace symbol on his helmet when he was in Vietnam. I asked him to draw the symbol in the newly poured cement.

Some of the children joined me on the deck to watch him make the symbol. As he was making it, a five-year-old student asked what he was doing. I said, “he’s making a symbol that stands for people who live and work together in harmony.“  One of the other children  said, “just like we do here, right Ms. Sheldon?”  It took everything I had to answer him without tears.

Little did I know that in years to come that peace symbol would remain where the children wait to be walked to their cars at the end of the school day. Each time I see that symbol etched in the pavement, I think about how those children kept me strong.

The COVID virus has made this a stressful time and I had forgotten that South Lake Montessori school (The Children’s House), is celebrating its 20th anniversary with lots of memories (some good and some to be reflected upon). Additional information at SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT.

For more information, visit their website at SOUTH LAKE MONTESSORI

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The South Lake Montessori School is progressively focused on inspiring creativity for their students to celebrate art, creativity, history, culture, life and all aspects of learning.

One of the most successful and fun new projects for its students is Postcrossing Cards. The Montessori team works with an international organization to facilitate their students sending and receiving mailed postcards from random people around the world. This safe and secure system allows the students to share messages, photographs, art and information with others across the globe while learning about other cultures. Tracy McCoy of South Lake Montessori School says, “Our kids love it! It has really helped them to learn about people and places from other countries. We have created a Postcrossing Board to share all of the letters we receive. Besides, learning about other cities, landmarks and people, some of our children have had fun sharing information about prehistoric dinosaurs, their cats, favorite books, special events and more. Plus, we have created a map to pin all of the places we have learned about from these internationally shared postcards.”

With a lack of field trips and special guest speakers this past year due to the COVID pandemic restrictions, they have still shared many new opportunities and experiences. Another extraordinary program is their annual art carnival and exhibit with educationally-based arts and crafts projects. They have studied famous artists’ lives, their artwork and their varied art techniques. The students have tried to replicate the famous artwork and the techniques with their own versions. The students were able to use paints, pastels, oils, watercolors, pencils and chalks. Some reproductions were done with a simple grid technique, while others were done by eye. Student art was hung on an outdoor backyard fence as well as inside the school. They also were able to create 3-D Triaramas to bring visual creativity into play, while sharing studies in art, science, culture and history.

They have been using a large Timeline of Life to teach the story of life from single-cell organisms, to dinosaurs, mammals and humans. The students were creatively inspired to share their learning through sidewalk and driveway chalk art projects. The South Lake Montessori children are regularly exposed to theatre with opportunities to write scripts, dance, play music, study lighting and stage, act in plays, practice public speaking and performing character roles. They annually celebrate World Culture Day. Students select countries to share typical dress, music, dance and foods while using their own family connections. Their students have often been invited to participate in the local Moonlight Players performances. There are productive student-led weekly meetings with Class Presidents and Vice Presidents to discuss all school projects, policies, challenges, and potential future new opportunities.

The Famous Montessori Method: Jan Sheldon and her staff help children reach their fullest potential at their own pace. The South Lake Montessori philosophy is a leading idea in education. Instead of dividing their school children by grade, the South Lake Montessori classes place children in age groups from ages 3 to 6 and 6 to 12. Classrooms help children develop their social skills while challenging them to learn to work together, with other students’ best interests in mind. Their staff uses extensive observation to guide and help children learn and develop at their own pace. The child’s dignity and ability is a critical element at the school. While the basics are taught, teachers encourage children to explore other styles of learning and expression, from artistic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and intuitive techniques. There are no defined grades, yet their teachers train, observe, keep records and plan individual projects that ensure that each child is completely engaged to learn at his or her best pace. The school encourages children to find answers. The instructors are trained to ask questions rather than to merely provide answers and solutions. Discovering answers for themselves helps children develop self-esteem and self-confidence.

Jan Sheldon, owner of the South Lake Montessori School, says her primary home state is California, while spending some of her childhood in Hawaii. Her father was in the Navy and her mother was a Social Editor of a San Diego newspaper. She fell in love with theatre, especially Shakespeare. After marriage, she and her husband Richard Judkins moved here to Florida. In 1982, she became the first President of Lake County NOW Chapter — National Organization for Women. In 1983, she began working at the Lake Montessori school in Leesburg, Florida.   “In 1997, my two boys were in middle and high school, so I decided to open the South Lake Montessori School”, said Sheldon.  The South Lake Montessori School started out with primary only, teaching 3 to 6-year-olds. In 1994, Sheldon also started the Moonlight Players. She was president of Moonlight for 20 years before she stepped down. She is now President Emeritus.

In 2003, Sheldon hired Tracy White McCoy as her elementary teacher after meeting at a theatrical performance they worked on together. Sheldon notes, “I met Tracy when she was about 15 when we performed in Annie. She is still our elementary teacher and she’s one of the most talented and intelligent people I know. She brings a lot of theatrical joy to her job.”

Sheldon is proud to have a diversely talented staff with Chris Gonzalez and Emmanuella Rojas. Gonzales is part of the primary staff and a specialist in linguistics. Rojas is bilingual, fluent in Spanish and an American sign language expert

South Lake Montessori remains a very creative educational environment. Due to Covid, they are only half full with registered students at this time. They are licensed for up to 65 children. They have families coming with students from all over Florida to this Clermont school location because they have AMI recognition. They have two classrooms, one for primary students serving 3 to 6-year-olds and one for elementary students serving 6- to 12-year-olds.

To learn more, go to Get to Know Jan Sheldon

For More Information, make an appointment to visit the South Lake Montessori School, located at 983 West DeSoto Street in
Clermont, FL 34711, call: 352-365-7212, email: slmsoffice13@gmail.com and visit: https://southlakemontessorischool.com/.

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