Our Programs

Parent Resource Center

The PARENThesis blog is live. Please check it often for the latest information on workshops and current news about our school.

Click here for our 2011-12 school calendar.

Click here for a printable brochure of the Parent Resource Center (includes a calendar of all workshops!)

Click here for a printable one-page announcement of our workshop, Saturday, January 28- "Montessori in the Home"

Welcome to the Parent Resource Center

Located in room 104 of the Mayflower Early Childhood Center, The Parent Resource Center is a place for parents to reflect, to meet, and to borrow parenting books.

The Parent Resource Center is available as a drop-in center for parents of young children to seek support from other parents. Parents can browse the resources on the bulletin board and in the lending library. It is also available to MECC committees for meetings.

Find time at the beginning or end of your day to stop in and enjoy the inviting space that we’ve created!

The PRC Lending Library

The lending library at The Parent Resource Center features a collection of books about Montessori theory and about parenting a child in a Montessori classroom. There are also books about parenting issues, and essay collections about parenthood.

We’re currently seeking donations of parenting books. Please contact PRC coordinator Nanci Olesen with your (tax-deductible) donations.

Parent Workshops

During the school year, The Parent Resource Center conducts workshops on topics that are of interest to parents of young children. About half of our workshops deal with Montessori theory and practice. The other workshops deal with topics that emphasize the day-to-day challenges of parenting young children.

The Montessori Theory workshops help you understand the theories at work within the classroom. The Introduction to Montessori Materials workshops delve into the four areas of the classroom: Practical Life, Language, Sensorial, and Math. You’ll have an opportunity to observe a “presentation”—the method that is used to share the material with a child.

A deeper understanding of the materials and methods we use, as well as the theory behind those methods, can be helpful as you follow your child through his or her school year.

Workshops about day-to-day life with small children, such as “Time Management for Families” feature a lecture by a specialist on the topic, as well as an opportunity for discussion.

We’ve set up these workshops so that they occur at different times of the day. Some are in the late afternoon on Wednesdays, some in the early evening of Thursday, some on Friday mornings, and some on Saturday mornings. We’re hoping that by rotating the workshop schedule, parents can fit the workshops into their lives. If you are unable to attend a workshop, you will be able find the resources from that session here on the website.

And, there’s treats—coffee, tea, and something good to eat—at every workshop!

All workshops take place at Mayflower United Church of Christ and are open to the public, with a suggested donation of $5.00 per person.

The 2011-12 Parent Workshop Calendar will be posted here soon.

PARENThesis—The Parent Resource Center Blog

PARENThesis brings you a dose of parenting support, information and insight. There are links to essential Montessori websites and parenting websites, and there’s a fresh perspective on current and classic parenting topics. You can find PARENThesis at http://www.mayflowerchildren.org/blog.