Cultural Night at Daycroft Montessori School Puts Preschool and Kindergarten Students a Step Ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ann Arbor, MI (February 11, 2010) – Tonight, on the eve of the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, preschool and kindergarten students at Ann Arbor’s Daycroft Montessori School participated in their own program of Olympics-themed music, food, and fun – and learned more about the diverse cultures of the world.
The occasion was Cultural Night, held each year on a February evening in the gymnasium at Daycroft’s Elementary Campus on Zeeb Road.
Students from Daycroft’s Preprimary Campus on Oakbrook Drive traveled to the school’s Zeeb facility to conduct the hour-long program for Daycroft families and friends. The annual event gives attendees the opportunity to see the Daycroft’s educational approach in action.
Cultural Night has a different theme each year, though always celebrating cultural diversity. For example, last year’s “Safari Adventure” provided a world tour by focusing on the animals distinctive to the world’s continents.
A World Tour through Sports
Tonight’s Cultural Night program began at 6:30 pm with Daycroft Oakbrook’s kindergarten students, each having a speaking part, telling a brief history of the Olympic Games. Following this was Daycroft’s own version of the Olympics torch-lighting ceremony, in which students introduced the countries from all parts of the globe that were featured in the Cultural Night program: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Norway, Russia, South Africa, and the USA.
The program’s Opening Ceremonies featured a martial arts demonstration by the students in Daycroft Oakbrook’s after-school Karate Club. The school’s kindergarteners then introduced five particular Olympic sports: bobsledding, curling, hockey, ice dancing, and snowboarding. Daycroft’s preschoolers performed songs and motions to characterize the featured sports.
A program highlight was the ice dancing-like performance, choreographed with the help of Anuja Rajendra, a Daycroft parent of two, who has consulted with the Ann Arbor and Canton, MI-based ice dancing teams soon to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Rajendra is the owner, CEO, and guiding spirit of Bollyfit (www.bollyfit.com), an area exercise provider whose classes incorporate Indian folk, classical, and Bollywood dance styles into its fitness classes.
Celebrating Cultural Diversity
Cultural diversity was reflected in the program participants’ attire. Preschool students wore scarves in the colors of the countries they represented. Kindergarteners wore white t-shirts with a red maple leaf to signify the 2010 Winter Olympics’ host nation of Canada. Daycroft Oakbrook’s teachers and administrators were dressed amusingly as the USA skiing team.
After a final musical performance, students were awarded medals, and all in attendance feasted on dishes brought to pass by parents. The delicious food represented the distinctive cuisines of the program’s featured countries.
Just before the Cultural Night program and just after, attendees toured Daycroft’s Zeeb Road campus and met the school’s teachers and administrators.
Michele Buchanan, Daycroft’s preprimary director, and Joann Erbes, a co-head teacher in Daycroft Oakbrook’s kindergarten class, coordinated this year’s Cultural Night program, with assistance from all teachers at the school’s Preprimary Campus. “Tonight’s program,” said Erbes, “was just one way we celebrate cultural diversity at Daycroft. Today our youngest students brought us all along on a brief tour of the world. Now, as they continue with us here at Daycroft, they can expect to learn much more about all of the wonderful cultural characteristics and traditions that make up our global community.”
About Daycroft Montessori School
Daycroft Montessori School blends the distinctive student-centered teaching methods of Maria Montessori with traditional and progressive teaching methods. Daycroft thus accomplishes its educational mission: to provide a personalized learning environment that appreciates individual differences, nurtures the whole child, and enables students to develop at their own pace and achieve to their full potential.
Daycroft is one of Washtenaw County's leading independent schools. It began as a preschool program in 1968. Daycroft has since grown to include a full-day kindergarten program, an elementary school program through 6th grade, before-school and after-school care, summer camp programs, and enrichment classes.
Daycroft has earned accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS; www.isacs.org). It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS; www.nais.org) and is affiliated with the American Montessori Society (AMS; www.amshq.org).
Daycroft Preprimary School (preschool and kindergarten) is at 100 E. Oakbrook Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Phone: (734) 930-0333.
Daycroft Elementary School (grades K through 6) and Daycroft's administrative offices are at 1095 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Phone: (734) 662-3335.
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