Parent Orientation

Ventriloquist Winston Pearson Performs With Purpose

Pastor, husband, father of seven, saxophone player and….ventriloquist? Winston Pearson is all of the above. He started ventriloquism during covid, saying with a laugh, “I never thought I would be playing with puppets in my 40’s.” Pearson visits MLK Montessori School once a month to perform for students while teaching about emotions as well as black history. 

When Greg Andrews, a grandparent of an MLK student came to Pastor Pearson with a request for mentors at MLK, Winston knew he wanted to bring his family of puppets to the children. His ventriloquism is a ministry that seeks to accomplish a special goal- shaping the future. Pearson says, “Ministering and mentoring young people guarantees great futures. If you want to shape the future, you shape the children.You have the power to make sure the future looks a certain way.”

The children look forward to his visits and learn important lessons along the way. Pearson believes children respond so well because they still have the gift of imagination. “Children have not lost their imagination. Imagination is God’s gift to help them see who they can be in the future.” 

Pearson’s performances have a very special purpose: to teach children about dealing with their emotions. The topics range from handling frustration properly to understanding and naming what emotions they are truly feeling. Pearson says, “Children learn how to compress their emotions. If we can get to them now, they can live an authentic life.” This is important at MLK and other schools due to the emotional and mental impact the pandemic has left on children. Schools across the world are seeing an increased need for social and emotional skills training for young children. 

In addition, Pearson uses his puppets to teach black history at MLK. The school has intentionally decided that black history month is every month. This includes everything from class lessons and school-wide activities to Pearson’s visits. The puppets have taught about MLK, Rosa Parks, Alfred L. Kralle, inventor of the ice cream scoop and Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the super soaker. As for his own legacy, Pearson hopes that it will be “Teaching people how to reach their dreams without compromising who they are. You can be who God created you to be and you don’t have to compromise that.”

Pastor Pearson is enthusiastic when describing his work at the school. “I finally found a school that encourages a child to learn at the rate they are supposed to, lets them be who they are supposed to be and teaches them how to use their emotions the right way. MLK is a very unique and involved school.” 

To book Pastor Winston Pearson for a performance, find him on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, winstonpearson260@gmail.com or 260-267-2937. 

Dr. McKinney, PHD Visits MLK

Dr. McKinney, PHD visited MLK to talk to teachers about STEM camp’s biology lessons. She was excited to hear how students were learning hands-on about the stages of development of chicks and ducks from egg to hatch to feeding, heating and watering. She talked about how students learn through building on foundations of knowledge, called scaffolding. She gave teachers STEM related biology lessons including how to extract DNA from a strawberry. Dr. McKinney is a teacher and Chair of her department at the Center for Academic Success at Nebraska.

Spirit Week

MLK Montessori is celebrating the “Week of the Young Child” with Spirit Week April 11th-15th.

PJ Monday-Come in your comfortable pajamas and slippers (please send an extra pair of shoes to wear outside.)

Toon Tuesday- Wear your favorite cartoon character or superhero outfit.

Wacky Wednesday- Dress as wacky/silly/crazy as you can.

Rainbow Thursday- Wear the colors of the rainbow.

Good Friday- Enjoy your day off.

MLK Montessori School Welcomes Ms. Jessica Phiri

MLK Montessori School is proud to warmly welcome Ms. Jessica Phiri to our team of talented teachers and staff. Ms. Jessica comes to the school with experience and expertise in teaching English and early literacy. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree in 2010 and became a licensed educator in 2016. 

Ms. Phiri states, “I have worked in education the majority of my adult life. I believe it is my calling. My family experienced generational poverty and I was determined, even as a young child, to get an education and break the cycle. I believe when you do something like that, you are then called to go back and help others in the way you were helped. Education helped save my life and I believe it can help save others, too.”

Ms. Phiri has a deep passion for reading and writing. She has published articles in The Waynedale News and The Post and Mail, along with magazines, Fort Wayne Family and Fort Wayne Parenting. She also published a short story in the compilation book, “Living Lessons” edited by Lynn C. Johnston.  

“I believe children who read have a much greater chance at success and the research truly shows this to be the case. When children are taught to love reading, they will embrace it. When children are taught that reading is boring and no good, their teachers will struggle to entice them into finding books they will enjoy. I think that parents and caregivers can absolutely instill a passion for reading from a very young age. When children hear their parents and teachers sing the songs in an early childhood reader or express the different voices in a story book, they are engaged in active imagination which opens up the brain to a love of learning.” Ms. Phiri expressed. 

As a champion of literacy at the school, Ms. Phiri will be writing short blogs on the school website to help parents to foster early literacy in simple ways. Parents can also participate in our “Snuggle Night” Friday, March 18th from 5pm-7pm. Students will pick 2-3 new books to take home and the school will provide pizza. Parents will be able to snuggle with their child/ren with some fascinating stories and a meal.