Hello Lyonsgate Families,
The featured image is clementine/kiwi pumpkins Ms. Covic prepared for snack this past week. Fall is in the air and Halloween stories are starting to be shared. Please see below for updates from your children’s Montessori classrooms.
The Work of Toddlers:
During the first three years of a child’s life a tremendous amount of development occurs. There is a lot of effort and hard work happening. If we think about how far they have come, what skills they have already mastered and how much they have learned, it is truly astounding! This is why it is so exciting to watch young children grow and learn.
Coming into a new environment, adapting to a new routine, learning to trust new people, and make friends is not an easy task, but adapting to new environments is exactly what they have been doing since they were born.
In the last few weeks, we have witnessed the children making great strides towards independence. We work collaboratively with them in our environment, caring for them and our classroom. They are invited to help with whatever they are capable of doing — pulling up their pants after a diaper change, zipping up the zipper of their coat after it has been started, or even just closing the velcro of their shoes. They are very capable if they are given opportunities to try new things. By including them in the work of the daily routine we are letting them know that they are important, that we trust them with the responsibility of a job like clearing their plate. By participating in the daily work of the classroom their confidence grows along with their independence.
“It is only their bodies that are small, not their minds or their ability to do things.”
Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro, M.D., Understanding the Human Being, The Importance of the First Three Years of Life.
Ms. Gervais.
Hello Casa North Families,
“Please don’t rush me to write. I will soon. But right now, there are so many more important things for my hands to do!”
Montessori pedagogy tells us that, before a pencil is ever put into a child’s hands, those hands should dig, climb, press, pull, squish, twist, and pinch a wide variety of materials for a wide array of purposes. This exposure is essentially where “writing” begins in the Casa classroom: on the very first day, in our Practical Life area.
Our Practical Life area features a variety of controlled hand, fine motor, and pencil grip materials. We work left to right when pouring, spooning, sequencing any materials on our mat, to mirror the way we read & write.
Moving into our actual Language area, chalkboards and letter manipulatives precede writing on paper (to avoid the finite impression of pencil on the page, which feels impossible for the child to fix). We want confident, flowing writers by the time we get to paper!
Why is this relevant this week? Because our chalkboards are in full-effect in Casa North, with all age groups! What started as prompted writing practice (either line forms on a blank chalkboard, or connecting three letters on a wide-lined chalkboard) has taken on a life of its own, with our students finding fascination in practicing their letter & number symbols, erasing vigorously, and challenging themselves to form new symbols. Popular materials ebb & flow in our classroom, but lately, it has been chalkboards, which is very cool to see!
So, relish in any & all fine motor work your child is engaging in — when they are ready, their hand will be well-prepared, and ready to write spontaneously & with ease!
Best,
Ms. O’Sullivan, Mme. Murati & Ms. Canessa
Bonjour! Bon retour et pour nos nouvelles familles à Lyonsgate, BIENVENUE!
Nous voici déjà mi-octobre; c’est incroyable!
At the beginning of the school year, my primary focus is to help the children become comfortable and familiar with routines and expectations in the classroom.
I’m glad to say that the children are adjusting extremely well. I look forward to engaging the children with more French lessons, activities, songs, games and stories as we are now settled in.
Sincerely,
Madame Renée Perazzo
Last week, the Elementary students enjoyed exploring a variety of topics in biology, from learning about specific animals to considering the interactions of living things in coral reefs. Older students continued learning about different phyla of invertebrates, exploring the basic body parts of poriferans (sponges), and getting acquainted with cnidarians (e.g. anemones, jellyfish).
The class also enjoyed biology presentations from their peers. One student screened a short stop-motion video on turtles while another pair shared their research poster about otters. They even demonstrated the difference in weight between baby and adult otters using a measure of sand for the baby (8 oz.) and a class member for the adult (approx. 70 lbs.)!
We also stopped to take pleasure in the plant life around us and capture the beauty of the season with leaf art. Some students enjoyed painting in watercolour over wax leaf rubbings while others made colourful leaf prints with tempera. The children took great delight in choosing fallen leaves from the backyard for their artwork.
Community Fridge
We have added a new task to the list of contributions students can make to the classroom! At the end of each week, produce items leftover from the week’s snacks and community lunch are either stored for later use, or donated to the Locke Street Community Fridge.
Although the fridge is regularly stocked by generous members of the community, the need for fresh foods and pantry staples is often greater than what is available.
The Elementary campus will maintain an on-going food collection basket for families to donate to if and when they wish, and the students will deliver each week’s collection to the fridge on Stanley Avenue.
Please click here for the food donation guidelines for the Locke Street Community Fridge.
Thank you for helping the children find meaningful ways they can contribute to those members of our community in need!
