Hello Lyonsgate Families,
Sorry your update is a bit later than usual; we’ve had quite the spate of illness amongst both students and staff over the last week. It will happen in any school setting, but please remember to use the school screening tool and to follow all requirements it contains. Thank you.
Please read below for some wonderful updates from your children’s Montessori classrooms.
The cold & flu season is upon us!
Thank you to all you parents who kept their children home last week so they could recover from the nasty cold that went around our classroom. Please remember to do the screening each morning before coming to school and to keep your children home when they are unwell.
Also, please consult the weather report and send appropriate clothing. Dig out those mitts and hats! We had some cold, windy days last week!
Toddler Parent Education Event:
- Thursday, November 4, 3:00-3:30, in the Toddler classroom.
- All Toddler parents are invited to learn about “Movement and the Mind.”
Thank you,
Ms. Gervais.
Hello Casa North Families,
Are you on Seesaw noticing your child exploring with materials? Perhaps something that used to be flat on the table is now being toted around the classroom, or on a mat being compared to other materials, or being manipulated in some other way?
Well, good! Because Maria Montessori tells us that PLAY IS THE WORK OF THE CHILD.
Creative expression & play is how we take pride in our work; as Montessorians, we encourage play in all its forms!
A child in exploration has grasped a concept, applied it to their own life, and further expanded their understanding. When the Colour Tablets curve to become a rainbow; when the like-surfaces of the Pink Tower & Brown Stairs meld to become a skyscraper; when the bells play a song instead of just an ordered scale — this is all your child’s way of taking what they’ve learned and further challenging their gross motor, fine motor, discrimination of senses, literacy skills, social skills/sharing, and their application to their own world.
An excellent example of exploration came from a 1st year Casa North student this week while working with the Rough & Smooth Boards. He felt the rough patch on the board and confidently exclaimed, “it feels like asphalt!”
That same child later explored with both the Pink Tower & Brown Stairs, building vertically, alternating prisms and cubes. When he reached the very top of the tall tower, he left his work to retrieve the rough “asphalt” board to balance atop, just as a roof would sit. What a wonderful real-world connection to make!
Play & exploration not only cements concepts and provides opportunities for further extensions & creativity, but they create a love of learning! Fun & learning need to go hand-in-hand to make long-lasting impressions for the child.
Reminders:
- Photo Day is this upcoming Thursday, October 27th. Come dressed in your best outfits!
- Next Monday is Halloween. Your child is welcome to wear orange & black that day, though it is not required. No costumes please & thank you.
Best,
Ms. O’Sullivan, Mme. Murati & Ms. Canessa
Greetings from Casa South,
This week’s update includes information about day-to-day practical matters. Please help your child dress appropriately for going out in the day’s weather. With colder weather upon us this means hats, jackets, and mittens, and on rainy days, a raincoat and boots. If your child likes using an umbrella (and who doesn’t!) please take it with you at drop off time rather than have them bring it onto the playground. Clothing that is easy for them to change in and out of throughout the day fosters independence and helps them feel competent. And as always, label each item of clothing with your child’s name if you want it returned :).
We realize that mornings can be a busy time, however, arriving on time each day allows your child time to connect with all the Casa students, plus provides opportunities for co-operative and large motor movement. It also helps them come to an understanding of following a schedule. This school year drop off time is between 8:00 and 8:45.
And finally, last Friday your child took their work folders home for the first time. These contain any paper work completed during the previous few weeks. You may find many, many paintings, collages, number or writing booklets, or what one parent called “confetti.” These tiny scraps of paper have been laboriously cut by small hands learning to use scissors for the first time. Whatever you find inside, your child will be able to share how they worked on it. There may be times when the folder is empty — do not fear that your child has not been very busy in the classroom. Most of the work they do involves more concrete materials, and we haven’t yet found a folder large enough to contain a set of Red Rods. When a folder goes home, have a look through it with your child and return it the following school day ready for more creations.
Thank you as always for your support. We hope to see you on November 3rd for our next Parent Education afternoon.
See you at the gate,
Ms. Robinson
Stepping into the elementary classroom, you will likely encounter a room full of students buzzing about doing a variety of activities. At any time, students may be creating works of art, researching new interests, practicing their jump shot, or collaborating with friends to solve a math problem. The elementary years are the sensitive period for adapting to a specific culture, to become aware of what it means to be human, to learn of our most significant discoveries and innovations, and explore how our history has unfolded.
The elementary curriculum sets a course for us to follow, but the students may lead us in novel directions — sometimes into uncharted territory! We offer each lesson as a seed of interest, knowing that the seed may develop differently in each child. First, it is nurtured through a series of lessons with a guide, and then it is left in the care of the student. The child may choose to help it take root in their memory with practice, sprout into different branches with related activities, and blossom into a deeper understanding over time. To support this process, guides offer lessons, describe the necessary follow-up work for students to practice, make suggestions for extensions of the work, and encourage the children to design new explorations for themselves.
Last week, we observed students pursuing many different interests: sketching the architecture of columns in Ancient Rome, discovering varieties of jellyfish, comparing geometric shapes, researching how to bake a pie, and composing spooky stories ahead of Halloween. They played board games in French, raked leaves in the garden, and learned to smash avocados in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure to be shared with friends.
We can’t wait to see what the week ahead will bring! Wishing you a Happy Diwali,
Marissa and Michelle.
