Hello Lyonsgate Families,
March Break starts next week. Lyonsgate will be closed March 13-24. We have a couple of notes for both before and after March Break:
- The Elementary Open Classroom is today, Monday, March 6, from 3:15-4:15. This is an opportunity for family members to visit the classroom and see samples of their child’s work.
- Casa Graduation Photos: Casa students in their third year and who are finishing the Casa program in June will have graduation photos taken on Friday, March 31.
See updates below from your children’s Montessori levels.
Hello Toddler Families,
This week, we have had the great pleasure of having some snow and ice stay on the ground, which has opened up many opportunities for fun and maximum effort. We noticed many children were eager to get outside and explore with their hands and, of course, the shovels, which gave us the idea to move all of our snow from one end of the yard to the other, and that meant many children were engaged in some serious gross motor development! We also made little paths by breaking up the ice and clearing it away so friends could easily navigate themselves around the yard, which led to watching how water flows and how ice and snow melt. Many children discovered that they do not like the sensation of how the cold snow feels on their hands and became more insistent on wearing their mittens outside (and keeping them on). This weekend, try and take advantage of the coming snow and allow your children to get outside and experience how much fun winter can be by letting them help you shovel, build a snow fort, taking a sleigh ride, or simply just reveling in the beauty of it all.
Mme Craigie.
Peer learning can take many forms. These forms may include observation and imitation, peer tutoring, and collaborative learning. These types of learning are inherently a part of a Montessori environment. Here, children are free to work together and often do, especially as they become older and more socially inclined.
Research (and personal experience) shows that children often learn from observing and then imitating others. The hands-on nature of Montessori work enables learning by observing and then taking steps to repeat what they have seen and heard. All children in a Casa environment, whether they are two, three, four, five, or six, are aware of what their classmates are doing and constantly adapting their behaviour and interaction as they observe each other.
Situations in which children learn from their peers are beneficial to both the tutor and the child being tutored. Children who actively teach others gain a better understanding of the topic or activity, as well as become more engaged and interested. Teaching always involves learning; learning allows a child many opportunities to teach. This is a great strength of our mixed age classrooms.
Children participating in collaborative learning engage in higher levels of reasoning, gain knowledge of different perspectives, and of course also enjoy the pleasure of working in a partnership or team. While these interactions are not without bumps along the way, they always result in plenty of cognitive, social, and frequently, physical development.
The teaching and learning that we observe and share in are non-stop!
Ms. Robinson.
This week’s update is from our wonderful physical education teacher, Damien Bouquin! We look forward to seeing everyone after school today at our Open Classroom event. Please join us anytime between 3:15-4:15 to explore samples of the children’s work this term.
The Importance of Movement
We need to take care of our bodies as this is the only place we will ever live in.
In our Physical Education classes, emphasis is put on developing gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, balance, cardiovascular endurance, teamwork, persistence, as well as good sportsmanship in a positive and enjoyable environment.
Creating foundational physical movement skills for future and/or current sport activity is a component of our classes. Students have been introduced to Track and Field, in which they were able to practice gross motor skills and build resilience, interest, effort, and stamina. Over the course of the sessions, times were recorded and students were impressed with themselves as they witnessed the progress they made. Within Physical Education classes, I work on transmitting and fostering a genuine interest in physical activity. I provide students the tools they need to build critical skills such as hand-eye coordination, foot-eye coordination, spatial awareness, as well as control of the body.
Creating a safe and positive environment is the number one priority. It is important that all students feel comfortable while exercising. I work at the level of each child, creating exercises to grow their independent skills alongside their peers. Our physical education lessons are not built to be competitive. Instead, the main goal is to develop skills and healthy habits. Nevertheless, it can sometimes happen that games include opposition. I ensure all students congratulate each other at any opportunity, to support the development of self-confidence and good sportsmanship.
On campus, students are able to access a variety of physical education materials such as skipping ropes, basketballs, exercise dice, and soccer balls. Giving the opportunity to practice exercising on a daily basis and throughout the day is critical, as it allows students to make responsible choices and helps them regulate their energy when necessary. During the winter, most of our physical education sessions are happening indoors, whether that may be held at Karate Dojo, Indoor Rock Climbing, Cricket (at Soccer World), or Dancing at McMaster.
“Movement, or physical activity, is thus an essential factor in intellectual growth, which depends upon the impressions received from outside. Through movement we come in contact with external reality, and it is through these contacts that we eventually acquire even abstract ideas.”
~ Maria Montessori – The Secret of Childhood
“Children develop their brains as well as their bodies through movement, and in the process of concentration, self-discipline, and perseverance with an active interest, the foundations of character are laid. To give our children a fine start in life we must see that their surroundings satisfy their need for activity and development, remembering at the same time that our own part is not that of instructor and interferer but of helper and friend.”
~ Maria Montessori – Maria Montessori Speaks to Parents
“The child seeks for independence by means of work; an independence of body and mind.”
~ Maria Montessori – The Absorbent Mind
M Bouquin.
