Lyonsgate Weekly Update | April 26, 2019
Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,
Thank you to all of you that were able to attend the Parent Education evening last night. It was wonderful to see so many Lyonsgate parents being actively involved in learning more about how Montessori education works and understanding how your children work to acquire knowledge. For those that couldn’t make it, we understand. Life is busy and there are other evening activities and sometimes we’re just tired and once we’re home for the night, that is where we’re staying. We will have another series of Parent Education evenings for you next year. We have been planning the school calendar for the 2019-2020 school year over the last few weeks and once everything is finalized we’ll get it you so plans and schedules can be made.
If you ever have Montessori related questions, whether it’s something your children are talking about, something you see in the weekly photos, something you see in the classroom, or something you are curious about how Montessori approaches and teaches, please don’t hesitate to ask. We love talking about Montessori.
Reminder: please refrain from sending candy or chocolate to school around holidays (such as Easter — the chocolate holiday!). Thank you.
This Week:
Toddler:
One of the most rewarding aspects of the Montessori environment is its sense of community, and within it the partnership between home and school. We always encourage parents to maintain consistency at home by supporting creativity, maintaining order, fostering independence, and modeling positive behaviour. It is always refreshing to receive a note or an email providing updates on the children’s latest development at home — it shows that our observations and recommendations are valued; it also encourages us to adjust the environment to fulfill the child’s current need. We value the partnership and support of parents in providing a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment to encourage each child’s holistic development.
We thank you for your participation in last night’s education evening as we discussed the importance of Practical Life activities in early childhood development. The Practical Life exercises prepare the child for the everyday activities of their life, producing a contributing, independent member of their world. Your participation in the bread baking proved to be successful! The children collectively expressed their delight in its taste. — Ms. Dee
“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experience in the environment.” — Dr Maria Montessori.
Casa
Casa South: Thank you to all the parents who came to our Parent Education night last night. It is always so nice to connect and talk about Montessori philosophy and practice. We know that you all have busy lives and we appreciate your participation in our community!
As promised, here is the link to an article about the new World Health Organization guidelines about children under 4 and screen time.
As always, if you have any questions or comments I would love to hear them! This topic is definitely discussion worthy! — Ms. Moffatt
Casa North: First and foremost, I want to extend very warm and positive feelings of gratitude for our community. We had a great turnout for our Parent Education evening where we discussed the Casa-aged child as a sensorial learner and how to manage technology as a possible obstacle to the absorbent mind. We were able to come together to discuss Montessori, talk about some of the materials in the classroom and their purposes, and chat about your amazing children. Thank you for attending — we look forward to having an even greater turnout next year.
Making a connection between home and school is so important, not only for consistency (which is extra important in these early formative years) but to model to the child that there is trust and unity amongst the adults in their lives. We all have different pieces of the puzzle. When your child comes to school each day, I’m not there to experience the morning. I don’t see how bed time or breakfast pans out. In the same regard, you aren’t in the classroom to see how they are socializing, working, choosing, or simply being at school. This is the reality of our society, and so we must do what we can to really connect with each other (when possible!).
One of the goals I have each year is to model appropriate, healthy, and supportive relationships amongst adults (between myself and the classroom assistants, and myself and the parents/grandparents of the children). Learning that I need to prepare myself to set the best possible example for the children each day is something that the Montessori philosophy has really brought positively into my life. When you attend a parent education evening, the end-of-the-year picnic, or a Show and Share, it connects your child’s two worlds in a way that is most meaningful to them.
Thank you for spending your Thursday evening with us — we know it can be tricky to navigate and can be stressful with work/other priorities, but I can’t stress enough how appreciated it is. We look forward to welcoming you into the classroom for observations next month! — Ms. Boyle
Elementary:
Thank you to all the parents who joined us for our final Parent Education evening of the year to hear more about the Geography curriculum and catch our first screening of the student film “Welcome to Lyonsgate!” It is so wonderful to gather parents together from time to time in the children’s space, with the opportunity to socialize with each other and connect with the materials and lessons presented to the students.
This week, group lessons from Geography included explorations of the hottest and coldest times of day in relation to planetary rotation, and examining the effects of water erosion under different conditions. The students love to share new discoveries, repeat simple demonstrations, and get their hands dirty! They are intrigued by stories of how natural forces and events shape human experiences through history, as well as their own daily experiences, but the greatest joy in these explorations is that of working together.
I hope you all can make the best of the wet spring weather and get out exploring the physical beauty of Hamilton and the immense power of water in shaping in our city. — Marissa
Coming Up:
Parent Observations will take place in the Casa and Elementary Montessori environments between May 6 and June 4. Observations in your child’s classroom are 20 minutes in duration and occur during the morning work cycle. Before your observation, please review the Observation Guidelines for Casa, and/or for the Elementary program.
Please click the relevant link(s) below to schedule your observation(s):
- Casa North: Click here to schedule in Casa North (Ms. Boyle).
- Casa South: Click here to schedule in Casa South (Ms. Moffatt).
- Elementary: Click here to schedule in Elementary.
