Blog

Middle School: A Week in Review

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

It’s been a great week in Middle School. We are diving into classes, and the students are enthusiastic about the year!

Humanities

We began the year in Humanities with all students giving summer reading presentations, reading and discussing poetry, writing, and activities that surround identity.

The 6th grade students used the poem, “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon to brainstorm and draft their own version of the poem about themselves. They also discussed the importance of editing and revising and created a reference guide to editing marks to use for the year.

The 7th year students brainstormed and created identity maps that include a variety of personal identifiers in a creative way.

The 8th grade also brainstormed for identity maps that they are working on in Art Humanities class. The 8th grade class also learned in depth about plot- parts of the plot line, types of conflict, and types of characters. This will be used in future literary analysis.

Science

6th year Earth Science students are on the unit, “Fossils, and Studying Earth’s Past.” The objective of this unit is for students to:

  • Define the term fossil and explain how fossils are formed.
  • Identify the major types of divisions of geologic time.
  • Use relative dating methods to place geologic events in a correct sequence.
  • Justify their choice to use absolute or relative dating techniques.
  • Explain how fossils provide evidence of evolution.
  • Explain how fossils provide evidence of past environmental changes.

Students have begun a fossil formation project using plaster of paris and items found around nature, representing the conditions required to create a fossil.

7th year Physical Science students are on the unit “Combining and Separating.” The objective of this unit is for students to:
  • Describe a mixture, a solution, and a pure substance.
  • Distinguish between solutions, colloids, suspensions, and mixtures.
  • Separate mixtures into their components using a variety of methods.

Students have demonstrated their ability to separate mixtures by using a variety of techniques (filtering, sifting, sorting) in order to classify a mixture, along with viewing samples of a mixture’s contents under microscopes.

8th year Life Science students are in the unit, “Cell Theory.” The objective of this unit is for students to:
  • Describe the three tenets of cell theory.
  • Describe evidence supporting the cell theory.
  • Use scientific tools to gather evidence in support of the cell theory.
  • Explain how both simple and complex organisms are composed of cells that perform essential functions.
  • Recognize the importance of microscopy in the discovery of cells.

Students are currently working on constructing a 3-D model representation of either a plant or animal cell. Each model will include the organelles, detailing the function and purpose.

Math
Welcome to Middle School Math! Students are off to a busy start with textbook distribution, completing their first homework questions, and practicing our note taking skills all in the first week. Ms. Sutherland is excited to learn and grow this year alongside these energetic middle school mathematicians.
In Transition class, students are using rational numbers to solve real world problems, graph and read values on a number line, as well as multiply by powers of ten. This class is working towards their first quiz on Tuesday, September 21st.
 
In Algebra class, students are using variables to: describe real world situations, be able to determine if expressions are equivalent, as well as identify the associative and commutative properties of multiplication/addition. This group of students are happy to be back working with one another in class.
 
In Geometry class, students are becoming familiar with using their postulate and theorem books to keep track of their new learning from Euclidean Geometry. This week they talked about distances on a number line, graphing points and planes on a coordinate grid, and defined the key properties of Synthetic Geometry.
 
As a general reminder; daily homework (lesson master worksheets) are due at the beginning of each class. Math Help Sessions are embedded into the Monday timetable for students to have an extra opportunity to work through any additional questions.
Math Joke: What do you call more than one L?  ………………………….A parallel!
We are looking forward to another full week! Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Hood’s Class: Slow and Steady!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

Your children have started to settle little by little. There are less tears everyday at drop off time and more dancing and giggles throughout the morning. As your children’s confidence and trust have increased, they have started to explore the environment more intentionally. Some of them  have even started to socialize with other peers. Songs that include children’s names have been introduced and some of the children like to repeat the names of their friends as a sign of social/emotional development.

As the children continue to use their freedom of movement and freedom of choice, some ground rules have been introduced. One of those rules is respect for other’s work. In traditional school settings children this age are encouraged and even expected to share. Sharing is a very important concept, but for children of this age it’s a task that they are not developmentally ready for. In our environment we encourage the concept of taking turns instead. This encourages patience, mindfulness, independence, order, and concentration. Children don’t feel threatened by the idea that another child will take their material away, instead they can peacefully work with the material until they are done. When children want to work independently we encourage them to say: “This is my work. Please don’t touch.” We also encourage the children to observe quietly how other children are working with a material. It’s so fun to see that even at this young age children are able to work on mastering these skills! They just need the encouragement to do so.

On another note, children had a blast exploring our toddlers’ fun outdoor space! This place offers way more than a free play area for your children! A lot of sensorial stimuli is continually offered! We would say the children’s smiles say it all! 🙂

Enjoy the pictures and have a happy weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Maria

Mrs. Semmah’s Class: Greetings!

Posted on by Kaoutar Semmah

Greetings!

We welcomed new friends and families this year (myself included!). The first week of the phase-in period helped the children with the transition to the new classroom. It is an absolute pleasure meeting your children, seeing their smiles, and getting some heart-warming hugs. This phase-in period is so helpful for a smooth transition for your children and for feeling safe in a new environment and getting to know their new teachers. The children were curious to explore the Montessori materials and share them with their friends. It was amazing to observe the children’s transition during this first week.

Thank you for all your support and we are looking forward to a wonderful school year!

Enjoy these back-to-school pictures!

As a gentle reminder, in order to streamline our dismissal process, we ask that you please stay in your car as a teacher is bringing your child over.  The teacher will assist the child into the car.  Please pull forward against the side of the building before exiting the car and buckling them in.  Thank you for your help!

Warm regards,

Mrs. Semmah and Ms. Sara

A Wonderful Return to School

Posted on by Gina Tryforos

Dear Families, 

As we complete our first (short) week of the 21-22 school year I want to take a brief moment to say thank you. Thank you for your patience as we work through any delays in the arrival and dismissal line, thank you for your support, and thank you for all you are doing at home to encourage and support the children to be ready for school each day. 

The children, especially our youngest students who are phasing in, have had such a remarkably smooth transition. I believe it is because all our students know that they have the unconditional support of their teachers, empowering them to ask questions when they are unsure, or to seek guidance when they feel they need it, further building their confidence and coping skills.  

With school in full swing next week, your children will likely be tired at the end of the day until they build up their stamina. You may want to consider bringing bedtime forward until they adjust. Sometimes parents see more tears at the beginning of the school year. This is fairly typical and may simply mean your child may need some extra attention and reassurance for a while. 

Below are a few reminders for a successful school year… 

Dress Code – For Middle School and Upper Elementary students, please review the dress code that is in the Parent Handbook. All parents are responsible for reading the Parent Handbook. 

COVID-19 Updates – We continue to follow the guidance coming from the State of CT, which remains an integral part of our FWM Healthy Initiatives.  We will continue to monitor local health metrics, review in-school data, and work closely with our school nurse and COVID-19 Coordinator to make appropriate, reasonable changes as we are permitted to do so in the future. 

I would also like to share with you why we believe Montessori is so valuable:

Maria Montessori created a curriculum we call the cultural curriculum. The cultural curriculum is grounded in the study of humanity, geography, and the interdependence of all living things. 

A Montessori education presents the world from “whole to part” which is an uncommon presentation. Typically, schools begin with the smallest aspect and try to expand as a child’s understanding grows. Dr. Montessori viewed the child as a piece of a greater whole and called upon us as educators to provide the children with BIG impressions about the world and human race in its entirety.

Children learn to recognize the basic needs of all people while learning to appreciate the diversity with which cultures around the world satisfy those human needs. 

Montessori children learn all they have in common with other people in the world, while at the same time, honoring individual differences. Dr. Montessori’s curriculum teaches basic human rights like freedom, dignity, safety, and equitable treatment for all. 

The classrooms are created on the principles of education and social justice. Montessori education fosters curiosity and respect for people across the continents, with an emphasis on the interconnectedness of all life.

The world of education has so much to gain from Maria Montessori’s unique view of the child and the classrooms we work to create for them. 

“…is no small undertaking, it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.” ~ Dr. Maria Montessori Education and Peace – Address in Copenhagen May 1937 

Please remember that I am always available to you. I sincerely welcome your conversation any time.

Warm regards,

Gina

Welcome Back!

Posted on by pduttkunzweiler

We would like to welcome back all of our returning children and families and extend a warm welcome to all of our new children and families.

September is always a time of excitement, yet with that comes anxiety and nervousness for many children and parents alike. We will do our best to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible and to ensure that each child feels loved, respected, and safe. Our peaceful school and caring teachers and staff go the extra mile to provide a welcoming environment. Our goal at FWM is for every child to leave with a life-long love for learning, the ability to collaborate with others, and the confidence, courage, and compassion to excel in life. Please contact me if you have any concerns.

I leave you with a poem,

A Poem for Parents: Nothing
When children come home at the end of the day,
The question they’re asked as they scurry to play is,
“What did you do at school today?”
And the answer they give
makes you sigh with dismay.
“Nothing, I did nothing today!”
Perhaps nothing means
that I played with blocks, counted to ten, or sorted some rocks.
Maybe I painted or learned to tie my shoe
Or learned what happens when you mix red and blue
Maybe I learned to tuck in my chair and put my work away
Or maybe I learned to be kind to a friend while I was playing outside today,
Maybe my scissors followed a line and I learned to write my name.
Maybe I learned some sounds or numbers or learned to play a new game,
Maybe I made a craft or sang a song from beginning to end,
Or maybe I learned to play with a special, brand new friend.
When you’re in preschool
And your heart has wings, “Nothing” can mean so many, many things.
(Author Unknown)

Upper El – Off to a Great Start!

Posted on by Karen Sankey

Welcome to a new school year! We had a great first week of school – getting to know new friends, establishing classroom and school routines, and building community by having fun.

We had our first of many weekly community meetings this week. We had two topics for discussion: deciding what our classroom jobs and responsibilities will be this year and drafting our Upper Elementary Rights and Responsibilities. Next week, we will each sign our class Rights and Responsibilities, agreeing to do our best to abide by each of them. Taking care of our classroom environment is another valuable part of our Montessori experience, and each week, students will share in that responsibility, taking turns doing each of our classroom jobs.

Four students shared their summer reading book reviews this week. We are looking forward to hearing the remaining reviews in the coming weeks. (If you need any guidance about this assignment that was sent home during the summer, please reach out and we can chat about the details.) The children were excited to have their first work cycle this week, during which they each had a spelling assessment, worked independently and with friends, some even already starting research on topics of interest.

I hope you have a nice weekend! It’s great to be back!

Mrs. Doyle’s Class: Swinging Into A New Year!

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

 

 

While our first week was a short one, it was also a very successful one. We know that the phase-in schedule can be difficult to manage but it really does allow us to set the tone for the year.  So, thank you for your patience and understanding.

It just a few short days, the children are beginning to learn how to navigate the environment as well as the routines of our day.  This is a work in progress and constantly evolving over the course of the year. We had a very smooth start and we are so excited to be part of this journey with all of the children and all of you!

The old adage “a picture speaks a thousand words” comes to mind when you see all the smiles on each child’s face.

As a gentle reminder, in order to streamline our dismissal process, we ask that you please stay in your car as a teacher is bringing your child over.  The teacher will assist the child into the car.  Please pull forward against the side of the building before exiting the car and buckling them in.  Thank you for your help!

Have a wonderful week!

Michelle & Liset

Mrs. Lopes’s Class: Off to a Great Start!

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

“A new school year means new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships, and new challenges.  The slate is clean and anything can happen.” -Denise Witmer

Even though our first week was short, you will see in the pictures how busy the children were!  We were impressed with how easily the children acclimated to the classroom environment, and the excitement of a new school year filled Ms. Heather and I with joy.  We look forward to working with you and your children this year!

As a gentle reminder, in order to streamline our dismissal process, we ask that you please stay in your car as a teacher is bringing your child over.  The teacher will assist the child into the car.  Please pull forward against the side of the building before exiting the car and buckling them in.  Thank you for your help!

Have a wonderful week!

Amanda and Heather