Blog

Mrs. Wilson’s Class: An Insight to Your Child’s School Life

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

We really enjoyed our time spent during conferences with you. It was a nice way to tell the story of your child’s life here at school and to hear what your child’s life is like at home. I loved hearing all the fun experiences they bring home to you. It is a beautiful validation of their learning.

Last Friday we juiced apples. The children each took a turn adding an apple to the juicer. The all seemed to be amazed watching the apple juice come out. They each were able to taste the fresh juice afterwards. It was really delicious! I would like to do this activity again through the year. I think it would be a fun way to sneak extra fruits and vegetables into their diet.

This week for food tasting the children enjoyed red peppers. There were only a couple of children who tasted them and decided a red pepper was not for them.

I hope you enjoy all the photos from our short week.
Mrs. Wilson, Miss Heather, and Miss Sara

Hammer Time!

Posted on by Jen Reid

  

In the Art Studio, second year students have been exploring the Art element of line in various ways. After working on a few projects using materials such as paint, markers, and collage on paper, students were asked to apply what they had learned about line so far to create a 3D project. 

Students were presented with the task of creating a sculpture that explored line in three-dimensional form using wooden blocks, wire, pipe cleaners, strips of paper, beads, buttons, and foam pieces. The only tools they could use to attach their materials to the wood block was a hammer and nails. After a demonstration and safety discussion about how to appropriately use and respect the tools, each young artist got to work. Some students began by coloring their block with paint markers, others bent pipe cleaners and paper strips in to zig-zaggy or wavy lines, and soon enough the classroom began to sound and look like a woodworking shop! 

The task of hammering nails into the wood to attach each part required increasing amounts of dexterity and coordination, yet it was so fun and rewarding that each child wanted to do it over and over! Some students made multiple sculptures while others worked diligently on one. Students who were timid toward these tools and materials at first, quickly turned the corner and gained a newfound confidence after some practice and focus. Their fine motor skills and problem solving abilities truly improved with each swing of the hammer. This kind of open-ended, process-oriented art is an endless opportunity for making choices, coming to conclusions, and evaluating results. Throughout the making of this project, each child became more comfortable with uncertainty and remained flexible thinkers, which is key for creativity and confidence!

Middle School: High Hopes

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

On Monday, October 21st, the entire middle school community traveled an hour on the bus to Sharpe Reservation in Fishkill, New York to enjoy a full day exploring the high-ropes obstacle courses and beautiful grounds. This was an opportunity for students to challenge themselves and work together as team members in difficult situations.

We were able to participate in three different, high-ropes courses. After learning how to properly wear a harness and call the appropriate commands, students were energetic and excited to try their best. One student said, “Playing games and having fun outside with our friends was the best way to start the year off.”

Aside from the ropes, this trip was a great chance for students to continue building relationships with others and get out of their comfort zone. We look forward to this trip again next year!

Mrs. Hood’s Class: A Mushy Experience!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

Maria Montessori believed that nothing comes into the mind except through the senses. During the early years, as children develop their senses, their attention is directed toward the environment. The purpose of the Sensorial activities is to help the child in their efforts to sort out the many varied impressions given by the senses. These activities are specifically planned to help the child develop discrimination, order, and to broaden and refine the senses. These experiences also help prepare them to be a logical, aware, and perceptive person.

As we started our pumpkin unit this week, children had the opportunity to explore the outside and inside of a pumpkin! Skin, pulp, strands, and seeds were new vocabulary words used to describe the parts of a pumpkin. They were so curious and amazed to find out what it was inside! Some of them expressed wonder and some of them didn’t know how to react. Some were so excited to explore by placing their hand all the way inside. Others touched the skin and seeds carefully and were quite skeptical. It was a mushy experience!

Another highlight of this short week was our new pumpkin art work. Children love to draw designs on a pumpkin but the most fun part of it all was using the wet microfiber towel to erase and clean the pumpkin. It seemed that children really enjoyed seeing the pumpkin shining at the end of their work!

The favorite book this week was Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry and the favorite song was Waiting For the Elevator by Laurie Berkner.

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with us during our Parent- Teacher Conferences! It was a great experience to share the notes of progress, areas of growth, and the fun stories that make us love our job even more! Your children are precious to us!

We are excited to welcome a new student and family to our class. We hope you have the opportunity to meet them and welcome them to our FWM family very soon.

See you next week!

Motivated Learners

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

 

One of the beautiful parts of a Montessori work cycle is the autonomy and independence that happen so naturally. The different types of work that go on in the classroom simultaneously are an example of this. How wonderful is it that the children have freedom and responsibility to plan their work day and work together with their peers? One of my favorite parts about an Elementary Montessori classroom is that you see children constantly collaboratively learning with and from one another on a daily basis. There are many benefits to this work. Working with a friend teaches children patience, respect for another’s strengths and challenges, and the give and take while compromising while collaborating.

The small bead frame is a current classroom favorite! It is a math material which can be used to add, multiply, and subtract. Students use this before moving to abstraction when completing math problems for most operations. Another loved math material is test tube division. This material helps clarify the analytic procedure of the operation. Here, the result is not simply to find the answer, but also to find out the hierarchical value of the beads (the dividend) given to each single unit of the divisor.

Mrs. Doyle’s Class: To Infinity and Beyond!

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

We are beginning our study of the solar system. Bringing some of the wonders of the universe to the children is exciting and one of their favorite units that we study. By nature, children are inquisitive, observant, and eager to learn about the world around them.  A child’s concrete thinking, understanding, and desire to label and name everything they learn about, makes this a wonderful unit of study.

We begin by discussing what the children think the Solar System is. We know that as we look up at the sky during the day we can see the sun and at night time we can see the moon, stars, and some planets.  We learned about the largest star, the sun.  It is made of gas and gives us light and heat. Our sun is the center of our solar system, with planets circling around it.  The children then learned the names of the planets, in order from the sun.  We also learned fun facts about each planet and will do hands-on activities to explain revolution and rotation.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Michelle & Jeannine

Mrs. Lopes Class: To Infinity and Beyond!

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

We are beginning our study of the solar system. Bringing some of the wonders of the universe to the children is exciting and one of their favorite units that we study. By nature, children are inquisitive, observant, and eager to learn about the world around them.  A child’s concrete thinking, understanding, and desire to label and name everything they learn about, makes this a wonderful unit of study.

We begin by discussing what the children think the Solar System is. We know that as we look up at the sky during the day we can see the sun and at night time we can see the moon, stars, and some planets.  We learned about the largest star, the sun.  It is made of gas and gives us light and heat. Our sun is the center of our solar system, with planets circling around it.  The children then learned the names of the planets, in order from the sun.  We also learned fun facts about each planet and will do hands-on activities to explain revolution and rotation.

Until next week,

Mrs. Lopes and Ms. Vigue

Upper Elementary: Whistle While You Work

Posted on by Brian Comstock

Class jobs are an important part of our routine in a Montessori environment. The jobs rotate on a weekly basis and include things such as pet/plant care, table cleaning, floor sweeping, and emptying trash.  These practical life skills are an important part of our philosophy and the students work as a team. Earlier in the week we had a fabulous visit from the owners of Sugar Magnolia! They shared their expertise and business experience with us. At the conclusion of their visit they gave the students some delicious treats! We look forward to scheduling a visit to their establishment in the near future.