Blog

The Heart of Learning: Why Love Matters in Education

Posted on by Jill Skilton

“Of all things love is the most potent.”
– Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Among her revolutionary ideas on education and child development, Dr. Maria Montessori emphasized the fundamental importance of love in all aspects of human life, especially education. She saw love as the driving force behind learning, growth, and positive change in the world.

Modern scientific research from various fields, including psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, supports Montessori’s claim. Of course, when used in the context of social connection and human needs, “love” is an encompassing concept of belonging, acceptance, empathy, and compassion – all of which are foundational to the Fraser Woods Montessori experience.

  • A Fundamental Human Need: Montessori believed love is as essential to human development as food and shelter. At Fraser Woods, our goal is to cultivate safe and nurturing environments where children can thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually.
  • The Driving Force Behind Learning: Montessori observed that children are naturally curious and have an innate desire to learn. She saw this as a form of love—a love for knowledge, understanding, and mastering new skills. At Fraser Woods, students at all levels are encouraged to follow their interests, cultivate passions, and learn at their own pace. In a loving and supportive environment, children are free to explore their interests, learn at their own pace, and develop their unique talents.
  • The Foundation for World Peace: Montessori believed love was the key to creating a more peaceful and harmonious world. She thought it was the duty of adults to nurture love and compassion in children. At Fraser Woods, students are taught to see themselves as part of a global community. They learn about different cultures, develop empathy for others, and understand the importance of cooperation and respect.
  • A Powerful Force for Change: Montessori recognized the transformative power of love. At Fraser Woods, we are motivated by a desire to create a more just and equitable society. FWM community members—students, teachers, and parents—act with kindness, generosity, and compassion.

Ms. Mollie: Friendship Breakfast!

Posted on by Mollie Smith

Friendship Breakfast!

What a fun week we have had in the classroom! Our friendship breakfast has definitely been the highlight this week! There is nothing better than sitting in awe of the children, eating with them, and watching them enjoy the food we prepared together! The children helped to wash, cut, and prepare the fruit, mix waffle batter, and watch Ms. Mollie flip pink and chocolate chip pancakes! The children ate till they felt satisfied, one even rubbing his belly and saying, “Best day ever”! While the children ate and sat next to a friend at the table, so many little conversations about the day were shared.  In all of my years of teaching, this is one of my favorite days with the children. I appreciate them so deeply, and it’s a way of showing them my gratitude. 

A special thank you to the parents who helped make it all possible by contributing ingredients, fruit, and party supplies, and for your flexibility to pivot and move our breakfast to a different day due to the weather!

With full Hearts, 

Ms. Mollie, Ms. Lizette and Ms. Anabelle

Middle School: Week in Review

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

Another great week in Middle School! We extended our Community Service this week to create Brian Bags as part of the Brian O’Connell Homeless Project. We were able to create about 60 bags that will be handed to people who are homeless in CT to give them a hand-up. The bags include food, water, a first aid kit, socks, and personal hygiene products. The Middle School and Upper El students met with Donna, the non-profit’s founder, who spoke with them about the homeless population and dispelled some misconceptions about those who are homeless as well.

MS students also had a Valentine’s snack on Friday, and those who chose to bring in Valentines distributed them to classmates. Here are some announcements:

  • Please continue to encourage your children to come with appropriate winter apparel. (Overall, this has been a huge improvement over the last week, so thank you!)
  • February 24-26: 8th Grade Internships
  • March 6th @ 5:30 pm: Middle School Research Night for Grades 6 & 7 (8th-grade students are encouraged to attend and support their classmates).

 

Humanities

All Humanities classes continue to celebrate Black History Month with daily mini-presentations celebrating a notable Black American. They also continue to work on their designs for their Nick Cave-inspired Sound Suits with Ms. Sara and Mrs. Reid.

6th and 7th grade Humanities class continue to work on their research projects surrounding the theme, Overcoming Obstacles. 6th grade final research notes are due on Tuesday, and 7th grade completed their research for Friday and are writing their introductions to their essays over the weekend. The 7th grade will also wrap up their Utopia projects with presentations at the end of next week. Who will want to live in their Utopian Communities?

8th grade studied early European explorers, learning about their goals for exploring if they met them and the impact they had on the areas they explored. They also have begun their research for their Expert Projects and discussed the expectations for finding and interviewing experts in the fields they are studying.

Math

Pre-Transition: This week, students closed out their learning of Chapter 4. Students started out the week by learning to subtract positive and negative integers, fractions, and mixed numbers. They also learned to convert mixed numbers into improper fractions. Then, students continued into solving equations with fact triangles involving addition and subtraction. Finally, students used the Addition Property of Inequality to help solve simple equations.
 

Transition: Students dove into Chapter 6 this week titled, “Some Important Geometry Ideas.” Students began exploring figure transformations by learning how to translate and reflect figures on a coordinate graph and over a line. Then, students determined the reflection and rotation symmetries of a figure and drew the rotation image of a point or figure.

Algebra: This week, students wrapped up their learning of Chapter 5 concepts. Students began the week learning how to calculate relative frequencies and probabilities and interpreted the meaning of percentile for benchmarks of 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile. Then, students moved on to solving proportions and finding lengths and ratios in similar figures.
Geometry: This week, students concluded their learning of Chapter 5. Students started their week by discovering the meaning of Auxiliary Figures of Congruence. They practiced using the Triangle-Sum, Quadrilateral-Sum, and Polygon-Sum Theorems to determine angle measures. Students also practiced drawing auxiliary figures to aid proofs and telling whether or not they are uniquely determined.

Science

6th grade:
This week in Science, students did a deeper dive into the water cycle.  They read an article written and published by the EPA in which information about the importance of conserving freshwater was highlighted.  Students then, working in small groups, had to summarize the article in their own words and post their findings around the room for others to read.  They discussed their takeaways and then returned to small groups to write a persuasive article urging others to conserve water.  The students did an excellent job!
7 grade:
Students began the week furthering their knowledge of the periodic table by looking at trends in atomic number, atomic mass, atomic radius, and familial similarities.  They then moved into discussing ions and isotopes and began making predictions about what elements are most likely to do based on where they lie on the periodic table.  The class closed the week by checking their understanding using an online simulation game written by the American Chemical Society.
8 grade:
In science this week, students started the week using an online simulation, written by PBS, to solidify their knowledge on mitosis (asexual reproduction), and closed the week working to understand meiosis (sexual reproduction).  They were asked to make predictions about what a cell might do should it need to then combine with another.  Students were given cell cards to arrange in a logical order, and all rose to the challenge!  The class then used their takeaways from the cell card activity to examine meiosis in greater detail.

Ms. Handibode’s Class: Animals in Winter

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Over the course of the last few weeks, we have been learning that winter can be very harsh for animals. The weather and lack of food can make their survival difficult. To help ensure their survival, animals hibernate, migrate, or adapt to their surroundings.

Animals that hibernate for the winter go into a deep sleep. Their body’s temperature drops, their heartbeat and breathing slow down, and they use very little energy. We’ve learned which animals hibernate as well as where they hibernate. Places, where animals hibernate, can be above ground, such as a cave, nest, or den, or they can be below ground, such as a burrow, a hole, or deep down in the mud.  We explored which animals migrated or traveled to other places where the weather is warmer and they will be able to find food. We also examined why animals might migrate and where they may go. Animals that adapt, remain and stay active in their environment. They adapt to the changing weather, and their behavior and bodies may change too. We talked about what changes animals may make to ensure they will have enough food for the winter.

So, as the cold weather is becoming more frequent, how many of us are thinking about hibernating or migrating?

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love.

Michelle & Maria

Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

A large part of our work with young children  is to lay the foundation for developing emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and express emotions. Cultivating emotional intelligence in children is crucial for their social and emotional well-being.

Teaching children to identify and name emotions is the first step in teaching children about their own emotions and the emotions of others. Being able to identify and name their feelings can help children to feel heard and understood. Introducing children to a diverse range of emotions through books, stories, and discussions will develop their emotional vocabulary. Since children often mimic the actions and attitudes of the adults around them, demonstrating healthy ways to express and manage emotions is crucial – such as taking deep breaths to calm down when feeling frustrated. One of our favorite books this month was In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek. We have read it numerous times, and it has inspired discussions about times when we’ve felt a variety of different emotions. The children especially enjoy hearing the anecdotes that I share with them about times when I have felt brave, happy, sad, etc. 

The children decorated their Valentine’s Day bags this week, and we’ve been reading Valentine’s books that celebrate friendship. They were so thrilled to exchange Valentines! We shared a group snack of berries and whipped cream, and marshmallow cereal treats. Thank you, parents for providing the snack and decorations for their bags!

We also played the Compliment Game, where we pass around a heart and whoever is holding it when the music stops receives a compliment from a classmate. This teaches children how to politely give and receive a compliment. They love it!

We asked the children what love means. Their answers are sure to bring a smile to your face. (A few friends were either missing, or weren’t ready to share)

Aira- You can’t see love, but you can feel it inside your body.

Anaya- Love is giving my Mom and Dad and sister a picture with a heart.

Ava- Love is what you give to people and fill up their buckets and that means your heart makes other people feel happy.

Cameron- I love my family and I hug them.

Divya- Love is Mommy because she cares about me all the time.

Eliana- Love is giving kisses to Mommy and Daddy.

Eliot- Love is when I hug my Mommy after school and it feels like I’m never going to be afraid.

Ethan- Love means that your heart is happy!

Hayes- Love is all about loving people and giving hugs and sharing toys.

Ivy- I love you and my Mommy and my little singing rabbit that I’m saving for Easter.

Katie- Love is something that you feel, and it feels happy!

Luke- Love makes me feel happy.

Matteo- Love is a feeling and it fills up your bucket.

Olive- I love my friends and family and cute pets and all the flowers- especially roses, poppies, and sunflowers.

Olson- You can love on your Mom and on your Dad but you can’t see it!

Oscar- My Mom loves me and Valentine’s Day means love.

Otto- Mommy and Daddy got married because they love each other.

Rayna- I love Mommy and snow.

William- Love means giving hugs.

Wishing you all a lovely week,

Christine & Fatima

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

 

A large part of our work with young children is to lay the foundation for developing emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and express emotions. Cultivating emotional intelligence in children is crucial for their social and emotional well-being.

Teaching children to identify and name emotions is the first step in teaching children about their own emotions and the emotions of others. Being able to identify and name their feelings can help children to feel heard and understood. Introducing children to a diverse range of emotions through books, stories, and discussions will develop their emotional vocabulary. Since children often mimic the actions and attitudes of the adults around them, demonstrating healthy ways to express and manage emotions is crucial – such as taking deep breaths to calm down when feeling frustrated. One of our favorite games in the classroom is the “Silence Game”.  This is a fun way to teach the children how to meditate and center ourselves when the classroom begins to get too noisy or boisterous.  During the Silence Game, we reinforce how much self control it takes to keep our bodies quiet and still, to “make silence”.  After playing the game, I encourage the children to share what they heard or noticed while being quiet and also notice how their body feels after taking the time to sit quietly.  This reinforces how we can sometimes miss a lot of what is going on around us if we don’t take the time to center ourselves.  

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love,

Amanda & Hema

Mrs. Wilson: A Heartfelt Valentine’s Celebration

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This week’s highlight was our special Valentine’s Pizza Party! Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to express love and appreciation for our friends and family, and we made it extra special by creating our very own pizzas for a fun lunch date with our classmates.

This event was a huge success, thanks to the incredible support of our parents. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed ingredients, party supplies, and volunteered their time to make this celebration memorable.

While two children took turns making their pizzas, the rest of the class stayed busy decorating goody bags with colorful foam heart stickers. We also enjoyed a heartfelt storytime, reading In My Heart by Jo Witek, a beautifully written book that explores different emotions in a way young children can understand.

In addition to our Valentine’s festivities, the children were (re)introduced to the Pikler Triangle. This large motor piece of equipment helps children develop patience, safety awareness, and body coordination, along with many other important skills. Each child was encouraged to climb as high as they felt comfortable. Some explored just one side of the triangle, while others confidently climbed up and over. It was wonderful to watch them challenge themselves at their own pace!

It was a joyful week filled with laughter, creativity, movement, and delicious food. Thank you again to our wonderful families for helping make this celebration so special!

With love, light and warmth for a snowy weekend

Cynthia and Sara

Makerspace Monthly Update

Posted on by Carl Frisk

The new year has been keeping everyone very busy in Makerspace!

The biggest project has been the Middle School Play which culminated in their wonderful performance a few weeks ago. The Middle Schoolers used all of their skills to create props, set pieces, backdrops, and even parts of their costumes. It was truly inspiring to see them work together to create such a cohesive and visually stunning production. Since the play ended we’ve returned to some personal projects while we erase back into things. One particularly exciting project has been our first successful use of the knitting machine by one of our 8th Graders (after many failed attempts on my part). The machine itself is about 50 years old, but we’re using old and new tech to continue to create with it. A hand drawn pattern is converted to lines of dashes and x’s, which is then converted to a dot pattern that we laser cut and feed into the machine. It might be a bit overly complicated, but the results are very exciting. One exciting recent Robotics challenge has been pulling as much weight as possible. The different solutions was amazing to see and we even had one car with the correct weight distribution, 4 wheel drive, and tire selection to pull  nearly 2 kg of weight (including the weight holder).

Upper El has been busy with a variety of small personal projects ranging from gumball machines to clothes. A Lower El students sweater that is almost finished  inspired a few Upper El students to begin their own. In robotics we’ve continued to explore outside of the Lego Spike kits on occasion to use the Sphero and OZObots, but we will also begin to get familiar with the drones and learn how to code with those as well. But one fun challenge with the Spike kits has been making drawing robots, which always produces exciting results.

Lower El has been taking full advantage of our new cardboard cutters from ChompShop. They are typically given an open ended challenge at the beginning of class and their imaginations help them create everything from animals, to laptops, to mailboxes, and masks. There are also students who have finished up knitting projects and have created scarves, pillows, and bags. As with he cardboard cutters, they learn a skill and their imaginations take them to wonderful places.

Kindergarten has been focused on knitting and sewing after seeing their older peers. Finger knitting has been a hit and we’ve seen many wonderful sewn, stuffed, and decorated felt bears. There have even been blankets knit for their bears. We will likely jump up to knitting on small circular looms and more difficult sewing projects and their skills continue to expand.

I honestly can’t wait to see what all these Makers create next!