Blog

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“I sincerely believe that for the child, and for the parent seeking to guide him, it is not half so important to know as to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused – a sense of the beautiful, the excitment of the new and unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love – then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, it has lasting meaning. It is more important to pave the way for the child to want to know than to put him on a diet of facts he is not ready to assimilate.” -Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

We had a wonderful last week of October! We began the week by learning about the upward flow of liquids from a plant’s roots to its leaves. This biology lesson focused on root pressure, capillarity, and aspiration. We discussed various theories explaining how liquids ascend in plants and discovered that multiple elements work together to facilitate this process. Roots pump water into the plant, which then travels up the stems. As the water evaporates from the leaves, it creates a vacuum that pulls more water from the stem, resulting in a continuous flow of water and dissolved substances from the roots. We also learned that the strand of water remains intact and is strong enough to pull water ten times higher than the tallest tree.

Halloween was filled with excitement as we dressed in costumes and participated in a parade for the primary and toddler students. Their joyful cheers and wide-eyed wonder added to the festive spirit. The parade ended with the elementary and middle school students and our fabulous performing arts instructor, Megan Kirk, surprising us with a choreographed Halloween dance. After the festivities on the field ended, we returned to our class to carve our pumpkins and enjoy our delicious treats. Thank you for your generous contributions to our class party!

Nature Adventures and Halloween Festivities in Lower Elementary

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

Last week’s field trip to Trumbull Nature and Arts Center was an amazing dive into nature and hands-on learning! We began with a biodiversity walk led by an environmental educator who guided us through meadows and forests, highlighting the unique adaptations that help plants and animals survive in these diverse habitats. Next, we learned about beavers and their incredible habitat-building skills. The students used sticks, mud, and water to create mini beaver dams, observing how these resourceful animals shape their environments. Finally, we explored how seeds travel in the wild, designing our own seed models that could be carried by wind, water, or animals. This fun mix of creativity and teamwork helped everyone gain a deeper appreciation for nature’s clever ways of adapting and thriving!

Our Halloween celebration was packed with fun from start to finish! The day began with the school parade, where the children proudly showed off their costumes to classmates and other classes, followed by a spooky dance session led by our fantastic performing arts teacher, Megan Kirk. In the afternoon, we got creative by decorating and painting pumpkins while listening to Halloween music, and we enjoyed delicious treats sent in by parents—thank you for making our day extra special!

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes


What the hand does, the mind remembers. —Maria Montessori

Every Montessori classroom has a Sensorial area, and it is filled with materials that help the child study their environment through their five senses. Maria Montessori believed that sensorial experiences begin at birth for every child, and by refining these skills, they begin to understand their surroundings. The sensorial materials allow the child to acquire concise information and classify things around them. They use their senses not only to create their own experiences and knowledge but also to help them figure out different impressions each sense receives. The child is, therefore, a natural “sensorial explorer.”

Each material in this area has a built-in control of error so that after an initial lesson, little teacher direction is needed. This control of error helps a child determine what needs to happen to complete the lesson successfully. The children can distinguish, categorize, and relate new information to what they already know. Each sensorial material isolates one specific quality, such as color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound, or smell. These materials emphasize this particular quality by eliminating or minimizing other differences. Many of the sensorial materials are also the basis of future mathematical concepts the children will learn.

We have had an exciting two weeks.  The children have thoroughly enjoyed having a “Mystery Reader” each week.  Thank you to Devin Wallace and Anna Dugbartey for volunteering to be our mystery readers last week and this week.  The kindergarten children took a field trip to New Pond Farm in Redding on Monday.  They learned about how yarn is made, visited the barn where they brushed a cow, saw a baby calf, and tried milking a “cow.”  We ended our trip with a nice long hike around the farm.  On Tuesday, Guilianna Wallace helped the children carve a pumpkin.  The children decided which face they wanted to carve on the pumpkin, helped to scoop out the seeds, had the opportunity to feel the pulp and seeds, and then we turned out the lights and lit up our scary pumpkin!

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love.

Amanda & Hema

Join us for Parent Teacher Conferences

Posted on by Gina Tryforos

Parent-teacher conferences are a wonderful opportunity to learn about your child’s typical school day, develop stronger connections with your child’s teacher, and gain insights into your child’s development.

Participating in these conferences shows your child that you are interested in what happens at school. You are also modeling the importance of open communication and building the bridge between home and school to promote your child’s success as a student.

Please join us on Friday, October 25th, for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Your involvement is crucial in nurturing your child’s educational journey and fostering a supportive learning environment.

New Year New Field!

Posted on by Dylan Fisher

PE classes have been taking full advantage of the new turf field and resurfaced gym floor to begin the school year. The weather has been favorable this fall, allowing most gym classes to be held outside. The updated spaces permit the setup of simultaneous activities and give students more room to move their bodies.

Kindergarten and lower elementary students have been learning to move in control to ensure safety around their classmates during group activities. Students have also been participating in games to improve their balance, locomotor, and cooperation skills, including tag, relay races, and throwing and catching challenges. 

Upper elementary students began the school year working on their sportsmanship and strategy skills during group activities. Highlights include team-based throwing and catching games like dodgeball, capture the flag variations, and “Tic-Tac Throw.” Upper elementary students are currently in the middle of a flag football unit, developing their throwing, catching, coordination, and agility skills. 

Middle school students have been focused on team-based strategy games, including various versions of dodgeball and Capture the Flag. These games present teamwork and strategy challenges and the different solutions students come up with to help their team and classmates succeed have been awesome to see. Similar to the upper elementary students, the middle schoolers are also in the middle of a flag football unit. Agility, footwork, hand-eye coordination, sportsmanship, and creativity are all key takeaways.

Mrs. Hood: Pumpkin Patch Fun and Helping Hands!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

At FWM, one of our goals is to nurture caring, empathetic students who are capable of thinking beyond themselves. Dr. Montessori envisioned a more peaceful world, starting with children, and it is through them that we believe the world can become a better place. Community service plays a key role in our Montessori approach, helping to develop the whole child. Through meaningful, real-life volunteer experiences, students discover the joy of giving and learn to cultivate compassion.

A couple of times each month, our Middle School students visit our environment to work with our toddlers. In the past, they’ve read stories, explored materials on our shelves, and offered gentle guidance—helping with tasks like putting on shoes and jackets and washing hands. They have a wonderful way of comforting their younger peers when needed, and they always join in the fun when we sing, dance, and play together. These older students are incredible role models, and the toddlers truly love spending time with them! This year, the Middle Schoolers will join us sometimes during mid-morning transitions and accompany your children on the playground for gross motor activities and bonding time. It’s going to be so much fun!

This week, we had an extra special event thanks to your generous support and donations. Our toddlers enjoyed a delightful wagon ride through the school, filled with excitement as they searched for pumpkins at our very own Toddler Pumpkin Patch! Their eyes lit up as they eagerly spotted pumpkins during the ride, and everyone around couldn’t help but pause to admire the beauty of innocence and grace your children bring to our community. We were especially grateful to our Middle School helpers, who pulled the wagons and guided those who preferred to walk.

When we arrived at the zen garden, the children were thrilled to see the pumpkins! They ran to touch, carry, and play with them, surrounded by the wonderful fall decor set up by parents for the children to enjoy. Each toddler proudly carried their own pumpkin back to the wagon for another fun ride, and upon returning to the classroom, they were met with a sweet surprise—treats and delicious apple cider! The joy on their faces was priceless. To top it off, the children had a blast decorating their pumpkins with vibrant colors at the end of the week.

It’s such an honor to witness your children grow within our community!

On a side note, we explored spaghetti squash during our food-tasting lesson. While it wasn’t a favorite for all, we were excited to see some of the toddlers enjoy it and even ask for more!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,
Mrs. Hood & Mrs. Noelle

Reminder: Please ensure your child brings a rain jacket and rain boots on rainy days. Rainsuits are also welcome! We aim to make the most of every type of weather and enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.

Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

When a child works, he does not do so to attain some further goal.  His objective in working is the work itself. –Maria Montessori

One of Maria Montessori’s most noted quotes is, “Play is the child’s work.”  We’re sure you have heard your child talk about their work at school by now. Dr. Montessori preferred the word work rather than the word play to describe the learning process children are constantly undergoing. Work conveys the amount of effort that children put into their physical, social, emotional, and academic growth. As adults, we have a very different definition of work.

Children are driven by a strong, unconscious internal growth process to seek out experiences that will meet their needs. Our role as Montessori teachers is to provide a well-prepared environment that encourages children to be independent and learn at their own pace. The children are free to choose their work and to use it repeatedly. So, while they are ‘working’, each child also builds independence, coordination, self-discipline, and concentration.

The children were thrilled to work as a team to make applesauce together. We discussed our five senses, and noticed how the applesauce’s delicious aroma filled our classroom. We were all very surprised to realize that the skin from one apple was even longer (taller) than some of our classmates!

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather, Christine & Fatima

New Year New Field

Posted on by Dylan Fisher

PE classes have been taking full advantage of the new turf field and resurfaced gym floor to begin the school year. The weather has been favorable this fall, allowing most gym classes to be held outside. The updated spaces permit the setup of simultaneous activities and give students more room to move their bodies.

Kindergarten and lower elementary students have been learning to move in control to ensure safety around their classmates during group activities. Students have also been participating in games to improve their balance, locomotor, and cooperation skills, including tag, relay races, and throwing and catching challenges. 

Upper elementary students began the school year working on their sportsmanship and strategy skills during group activities. Highlights include team-based throwing and catching games like dodgeball, capture the flag variations, and “Tic-Tac Throw.” Upper elementary students are currently in the middle of a flag football unit, developing their throwing, catching, coordination, and agility skills. 

Middle school students have been focused on team-based strategy games, including various versions of dodgeball and Capture the Flag. These games present teamwork and strategy challenges and the different solutions students come up with to help their team and classmates succeed have been awesome to see. Similar to the upper elementary students, the middle schoolers are also in the middle of a flag football unit. Agility, footwork, hand-eye coordination, sportsmanship, and creativity are all key takeaways.