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Ms. Handibode’s: Do You Know The Continents?

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

 

The Montessori approach to teaching Geography is unique and comprises two components: physical geography and political geography, also known as Culture. From the beginning of the school year, we weave Geography lessons and terminology into our day as we learn about our physical world. The Geography materials are always fascinating to the children and are a springboard for wonderful discussions.

Early in our school year, we categorized the planet Earth into air, land, and water.  We then sorted what we would find in each of these different components of our world.  Next, we introduced the geometric solid known as a sphere to the children and compared it to the shape of the globe.  We start with a sandpaper globe that helps to distinguish land and water.  The colored globe comes next, and we begin to teach the continent names.  We make a sphere out of play dough and cut it in half to help them visualize the concept of a hemisphere.  Simultaneously, the children are learning about landforms that introduce the concept of lake, island, bay, cape, peninsula, gulf, isthmus, strait, archipelago, and a system of lakes.  These sensory experiences help the children learn about their physical world.

After learning the continent names, we introduce the puzzle maps for each continent, starting with North America in November. We learn that there are many countries in North America.  The older children will trace and paint each of the puzzle maps. We will learn about the animals, people, and climate often associated with each of the continents.  Our goal is to encourage the children to appreciate the beauty and wonder found in the similarities and differences around the world. In our classroom, we have a cultural shelf with artifacts from each continent.

Last week, we introduced the song “Do You Know The Continents,” and we often hear the children singing it quietly to themselves as they work. Below are the words if you would like to sing along with your child.

Do you know the continents, the continents, the continents?
Do you know the continents in our world?
There’s North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe,
Don’t forget Australia. What about Antarctica?
Yes, I know the continents, the continents, the continents.
Yes, I know the continents in our world.

Wishing all of you a week filled with peace and love!

Michelle & Maria

Mrs. Hood: Toileting the Montessori Way!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

“Learning to use the toilet is a natural process that begins when your child’s desire to be grown up and his neurological development have reached the point where he can control his bladder and bowels. We don’t train children to use the toilet, we support them when they are ready.” (How to Raise an Amazing Child: The Montessori way to bring up caring confident children, by Tim Seldin)

As children continue to work on their self-care skills, we want to focus our attention this week on a special topic (and sometimes a dreaded one) between parents: potty training.

In our Montessori environment, we call it “toilet learning” since we believe that using the toilet is a very natural and gradual process that develops at the child’s pace, rather than when the adult decides the child is going to be toilet ‘trained.’ In our experience as Montessorians, we have witnessed toddlers as early as 20 months to as late as closer to three years old master these skills. Also, we have observed that apart from the developmental stage the child is in, one of the main factors for success relies on the parent’s commitment early on to support this process at home by making their child an active participant in the diaper changing process as we do in our environment.

You might be asking yourself, “But how do we do this? How can we support our child at home?”

As this topic can be extensive due to the fact that this type of support can start even when your child is a young baby, we are going to leave you here with some important tips focused on your toddlers and their stage of development:

  1. Ditch the changing table and start changing your child in the bathroom area. This is important as it sends a clear message to the child that this is where we go to be changed and use the toilet.
  2. Prepare the environment. You may use a potty to start if you feel your child needs more balance, or you may add a toilet seat to your regular toilet. If using the latter, please find a stable stool where your child will feel secure and encouraged to use the toilet. Add a basket with clean diapers, wipes, and books so children are encouraged to sit on the toilet and wait when needed. If your child is showing signs of readiness, a basket of clean training underwear and a basket for wet underwear should be part of this area.
  3. Incorporate CONSISTENT toileting into your child’s routine. Offer the potty/toilet at times when the child normally urinates or has bowel movements (after waking up, before going outside, after coming in from outside, after lunch/before nap, etc.)
  4. Say, “It’s time to use the toilet,” rather than “Do you want to go to the toilet?” (The answer will usually be no.) As the child becomes more aware of their body, they will be able to tell you, “No, I don’t need to go.” You can then say something like, “Of course, I know you will tell me if you need any help when you need to go.” You can also use an alarm clock set at regular intervals to remind them to go, “The clock says it’s time to use the toilet.”
  5. Never force a child to use the toilet or potty.
  6. Do not interrupt the child to use the toilet—for example, wait until they have finished their puzzle, etc. before offering the toilet.
  7. Focus on encouraging your child to be an active part of the process by asking them to push their pants down, open the tabs of their diaper, and recognize if they have had a bowel movement or not (we always ask this to teach the children that if they have had a bowel movement, they will need our support to remove the diaper), wipe (when having a bowel movement we provide a small stool where they can turn around and put their hands on it for stabilization and the adult will clean them), place diaper in the trash, pull their pants up after receiving a new diaper and wash/dry hands. This is a daily routine in our environment. As soon as you incorporate this at home, we believe your child will increase their interest, and signs of readiness will become more obvious.
  8. Provide clothing that supports the process. Avoid zippers, buttons, tight clothing, dresses, onesies, jeans, overalls, rompers, etc. Reminder: Please avoid this type of clothing on your child for school as well.

When should my child transition into wearing underwear?

When your child is staying dry for long periods, telling you when they are wet or soiled and they are having consistent success using the toilet at home and at school, it may be time to transition into underwear. The thick, quilted training pants work best as they allow the child to feel the wetness and are more absorbent than the thinner cotton underwear. When circumstances allow, you may let the child go bare bottom at home. This can help them see and understand what is happening. Please be aware that toddlers usually show signs of readiness at home first, and as they become more confident in the process, the transition into school life is usually peaceful and successful.

Communication between home and school is vital in this process. Please always reach out with any questions you may have! We will be more than happy to assist you!

Have a great weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Noelle

“There should be no pressure, no reward or punishment, no adult deciding when the child should learn to use the potty. The environment is prepared, and the child is free to explore and imitate in these natural developmental stages.” (The Joyful Child)

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

The Montessori approach to teaching Geography is unique and comprises two components: physical geography and political geography, also known as Culture. From the beginning of the school year, we weave Geography lessons and terminology into our day as we learn about our physical world. The Geography materials are always fascinating to the children and are a springboard for wonderful discussions.

Early in our school year, we categorized the planet Earth into air, land, and water.  We then sorted what we would find in each of these different components of our world.  Next, we introduced the geometric solid known as a sphere to the children and compared it to the shape of the globe.  We start with a sandpaper globe that helps to distinguish land and water.  The colored globe comes next, and we begin to teach the continent names.  We make a sphere out of play dough and cut it in half to help them visualize the concept of a hemisphere.  Simultaneously, the children are learning about landforms that introduce the concept of lake, island, bay, cape, peninsula, gulf, isthmus, strait, archipelago, and a system of lakes.  These sensory experiences help the children learn about their physical world.

After learning the continent names, we introduce the puzzle maps for each continent, starting with North America in November. We learn that there are many countries in North America.  The older children will trace and paint each of the puzzle maps. We will learn about the animals, people, and climate often associated with each of the continents.  Our goal is to encourage the children to appreciate the beauty and wonder found in the similarities and differences around the world. In our classroom, we have a cultural shelf with artifacts from each continent.

This week, we introduced the song “Do You Know The Continents,” and we often hear the children singing it quietly to themselves as they work.  Here are the words if you would like to practice it at home:

(Sung to the tune of “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”)

Do you know the 7 continents, the 7 continents, the 7 continents
Do you know the 7 continents, of the world,
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Antarctica

Wishing all of you a week filled with peace and love!

Amanda & Hema

Lower Elementary: Exploring the Creation Story Through Science

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

This week, we embarked on an exciting journey to explore the creation story through a series of captivating science demonstrations. Each demonstration serves as a vivid illustration of the fundamental concepts intertwined with the story of the universe’s formation, offering tangible insights into the forces that shaped our world.

The creation narrative provides a profound glimpse into the very origins of life itself. It invites us to reflect on the mysteries of the cosmos and our place within it. More than just a story, it sparks a dialogue between science and wonder, highlighting the intricate tapestry of events that have unfolded over billions of years. Our overarching goal is to evoke a sense of awe, nurture an appreciation for the complexity of the universe, and ignite a genuine curiosity for scientific inquiry.

These science demonstrations are carefully designed to build up to the culminating lesson on the creation of the universe, which will be presented by the third graders and me. Each experiment serves as a stepping stone, gradually introducing key concepts such as the Big Bang, the formation of stars, and the birth of our planet. By experiencing these moments through hands-on learning, we hope to inspire a deeper understanding of the natural world and foster an environment where curiosity leads to discovery.

Spanish Class-September 2024

Posted on by Liset Ray

Learning another language is beneficial for memorization development in a child’s brain, making it more efficient and flexible. This month, children from Fraser Woods Montessori School were able to review and learn basic Spanish phrases and words. Primary and Lower Elementary students recalled greetings, self-introductions, and how to express their basic feelings in Spanish. In addition, children were able to practice the new words learned in class. Upper Elementary students, as well as all the students, had a review of Spanish learned in previous years. Also, they are learning feelings in Spanish and practicing handwriting. They are also learning pronunciation and vocabulary through songs. Middle school students are working the “SOMOS” curriculum, learning more vocabulary, grammar, and cultural aspects. Also, we are using interactive games, videos and other fun activities in class. In addition, Middle School Students are learning about the “Hispanic Heritage Month” in part by reading a very special book for middle schoolers called “The Bluest Sky” by Christina Diaz Gonzalez a Cuban American author.

Mrs. Wilson: Highlights From Our Week

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This week, we began by savoring the fruits of our labor. Since the applesauce was still cooking last week, we decided to wait until Tuesday to enjoy it together. Most of the children loved their treat, and many had two servings!

We also conducted our first fire drill of the year. To avoid startling the children, we held this drill without an alarm. They were briefed on what to expect and what actions to take. Once the announcement was made, they held onto the walking rope and walked to our designated spot beautifully. While the whole school was outside for the drill, we took a school-wide photo. I can’t wait to see our community captured in one photograph!

After the fire drill and photo, our class decided to stay outside and use the new turf field for recess. The children were filled with excitement as they ran around with the balls—it was a great time for everyone.

In our food tasting activity, the children participated in food prep by peeling bananas before tasting them. While some children tried to skip this step and dive right into eating, it was a fun and engaging experience overall.

Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

The Montessori approach to teaching Geography is unique and comprises two components: physical geography and political geography, also known as Culture. From the beginning of the school year, we weave Geography lessons and terminology into our day as we learn about our physical world. The Geography materials are always fascinating to the children and are a springboard for wonderful discussions.

Early in our school year, we categorized the planet Earth into air, land, and water.  We then sorted what we would find in each of these different components of our world.  Next, we introduced the geometric solid known as a sphere to the children and compared it to the shape of the globe.  We start with a sandpaper globe that helps to distinguish land and water.  The colored globe comes next, and we begin to teach the continent names.  We make a sphere out of play dough and cut it in half to help them visualize the concept of a hemisphere.  Simultaneously, the children are learning about landforms that introduce the concept of lake, island, bay, cape, peninsula, gulf, isthmus, strait, archipelago, and a system of lakes.  These sensory experiences help the children learn about their physical world.

After learning the continent names, we introduce the puzzle maps for each continent, starting with North America in November. We learn that there are many countries in North America.  The older children will trace and paint each of the puzzle maps. We will learn about the animals, people, and climate often associated with each of the continents.  Our goal is to encourage the children to appreciate the beauty and wonder found in the similarities and differences around the world.

As part of our daily circle time routine, we sing a variety of Hello/Good Morning songs. One of our current favorites is a catchy movement song, which the children absolutely love. I’ll share it in case you’d like to listen at home. Maybe they’ll even share some of their dance moves with you!

Wishing your families a wonderful week and a sweet new year to all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah -Shanah Tovah!

Christine & Fatima

Ms. Marissa: Archipelagos and Isthmuses

Posted on by Marissa Frisk

October has kicked off our study of the planet Earth. We are talking about what makes our Earth special—in particular, land, air, and water. Thinking about what animals and vehicles occupy those spaces is so interesting, and we are having a lot of fun categorizing them all. We are exploring land and water forms as well. Do you know the opposite of a system of lakes? No? It’s an archipelago—a cluster of islands!

Here are other land and water forms we’ve talked about:

  • Isthmus and Strait
  • Island and Lake
  • Cape and Bay
  • Peninsula and Gulf

It is so fitting that we are talking so much about our planet because we are celebrating our first class birthday this week! The birthday child walks around the sun while holding the globe, representing the passing of a year and turning another year older.

Our Kindergarteners are leaning into their roles as class leaders. They are willingly and enthusiastically giving lessons, guiding others, and being the best role models for our younger students.

The poem we began practicing this week is:

In October I’ll be host
To witches, goblins and a ghost!
I’ll serve them chicken soup on toast.
Whoopy once,
Whoopy twice,
Whoopy chicken soup with rice!

-Maurice Sendak

Warmly,

Marissa & Sue