November Family Connection

Posted on by Karen Sankey

This month’s Family Connection is about Cosmic Education. Maria Montessori created Cosmic Education to “give the child a vision of the whole universe…for all things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.” As you will read in the article, Cosmic Education is “an all-inclusive curriculum that helps children recognize and appreciate the interconnectedness of all things. It provides a framework for them to understand the universe and their place within it, empowering them to better the world for future generations.”

This work manifests itself differently at different levels.

In our Toddler classrooms, children are working with items from nature: sea wool sponges, pumpkins, acorns, leaves, and pinecones.

In the Primary classrooms, children learn about the world through their continent studies. This month they are learning about North America.

At the Elementary level, students learn about the connectedness of living things through the “Great Lessons”. In Lower Elementary, students learned the first Great Lesson of the Coming of the Universe. In Upper Elementary, students are participating in an ongoing study of Human Evolution.

Children in Upper Elementary and Middle School learn to be socially responsible people and become passionate about global issues by taking care of others. Upper Elementary students do this through their volunteer work each month, making sandwiches and collecting supplies for people experiencing housing insecurity. They have also started a composting program at school, leading the way for environmentally responsible behavior. Our Middle School students participate in multiple volunteer experiences throughout the year: collecting donations for local animal shelters, running a Thanksgiving food drive, and collecting food and gifts for two local families’ holiday celebrations.

Thank you for being part of our community! I hope you enjoy this month’s Family Connection.

Karen Sankey
Director of Montessori Education

Parent-Teacher Conferences and Free Virtual Parent Education Event

Posted on by Gina Tryforos

As a teacher, one of the school events I always look forward to and really enjoy is Parent Teacher Conferences! I love hearing the stories that parents share about their children and truly appreciate the feedback that comes as a result of those conversations.

Occasionally, I get questions about how we measure progress in a Montessori environment. Is there “traditional assessment”?

This is a great question! 

In a Montessori classroom from Primary through Upper Elementary, teachers are continually assessing where each student is on their own individual path of learning. We are concerned about where each child is at a specific point in time and how they are progressing, at their own pace, in their own way to meet the educational benchmarks we have set out for them. Concrete numbers often fail to provide the best perspective on the quality of a child’s true learning.

Dr. Maria Montessori created a teaching methodology supported by instructive materials to help children build confidence and resilience to prepare them for their entire educational journey, not just the quiz or worksheet that is in front of them at a moment in time. I hope all of you enjoy your conference time with your child’s teacher.

Please enjoy this excerpt from Montessori Musings, a blog post written by Alex Chiu at The Montessori Children’s Academy Family of Schools and Services:

Parent/Teacher Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to learn about what a typical day at school is like for your child, develop stronger connections with your child’s teacher, and gain insights into your child’s development. By participating in these conferences, you are showing your child that you are interested in what happens at school. You also are modeling the importance of open communication, and you are building the bridge between home and school to promote your child’s success as a student.

For parents with children in school for the first time, we’ve gathered some information to help you prepare for your first Parent/Teacher Conference. For ‘veteran’ parents, these reminders may help you get the most out of your conferences this year.

At your conference, you can expect to learn about your child’s:

  1. Recent academic progress.
  2. Behavioral development as observed by the teacher since September.
  3. Social interactions and development in the classroom.
  4. Strengths and challenges within the classroom.

During the conference, you can help your child’s teacher learn more about your child by:

  1. Describing your child’s attitude towards school.
  2. Sharing anything that currently may be impacting your child’s academic or social progress (e.g., family illness, move to a new home, other family changes or potential stressors).
  3. Discussing what you see as your child’s strengths and challenges.
  4. Providing information about any special interests/activities your child has outside of school, so as to help your child’s teacher get to know a little more about your child.

What parents can do to prepare for and help facilitate a smooth conference:

  1. Bring a list of questions you may have or topics you would like to discuss, keeping in mind the time allotted for your conference. Prioritize your list.
  2. Ask your child if there is anything he or she would like to discuss with the teacher and share his or her comments with the teacher.
  3. Come prepared to listen and take notes.
  4. Ask to see samples of your child’s work or which Montessori materials he or she has been using.
  5. Ask what you can do at home to help your child with academic, social, and emotional development. Inquire if the teacher has any community references that may be helpful to your family.
  6. Be respectful of the time. If you have more questions than time allows for, do ask for a follow-up meeting at a later date. Communication with your child’s teacher can and should continue beyond the conference as needed.

REMINDER:

Montessori Schools of Connecticut (MSC) is pleased to present a free, virtual

Parent Education Event:Montessori at School & at Home

Thursday, October 27, 2022

7:00 pm

Please read the attached flyer: 

MSC Parent Education Event:Montessori at School & at Home

Zoom information for you convenience:

Montessori Schools of Connecticut is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Parent Education – Montessori at School and at Home

Time: Oct 27, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82397722187?pwd=RUUra2I5akZlbnZRZmxzYTR3dXBodz09

Meeting ID: 823 9772 2187

Passcode: 619448

Gina Tryforos

Assistant Head of School

Student Support Coordinator

October Family Connection & Free Virtual Parent Education Event

Posted on by Karen Sankey

Dear Fraser Woods Families,

Please enjoy this month’s Family Connection, which explains the philosophy behind multi-age groupings, including an explanation of Maria Montessori’s developmental model, The Planes of Development. You will also find information about practical life work at each of the developmental levels.

In addition to the Family Connection, we would like to invite you to attend a free virtual Parent Education event offered by the Montessori Schools of Connecticut (MSC). Here are the details:

  • Montessori at School & at Home
  • Thursday, October 27, 2022
  • 7:00pm

Please read the flyer: MSC Parent Education Event: Montessori at School & at Home.

Please join the Zoom meeting HERE.

Meeting ID: 823 9772 2187

Passcode: 619448

Together We Can Help With Back to School Anxiety or The Sunday Scaries 

Posted on by Gina Tryforos

Hello Fraser Woods Families,

The start of the year can bring anxious feelings along with it. That goes for everyone – educators, students, and families. This is especially true this school year as we all try to create a new sense of normal. 

According to Dr. Susan Albers, of the Cleveland Clinic, the Sunday Scaries are triggered by the end of the weekend approaching and us anticipating our return to work (or school). She says when people start to make their to-do lists or contemplate upcoming responsibilities, the transition from relaxation to work mode can be a tough 180.  

Together we can build on strategies and best practices that counselors regularly apply to their work with children and families, to help make the transition back to school feel better. 

  1. Acknowledge where everyone is. At FWM we address the needs of the whole child and meet them where they are academically, socially, emotionally, and developmentally. 
  2. Listen, and encourage others to listen as well. Over the past three school years, our familiar connections grew apart. Taking time to listen thoughtfully can help rebuild those connections.
  3. Be thoughtful about communication, routines, and procedures. A major reason for back-to-school anxiety is uncertainty. When communication, expectations, and routines are clear, and effective procedures are in place, everyone feels more comfortable and at ease.
  4. Establish a more relaxed pace. There is a lot of new information to cover in the first days and weeks of school- for students and their parents. Giving students the time and space to process information and practice applying new routines and procedures will provide the foundation for productive academic learning. 
  5. Take time to laugh, move, and connect. All of our classrooms allow for unstructured breaks, classroom conversations, and other opportunities that help to meet students’ social and emotional needs. Given the opportunity to take a brief brain-break from academic learning where students can move around, talk with one another, and just enjoy being together, will help all students–from our youngest to our oldest, feel more at ease. 

Creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony in every classroom is at the core of what we do. 

Gina Tryforos

Assistant Head of School & Student Support Coordinator

Family Connection

Posted on by Karen Sankey

Dear Fraser Woods Families,

Welcome to the Family Connection, the American Montessori Society’s monthly newsletter. Each issue includes articles about Montessori education, Montessori tips for the home, and a peek inside the classroom.

This month’s publication focuses on how young children absorb and assimilate information through Montessori math lessons. It also focuses on the way Montessori elementary classrooms foster scientific thinking and support the development of higher thinking skills.

Curriculum night is coming up on September 15th. We look forward to seeing you there, where you can learn more about how your child experiences learning in their classroom at FWM. 

Enjoy! 

Best regards,

Karen Sankey

Director of Montessori Education