Mrs. Doyle’s Class: Moving On and Moving Up

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Transitions, while often exciting, can also be a time of uncertainty and sometimes even nervousness of what is to come. This includes the transition for our children moving from Toddler to Primary and from Primary to Lower Elementary. We are very cognizant of this and put in place small steps to help ensure a sense of continuity and calmness for everyone.

On of those steps, is inviting the children moving up to spend a short time in the environments they will be transitioning to. Our Toddler friends spent some time with the Kindergarten children in a Primary classroom. The older children showed showed them around the room and gave a few small lessons. The environment they visited is not in any way an indication of class placement for next year. Each Primary environment, although different in small ways has the same materials and is a true Montessori classroom. Likewise, our Kindergarten students will be going to spend some time in Lower Elementary. These visits are a quick peek into the new environment, to meet new friends and teachers and to even see  some familiar materials.

It is always heartwarming to see how excited the Kindergarten children are to welcome our Toddler friends. One child said today, “Don’t worry, I was as small as you once and I dropped everything!”

Much to the delight of the children, the butterflies emerged from their chrysalises and we released them into the Zen garden.

Have a peaceful week!

Michelle & Sonja

Ms. Kayser’s Class: Community

Posted on by skayser

“There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of different ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community”  -Maria Montessori

This quote by Maria Montessori truly encapsulates our week. Although our sense of community is ever growing among our students within our classroom, this week we got to branch out and grow stronger with our school community. We are lucky to have a community service day where the Middle School students come to join our class for an hour. These students come to work alongside our three, four, and five year olds and give guidance with their work. Our young students love this time with their older peers and take so much pride and ownership in the process of working with them.

This week was also special for our Kindergarten students; they got the opportunity to become like their older peers and give guidance to the youngest students in our school, our Toddler friends! Each Kindergarten student got to take a Toddler student under their wing for part of the day and teach them some of the exciting lessons in our classroom. This experience is not only rewarding for the Kindergarten students, it helps the younger friends prepare for their transition to Primary in the fall!

Next week on Wednesday, April 30th, the Kindergarten students will be going to our Lower Elementary classroom to visit with Mrs. Sankey and Ms. Beckett and have a mentoring experience of their own. They will get to sit and work with the first graders and learn some exciting new lessons!

On another very exciting side note, our butterflies emerged from their chrysalises over the weekend and we were able to release them onto our playground. What a wonderful and beautiful experience it was for all the children. Luckily, we also got to spend some extra time in the beautiful sunshine after releasing our butterflies. Spring is such a magnificent season!

All the best,

Ms. Kayser and Ms. Alli

Mrs. Carroll’s Class: Change Ahead!

Posted on by Cindy Carroll

 

Warm weather and long days have finally returned and our class is in bloom with activity. We have enjoyed observing and recording the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and were excited to send ours off to begin their new journey.

Our Kindergarten students are themselves preparing for a change. In five short weeks our oldest Primary friends will complete their third year with the Primary, and emerge into the Lower Elementary environment. Next Wednesday, April 30, the Kindergarten children will visit our Lower Elementary environment.  This week our Kindergarten students welcomed Toddler students into our environment; and the cycle begins. Developing our Kindergarten students to become mentors is more than simply asking an older student to help a younger one. A true leader is mentored and shown the process of how to lead and help others. When we take the time to cultivate leaders in our Montessori environment, we see that this is another piece of our carefully prepared environment.

Make a wish, take a chance, make a change!

Cindy and Sharlene

Mrs. Doyle’s Class: We’re Going On a Bug Hunt

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

 

Spring is the perfect time to go for a nature walk and bug hunt and that’s exactly what we did yesterday. Going on a nature walk is simple and full of fun and learning. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors. The secret to a great nature walk is time, lots of time to explore and discover. A bug hunt is a really fun way to help incorporate what we are learning about insects inside the classroom and what we would observe in nature.

As we left the school to begin our walk around the perimeter of the school and see what insects we would discover, we were encouraged by one young friend yelling out “Come on entomologists, we have a job to do!” We had no problem finding insects that were hidden under leaves and rocks, however, flying insects were not to be found. The general consensus is that it was just too cold for flying insects to be out. Mrs. Lyga and I strongly agree!

The best thing about a bug hunt? Once the children get in the habit of learning, observing and studying insects, their reaction is less likely to be “aarrghhhh a bug!”

Have a wonderful week!

Michelle & Sonja

Ms. Kayser’s Class: Be Our Guest!

Posted on by skayser

This week has been an exciting week for our students! To start it off, the children came in on Monday to see that the caterpillars were indeed all spun into their chrysalises! We carefully put them in the upright position in the tank and watched as they wiggled from the unexpected movement. It was such a cool experience for the children to see them move around and prove they were in fact the little caterpillars we received just two short weeks ago. The children anxiously come into the classroom every morning to check on our soon-to-be winged friends. This Saturday marks seven days since they formed their chrysalises, so we may have a surprise waiting for us in the classroom on Monday! The children went outside on the playground and found a few flowers to place in the tank, and we will make a delicious drink of sugar and water to mimic the nectar of flowers in case they decide to come early over the weekend.

Next, the students got a fantastic opportunity to share the classroom with their families at our Parent-Child Night! The night began with a tour around our first Art Show at Fraser Woods, where all the artwork from the year was brilliantly displayed by Mrs. Reid. It was beautiful to see the hard work and dedication the students have put into their pieces. The younger students loved to see all the work that Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School worked on throughout the year! Afterwards the children got to bring their loved ones into our class to show them some of their favorite works. It was such a rewarding experience to watch as the children proudly showed the room to their guests and even gave their own lessons! It was a memorable experience for both the parents and the students that Ms. Alli and I truly enjoyed to watch.

We hope that everyone who celebrates has a wonderful holiday weekend spent with family, friends, love, and laughter.

Ms. Kayser and Ms. Alli

Mrs. Carroll’s Class: This Planet We Call Home

Posted on by Cindy Carroll

 

Maria Montessori believed in giving children experiences in nature. In Montessori education, Earth Day principles are a natural part of everyday learning. Children are encouraged to think about the Earth, and how they can become protectors of this habitat we share with all the creatures around us. This week we celebrated Earth Day in our classroom as an extra way to show respect for the Earth and to build community.  The class discussed what it means to renew, reuse, and recycle. The children planted container bean seeds in a pot made from recycled newspaper. They kept a conservation checklist of things they are doing to help the environment such as turn off the water while brushing teeth and turn off lights while playing outside. Our week concluded with our budding naturalists participating in a bug scavenger hunt, to get close and personal with insects in our environment. By celebrating Earth Day and encouraging children’s participation at a young age, we contribute to cultivating lifelong caretakers of this planet we call home.

Have a wonderful week!

Cindy and Sharlene

Mrs. Carroll’s Class: Insect Alert!

Posted on by Cindy Carroll

Insect Alert!

Flowers aren’t the only ones that come out of hiding during spring, after the cold of winter you’ll notice more insects start making their appearance. Curiosity towards these six legged friends hits a high note in April, and we take the cue to “follow the child” and their deep affection for insects. Over the next several weeks we will continue to support your children’s curiosity, exploration, and understanding of insects through hands-on activities, songs, lessons, and outdoor exploration. The intent is to encourage their interest in the diversity, beauty, and joy of nature.

Is a spider an insect? The children know, ask them.

Have a warm and wonderful week!

Cindy & Sharlene

 

 

 

 

Ms. Kayser’s Class: Like a Caterpillar into a Butterfly..

Posted on by skayser

 

“Growth is not merely a harmonious increase in size, but a transformation” -Maria Montessori

My, has this year flown by. It seems like yesterday that the classroom was buzzing with eager excitement for what was to come. The students were all so unsure of what the year had waiting for them, but in a blink of an eye, they have grown into insightful, creative, and secure little humans. It is strange to look back at the pictures from the first few weeks of school and see how much they have truly grown, both psychically and intellectually. The beautiful change that has been occurring in our classroom is like that of the caterpillar into a butterfly. With patience we have sat back and watched these incredible beings learn and grow and ultimately, change into who they are today.

The children have luckily been able to witness this amazing transformation themselves, but through a magnifying glass. We have watched patiently as our caterpillars have grown, preparing themselves for the beautiful transformation they are about to make. This week our caterpillars have entered into the final stages before emerging as a butterfly, the chrysalises. The children have spent many days learning about the magic of this transformation, and are eager to see when our butterflies will join us!

Another special thanks to our amazing art teacher, Mrs. Reid, for a project that combined nature and art, allowing the children to explore and experience all the amazing gifts our world has to offer us. The children got to spend the afternoon outside scavenging for sticks, flowers, and other natural art supplies to use to create stunning butterflies. The outcomes were breathtaking!

All the best,

Ms. Kayser and Ms. Alli