The is the decanomial square. It is one of the most beautiful materials in the casa classroom and it requires a high level of patience, attention to detail and logic.
This material is attractive, precise and creating order with the tiles, placing them in sequence to build increasingly larger rectangles, is immensely satisfying.
In addition to the logical patterning the child is developing in using this material, the child is preparing for mathematics, specifically for geometry, algebra and squaring. This material makes concrete the relationships of multiplied squares for as many as ten variables.
Kew Park students and teachers commemorated Remembrance Day in their classes this week by making poppies, reading books on peace and remembrance and sharing memorabilia and stories about war. Today we gathered to honour those who have given so generously in order that we might live the rich, free and wonderful lives we all enjoy today. We listened to the Last Post and observed a moment of silence. Upper elementary children joined the procession to Kew Gardens and participated in the Remembrance Day ceremonies there, with two of our students reading In Flanders Fields for the crowd. Lest we forget.
Most of our elementary children participate in weekly novel studies. In a small group, they read aloud, discuss the text and answer comprehension and analysis questions about the novel. Besides developing essential reading skills, novel studies and discussions expose students to different perspectives, experiences, varying texts and new vocabulary.
In elementary, the students practice a variety of practical life skills with their daily classroom jobs. In addition to refining skills such as dusting, sweeping, table washing, plant care, organizing and tidying, these classroom jobs encourage independence and give the students a sense of responsibility, ownership and pride for their classroom.