We would like to acknowledge that our school is situated upon traditional territories. These include Anishinabek Nation, the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, the Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat and home today to Toronto’s many diverse First Nations, Métis and Inuit People.
Today is a time for reflection, for remembering and for learning the truths of residential schools in Canada. It is a day to honour the lost children and survivors. This is part of our ongoing discussions and education about Indigenous cultures and history in Canada.
Everyone enjoyed our annual Terry Fox walk this week! After a short warm up, classes dropped their donations for the @terryfoxfoundation in the big shoe and then we all walked around the block. Our upper elementary class went to Greenwood Park in the afternoon and ran over 100 kilometres together as a class. Great job Kew Park! #terryfoxrun
We are absolutely thrilled to resume reading buddies once again after two school years without. During this weekly routine, grade 2 and 3 children read to 2nd and 3rd year casa children. It’s a wonderful opportunity that benefits them all!
The knobbed cylinders are a Montessori sensorial material that develops skills in size differentiation, sorting and hand/eye coordination. The set consists of four blocks (here the child is working with only two blocks) each containing ten cylinders of varying lengths and/or widths with knobs used to hold each using the pincer grip. Each cylinder fits into a specific hole.
Enjoying the final few weeks of warm weather by having French class outside!
Walking in a line upstairs and down is big work and requires careful practice during your first days ever at school!
The Montessori sandpaper globe is a sphere with two different colours and textures – smooth blue material that represents water and rough sandpaper that represents land. The sandpaper globe is set on a wooden stand in a way that allows it to rotate at the same angle as the Earth. The purpose of the sandpaper globe is to let children experience through their tactile sense the spherical shape of the Earth as well as Earth’s composition of land and water. The sandpaper globe is presented during the child’s first year of casa, prior to the introduction of the continent globe and map or lessons on land and water forms. #montessori #geography
In every Montessori classroom you will find a Nature Table. A Nature Table is a table, a shelf or a tray with collected items from nature that the children can touch, look at closely, smell and listen to. It encourages an interest in and respect for the natural world. We can also use the Nature Table for storytelling and for lessons in botany, zoology and science. We like to include a wide range of items and it is always hands-on and designed to be touched, observed and explored. Both the children and teacher contribute to the Nature Table. #montessori #naturetable
While there are a many advantages to having a three-year age grouping in the Montessori classroom, one of the most beneficial is the mentor-mentee relationship that is formed within the community.
The oldest students assist in demonstrating key procedures of the classroom for the younger students and they are often asked to give lessons they have mastered to their younger peers. The younger children are usually much more enthralled in a lesson given by their older classmates than one given by their teacher and they strive to achieve what their older peers do. Being a leader to others not only reinforces learning, but it gives a child a sense of purpose, makes them feel proud and builds confidence. #montessori
It is so wonderful to be back at school hanging out with friends again! #friendship #school #recess
Spooning is a basic exercise within the Practical Life area of a Montessori classroom. One of the first lessons introduced in the casa classroom, this work develops focus, concentration, visual and fine motor skills. #montessori #practicallife
Happy first day of school! We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow to begin a new year at Kew Park Montessori.
We finished off a wonderful school year today with a super fun morning of outdoor activities and our Kew Park dance off. What a blast! Scroll to see the awesome moves.
There’s lots of work to be done to close up our classrooms for the summer and the children are always part of the process. Care of the environment is an integral part of any Montessori programme and the children take great pride in it!
The 1000 chain is big work that requires much concentration and focus and gives the child a great sense of pride and accomplishment when completed.
The chain of 1000 golden beads is composed of 100 bars of 10. After the child counts and labels the first 10 beads, they continue to count and label the 10s until they reach 1000! Along the way the child places a 100 square above the chain every time they reach 100.
This piece of work teaches the child skip counting which is preparation for multiplication. It also indirectly prepares the child to understand cubing numbers.
Yesterday the elementary classes enjoyed the Kew Park Art Gallery! Each child chose three pieces from their art portfolio to showcase in the gallery and everyone loved seeing their own work on display and the work of their school mates. Even the casa classes checked out the beautiful works of art!
Happy Pride Month!
Our upper elementary class had a lovely day trip yesterday to the Niagara Region! They watched a huge ship move through Lock #3 of the Welland Canal, took a walking tour and picnicked in Niagara-on-the-Lake, learned about the battle at Queenston Heights in the War of 1812, made some winged friends at the Butterfly Conservatory, explored the Botanical Gardens and had a thrill getting drenched on a boat ride to the base of Niagara Falls. It was so great to get out on our first big excursion in two years and everyone had a blast!
Recess is for soccer baseball, digging, tag, cartwheels, sidewalk chalk, dancing, reading, nature discoveries, laughter with friends and fun!
Using real samples in botany studies is an effective way to engage the students and make a lesson more meaningful and memorable. Here the teacher recently used concrete examples in a study of the fruit. And the best part was eating the samples when the lesson was over!