One of the many benefits of mixed age groupings in the Montessori classroom is that the older children have many opportunities to assist the younger children with various tasks, such as dressing. Helping their classmates teaches them to be sensitive to the needs of others, builds confidence, develops their mastery of a skill and gives them a stronger sense of self-worth and purpose.
Our upper elementary class was so thrilled to finally resume their monthly visits to Main Street Terrace, a local long term care facility. We have a longstanding relationship with Main Street Terrace and the upper visits have been suspended for several years because of the pandemic. We are really proud of this intergenerational partnership that forms a warm relationship between the children and elderly people and the experience is invaluable. The students develop empathy, respect and social responsibility. The residents look forward to their visits each month and the children enjoy their company. Today they played games, painted, coloured, chatted and sang together! And we were so impressed with how friendly, nurturing and engaged the upper elementary students were.
The lower elementary children sketched some impressive and detailed flowers today in art class for a lesson on contour line drawing. Just like in the Montessori classroom, it is always super enticing to have real specimens for a lesson.
This week the school was abuzz when we had our first Sharing Evening of the year. The children are always so proud and excited to show their parents their work and their classrooms!
We attended the C.C.M.A. Conference today at Centennial College for a thought provoking and inspiring day of professional development. It is always great to come away from these opportunities feeling refreshed, recharged and with a new sense of purpose and pride for the important work that we do in the classroom and as Montessorians.
Lest we forget.
We’ve been out and about on many field trips lately! The upper elementary class went to Downsview Park to do some orienteering, the 2nd and 3rd year casa students visited Harbourfront Centre to explore colour and our first year casa children took a school bus to Riverdale Farm for their very first field trip!
In art class, the upper elementary students did one point perspective drawings and they were very proud of their work!
Water transfer with a sponge is a wonderful Montessori practical life activity to promote fine motor skills, hand-eye and bilateral coordination.
The Scholastic Book Fair was at Kew Park this week! All the children love this opportunity to peruse, choose and buy books of their own and anything that gets them this jazzed about books and reading is a good thing!
When you are in a Montessori classroom, you are part of a community. Every person in the class, from the most experienced teacher to the youngest student, has an important role to play in keeping the classroom in order. Care of the environment tasks, such as sweeping, dusting, table washing, tidying books and plant care, connect the child to their classroom and give them a sense of responsibility as a contributing member of the class. They learn that they are capable of doing real work and that their work is valued and important.
We had an incredible time today at the I.S.A.A. cross country meet despite the drizzly weather. Our elementary students ran their hearts out, cheered loudly for their friends and embraced the rain!
As part of their study of colour, lower elementary students explored warm and cool colours in art class using oil pastels.
“There is no description, no image in any book capable of replacing the sight of real trees and all the life to be found around them in a real forest.” -Maria Montessori
Our final morning at Kinark Outdoor Centre included a gaga ball tournament and flying squirrel on the high ropes. We are always sad to leave Kinark. It is so special to have this time away together outside the classroom, in the great outdoors, trying new things, learning and community building.
The upper elementary students are always enthusiastic, brave, supportive of one another, polite, inquisitive and engaged in all that we do. Each child has an opportunity to shine with the range of incredible activities. But very often their fondest thing about Kinark is the time spent with friends while eating meals together, around the fire, on the bus, in their cabins and in the unstructured moments of each day where they are making connections, building relationships and forming lasting memories.
We had another full day of activities and new challenges at Kinark. We did high ropes, archery, went on a hike, made candles, did dip netting, rode the pontoon boat, played games and had an egg drop contest. It was a wonderful and memorable day!
Our upper elementary class had a fun-filled first day at Kinark Outdoor Centre playing team building games, doing rock climbing, having a campfire and enjoying some cabin time!
Small but capable hands doing the button dressing frame.
Kew Park Montessori Day School acknowledges this land, now known as Toronto, or Tkaronto, as the traditional territory of many nations. Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Wendat peoples have all lived here, either together or at different times. We recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who continue to call this land home. Peace on this land is achieved through treaties, including Treaty 13.
We commit to uplifting the voices of Indigenous people, teaching and learning with Two-Eyed Seeing and encouraging reciprocity and respect towards Indigenous communities.
Our upper elementary students have resumed their daily responsibility of greeting and walking the casa children down to their classrooms every morning. Aside from them being extremely helpful, we are continually impressed with their kind and nurturing interactions and the responsible, conscientious leaders they are. The uppers always make the casa children feel welcome and they are learning to be empathetic and respectful individuals through these opportunities.