Framework Montessori

You can't learn how to drive in a parked car! Read this on facebook today and could not agree more. Brain and body learn in motion. It's physics and Maria Montessori is totally awesome to have brought this truth to the forefront of education.

Our darling Micro-Montessori School here in St. Catharine's is sadly temporarily closed. Due to unforseen circumstances we will not be running summer camp this year. Sorry! We absolutely hope to re-open sometime/someday. Hold on to your horse hats. We loved every single minute, and every single day at Framework Montessori School. Miss Everyone So so much. Peace!

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From Lessons Learned In Life Inc.

Wonderful!

Exciting news, FME is hosting an AMI 6-12 Orientation Course in Toronto! We are very excited to present this opportunity to learn more about the 6-12 child with Terry Millie, AMI Trainer in Training. The course is open to all, so if you are an elementary assistant, primary guide, school administrator, parent, or simply someone interested in Montessori elementary education we would love to have you join us. The course is starting in just a few weeks, so don't delay your registration!
Learn more and register here: https://montessori-ami.ca/ami-6-12-orientation-course/

Every child matters🧡 today please wear orange to support residential school survivors and the kids who never got to come home. But don’t let this day be a day of performative allyship. Take this day to educate yourself and families about the atrocities canada has committed against indigenous people.

For indigenous people this is a day of mourning. Our people never deserved what was done to us by the government. Our CHILDREN did not deserve it. Every single indigenous person is affected by residential schools. For some, they are the first in their families not to go. My partner is one of those people. I am a second generation to not attend residential schools. I fight everyday to reclaim and relearn what was taken from my family.

For my indigenous kin, be gentle with yourselves today. It’s an emotional day with many feelings, please honour them. Connect with loved ones, family members and friends. Smudge and put down to***co for your families.

Happy International Day of Peace! ☮️

Today marks the UN's 41st International Day of Peace - 24 hours dedicated to peaceful dialogue and ceasefire. The theme this year is "End Racism. Build Peace."

Nuclear disarmament campaigners have long-argued that racism lies at the heart of nuclear weapons possession - in who is allowed to develop and possess them, where testing is conducted, and who are considered targets. Indigenous communities and people of colour have been at the heart of anti-nuclear campaigning for decades. Today we remember their efforts and renew our call for a more peaceful world free from these weapons of mass destruction.

More on racism and nuclear weapons:
https://www.icanw.org/racism_and_nuclear_weapons

Maria Montessori, the Italian educator and physician who created the Montessori Method, was born on this day in 1870. Montessori's educational philosophy of encouraging children's learning through discovery is now used in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide.

Montessori grew up in Italy and enrolled in the University of Rome's school of medicine in 1893. As a woman, she faced hostility from both fellow students and professors, even being forced to perform dissections alone after hours as it was deemed inappropriate for her to attend classes with men in the presence of a naked cadaver. Despite the obstacles, she graduated in 1896 and set up a private practice.

Montessori rapidly became an advocate for both women's rights and the rights of children with disabilities. She regularly worked with children facing these challenges, and she was a major supporter of their right to access education. In 1901, she left her practice to engage in further study in psychology and educational philosophy, and began considering how to adapt the methods she used for general classroom use.

In 1906, Montessori was asked to oversee the education of children of working low-income parents in Rome. At first, it was outfitted like a standard classroom of the day, but as Montessori observed the children and provided them with the resources she had developed, she discovered that they preferred practical activities to toys and that, if they were given a free choice of activities, they would develop spontaneous self-discipline.

In response, Montessori decided to transform the traditional classroom: she replaced the large furniture with child-sized desks and chairs, put tools and activities on low, child-accessible shelving, and included more exercises that encouraged caring for the environment and the self, such as cooking, gymnastics, and care of pets, as well as practical activities such as sweeping, self-dressing, and hand washing. She also introduced literacy materials like moveable cutout letters and picture cards with labels, which resulted in her students becoming proficient in reading and writing far sooner than was expected with traditional methods.

Her Casa dei Bambini (Children's House) was a great success, and by 1907 another had been opened in Rome. The independence, concentration, and self-discipline of her students began attracting attention from journalists, politicians, and educators, and in 1909, Montessori held her first teacher training course. In 1911, Montessori methods had been adopted in Italian and Swiss public schools; by 1912, Montessori schools were being planned in places from Paris to India, and Montessori societies were founded in the US and UK. By the time she died in 1952, Montessori had revolutionized the way educators and parents thought about child development. Her legacy is obvious in both public school systems and in the Montessori schools that can be found around the world today.

For several books by Maria Montessori that explore her educational philosophy, check out "The Montessori Method" (https://amzn.to/3BilWwq), "The Secret of Childhood" (https://amzn.to/3DtO9Ci), "The Absorbent Mind" (https://amzn.to/3jAXFMd), and "The Discovery of the Child" (https://amzn.to/3mLJDZW)

To learn more about her work and educational philosophy, we also recommend the insightful biography "Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work" at https://www.amightygirl.com/maria-montessori-life-work

To introduce children to this inspiring role model, we recommend the board book "My First Maria Montessori" for ages 2 to 4 (https://www.amightygirl.com/maria-my-first-maria-montessori) and the picture book version for ages 5 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/maria-montessori)

Many of the toys featured A Mighty Girl's toy section were selected with a similar philosophy to Maria Montessori's in mind -- we've sought out high-quality toys that would help children to exercise their imagination while mastering basic skills and growing confident in their abilities to be self-directed learners.

If you're new to A Mighty Girl, mouse over the "Toys' button on our main menu bar to open our toy directory which is divided into six main categories: Toys/Games, Imaginative Play, Arts/Crafts, Outdoor Play, For Baby, and Kids' Gear. To start exploring our selection of over 2,000 girl-empowering toys, visit https://www.amightygirl.com/toys

Last Day of 3D ART CAMP

The children finished painting their Papier-mâché projects today. They look fantastic. Thank you to everyone who participated in the art camp this week we had so much fun. All projects can be picked up next week Wednesday or Thursday. Please arrange a pick up time with Mrs. G. Have a great weekend.

Day 4 of 3D ART CAMP

The children worked on painting their miniatures today, still waiting for the giant sized Papier-mâchés to dry completely. We also learned a little about Optical Illusion, specifically, how to create the Penrose triangle. Can't wait to see the finished projects tomorrow.

A lovely fellow Montessorian was interested in viewing this earlier post, posted some time ago - December 2020. (sorry for the delay reposting this!) Here you are my friend, I hope you and the children in your classroom are enjoying your very own Felt Metal Inset masterpieces. Thank you for your support and interest in the little things we do. Mrs. G

Day 3/Papier Mache

1/2 cup flour
tablespoon of salt
1 cup of water
Mix with your hands, add flour to thicken when needed

Today was messy and it required some really hard work to actually accomplish all the layers. The projects are out to dry, can’t wait to see how they finish them.

Day 2/Forming the Body

Wasn’t sure how far we would get today but the children did need the entire studio period this morning just to form the bodies of their projects. We used plastic bags, crumpled paper, tissue paper rolls and a whole lot of masking tape. Tomorrow we plan to add at least 4 layers of newspaper mache and at least 1 layer of newsprint. Right now they all look mummified.