Hatch House
Welcome Fall – Welcome Hatch House families to our first blog of the school year! September is already behind us, and the end of October is quickly approaching. Needless to say; our students have been immersed in a variety Learning Topics in each classroom.
Core curriculum studies have already started in the Elementary classroom. They have been focusing on “All About Me”. During this subject, the students have been exploring and explaining their likes and dislikes, favorites, and personality traits. Each student is writing a letter to themselves that is to be opened by them at the end of the year. This will show them how they have grown during the 2016-2017 school year. After this, the Elementary students will be very busy learning about Space. Topics such as the Solar System, galaxies, and planets are just some of the topics that will be covered here.
Casa and Junior Casa students have been exploring a very similar topic – “Care of Self”. This part of the Montessori Curriculum reflects on the individual independence of each child. Very important skills are learned and refined here: Hand washing, blowing your nose, zipping and buttoning, laundering, and shoe tying. Those are just some of the things covered in this area! We look forward to encouraging confidence and independence of the child with these exercises.
To keep the Toddlers engaged in their learning experiences, topics are changed weekly according to their interests. Starting the school year with “All About Me”, both classes are helping the children learn about themselves and each other through basic introduction to personal concepts such as family, names, and belongings. Learning about their peers and immediate surroundings is key for a happy, safe, and comfortable Toddler experience at school!
Junior Toddlers have also been busy in their classroom, and have been talking about Family over the first few weeks. They are continuing this theme, and helping each child learn where different family members live. The teachers are helping to make a family tree for each child. Relating personal topics to the child’s school experience helps them not only to learn about their family, but helps them to feel comfortable and safe in a new environment.
Thanksgiving has come and gone; the season’s celebration has ignited thoughtful reflections and discussions in each classroom, as the children of all ages expressed their gratitude and shared all that they are thankful for. The conversations sparked the imaginations, resulting in the creation of wonderful Thanksgiving arts and pumpkin crafts.
As Mother Nature rewards us with the most beautiful display of colours this season children in the programs have been exploring the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of the changing colours and the variety of shapes and sizes of the leaves, the different species of trees, and discovering the science behind this incredible transformation with much allure.
Lots of exciting things are in store for the next months to come, and we can’t wait to see how everyone grows this year!!
