July 2015 - Kendalwood (Montessori & Elementary School)

A Montessori Summer

July 29, 2015/in Uncategorized /by Editor

Authentic Montessori education fosters curiosity and independence year round, but the summer months provide a unique opportunity to grow. Children seem to grow a foot taller or master a substantial new skill in just a couple of months over the summer break. Why is that? At Kendalwood, we have a theory on why these big growth spurts happen during the dog days of summer.

Spontaneity

Summertime is a natural companion to our Montessori ideals, which honour individual interests and prioritize each child’s needs. Our summer camp program provides extra time for students to explore and follow their instincts and interests. We can stay outside, share impromptu picnics and host carnival dance parties at a moment’s notice.

Creativity

Imagination abounds during summer camp! Each week means a new theme with corresponding games, art and music. Together with our students, we delve into new ideas and take cues from the children to go deeper or move onto new subjects. So many opportunities to make and create inspire new ways of thinking and looking at the world around us.

Capability

Stepping just outside of the routines of the academic school year empower children to stretch themselves with confidence. In a Montessori environment where exploration is encouraged and flexibility is available, they can see themselves in new ways and try out new skills in safety, knowing that a familiar friend or teacher will be by their side.

Summer experiences come together in a special way to springboard children from their current place of readiness to their next personal milestone. Thank you for sharing your children with us this summer as they continue to discover their world and learn how much they are capable of – it’s magical to observe and a true privilege to be part of their development.

Kendalwood Montessori & Elementary School is Durham Region’s first fully accredited Montessori school. At Kendalwood, we believe that our job is to inspire children to become the best students they can be. With a curriculum that focuses on developing the intellect as well as nurturing self-esteem, academics are taught, curiosity is cultivated and respect is fostered. Our approach creates an environment where students flourish and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Kendalwood Montessori – Seeds of Empathy Program 2015-2016

July 23, 2015/in Blog /by Editor

Last year, Kendalwood was fortunate to be one of only twelve Canadian centres selected to participate in the Seeds of Empathy program. Our staff took part in a weekend training conference to learn and gain hands on practice in order to deliver the program. We are very excited to be continuing with the Seeds of Empathy program for the 2015-2016 academic year!

Seeds of Empathy’s mission is to build caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. The program has proven to be effective in fostering pro-social behaviour and reducing aggression levels while increasing empathy in young children. The distinctive aspect of the Seeds of Empathy program is the special guest educator – a baby.

Ronin is growing, he is joining us as a Kendalwood student!

Our students absolutely loved taking part in the program. Each week they happily gathered for Literacy Circles and enthusiastically participated in activities. The family visits were certainly the highlight of the program – the entire classroom was full of anticipation on visit day and began to recognize the cues when baby Ronin was about to arrive.

The best part was watching the growth of our students throughout the ten week session. We could see their ability to recognize and appreciate the feelings of others expand, and more importantly, understand that all feelings are valid –happy, sad or mad.

We have another exciting update to share – baby Ronin, our 2015 guest educator, will be joining Kendalwood in our Infant Program this year! The students are so thrilled to have the chance to continue to get to know Ronin and spend more time with him at school, and so are we.

We would like to reach as many Kendalwood students as possible with this unique and impactful program, so we have submitted a request to include additional Kendalwood Teachers in Seeds of Empathy training to expand our program in 2016. Building a better world is a big part of our mission and the Montessori philosophy and the Seeds of Empathy program is such a wonderful extension of our curriculum.

Kendalwood Montessori & Elementary School is Durham Region’s first fully accredited Montessori school. At Kendalwood, we believe that our job is to inspire children to become the best students they can be. With a curriculum that focuses on developing the intellect as well as nurturing self-esteem, academics are taught, curiosity is cultivated and respect is fostered. Our approach creates an environment where students flourish and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Public School Uncertainty Means Parents Considering Alternatives

July 17, 2015/in Blog /by Editor

Is private education right for my child?

The summer is a time for enjoying sunshine, family vacations and spending extra time with our children at home. Summer is also a time when many families may are researching educational options for the upcoming school year. We often speak with parents who are using the summer break to reconsider the educational path for their child.

There are so many questions – Are my child’s needs being met right now? What other options are available? Can we afford a private education?

In Ontario, there is growing interest in alternatives to public education due to recent job action from local school boards. With mounting pressure from a looming strike, many parents are seeking not only stability, but a guarantee of quality education and individualized instruction for their child.

If you have found yourself re-evaluating options for the upcoming academic year, the following comparison may be helpful as you work through questions and concerns.

	Kendalwood Montessori	Public School
Class Composition	Classrooms enjoy 3 year mixed age groups. Students are placed based on level of readiness.	Students are placed based on date of birth.
Teacher to Student Ratio	1:15 max for Casa and up. Each classroom has a qualified & experienced Montessori teacher and a dedicated assistant.	Full day kindergarten classrooms are not subject to a hard cap on class size.
Curriculum	Individually developed for each student based on their individual progression.	Mandated set curriculum that does not allow for variation.
Learning Materials	Students learn through a wide variety of resources and experiences both in and outside of the classroom. Peer mentoring and 1×1 learning is frequent and common.	Rooted in lecture style and textbook lessons.
Student assessment	On-going throughout the year.Teachers constantly observe and assess students and share with parents. Open and on-going dialogue.	Set to Government mandated requirements. Primarily test based.
French Language	Introduced at the toddler age and provided on a daily basis.	Introduced at grade 4 – once/twice a week
Extracurricular	Lunch and afterschool programs are included in cost of tuition, offered to families at NO additional cost	Extracurricular may be inconsistent (based on individual school administration), programs are often canceled year to year

Interested in learning more about Kendalwood? Drop in or book a tour to see us in action! We are located in Whitby, Ontario in the heart of Durham Region.

Kendalwood Montessori & Elementary School is Durham Region’s first fully accredited Montessori school. At Kendalwood, we believe that our job is to inspire children to become the best students they can be. With a curriculum that focuses on developing the intellect as well as nurturing self-esteem, academics are taught, curiosity is cultivated and respect is fostered. Our approach creates an environment where students flourish and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Kendalwood Whitby Campus – Bigger and Better than Ever!

July 10, 2015/in Uncategorized /by Editor

We have really exciting news to share! This summer, we are expanding the Kendalwood campus through additional square footage on the existing property.

Our campus has always been a priority for us, both inside and out. Previous renovations were done in order to increase the amount of natural light and add new flooring, making our classrooms bright and airy. Outside, our facilities offer multiple age appropriate play structures with rubberized surfaces and a wide-open soccer field.

The campus addition will provide three new classrooms, enabling Kendalwood to accommodate the growing demand for our infant, toddler and pre-casa spaces. And it’s only the beginning – this is phase one of a four year expansion program that will see us take over the entire building! With our convenient location and expanded campus, combined with our status as Durham Region’s first fully CCMA accredited Montessori school, we are proud to offer the best in quality Montessori education to Whitby families.

We are thrilled to be able to grow our Montessori community and invite new students to join us. We are certain that our expansion and improvements will enhance the Kendalwood experience and new families and students who join us as new will contribute to the close knit, inclusive culture that Kendalwood has become known for.

Updates will be provided as we progress on the renovations. If you have questions regarding additional spaces, please feel free to contact our principal Janis Koenders through the office.

Lower Elementary Classroom

Playground

Casa Classroom

Kendalwood Montessori & Elementary School is Durham Region’s first fully accredited Montessori school. At Kendalwood, we believe that our job is to inspire children to become the best students they can be. With a curriculum that focuses on developing the intellect as well as nurturing self-esteem, academics are taught, curiosity is cultivated and respect is fostered. Our approach creates an environment where students flourish and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Easy Ways to Keep Learning on Summer Vacation

July 4, 2015/in Blog /by Editor

Time spent having fun and being active outdoors is the mark of a really great summer. Our kids continue to learn through summer play, outings and changes in routine. Parents sometimes worry that children will lose knowledge gained at school over the summer break, but that doesn’t need to be the case!

Here are a few tips and simple games you can use to encourage your child to use their knowledge and practice building independence in anticipation of the upcoming school year.

For 3-6 year-olds:

Tea Time!

– Have the kids host a tea party. Let them set it up and serve. If you are feeling courageous, let them clean up as well!- Punch holes out of coloured paper and create a pointillism artwork. Try making the picture symmetrical for extra challenge.

– Give little ones the time to practice buttoning up those pants, shirts or jackets themselves!

– Read, read, read! Read together at the beach, at the park and at bedtime,

– On road trips, listen to audiobooks together. Ask comprehension and prediction questions along the way.

– Play the license plate game. Look at the letters on a license plate and try to come up with silly phrases or words that begin with those letters; you can also use the numbers and add or subtract (multiply for the older ones) or even just read the large number (i.e. 123 = one hundred and twenty three)

For 6-12 year olds

– Read, read, read! Start a book club with some friends and their parents. Everybody reads the same book and discuss! Watch the movie on a special play date after the book club meeting.

– Play Geography in the car. What are the capital cities of each province? Can you name the great lakes?

– Talk about your family history. Where did your child’s grandparents come from? Great-grandparent’s?

– Practice skip counting…everywhere! Always a good time to start counting by 4’s, 6’s or 7’s!

– Create a summer vacation journal. It makes a wonderful keepsake and helps kids practice writing and grammar skills.

– Experiment! Take a look at some of the websites below and try some of these awesome experiments in your backyard.

Science Bob

SciFun

Science Kids

Kendalwood Montessori & Elementary School is Durham Region’s first fully accredited Montessori school. At Kendalwood, we believe that our job is to inspire children to become the best students they can be. With a curriculum that focuses on developing the intellect as well as nurturing self-esteem, academics are taught, curiosity is cultivated and respect is fostered. Our approach creates an environment where students flourish and develop a lifelong love of learning.