Westside Montessori School

When boundaries work, children don’t need to test them as often. They trust their parents and caregivers, and therefore their world. They feel freer and calmer and can focus on the important things: play, learning, socializing and being happy-go-lucky kids. Janet Lansbury

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The New Prepared Environment We’ve moved to outdoor classroom spaces and returned to in-person classes this week under modifications. This is different for all of us but we are grateful for these next five weeks, even at half time attendance. Some may see it as sad to have to return in this adjusted way. Seeing how joyous the children have been back at school tells us that this careful restart was the right move for our province at this time. Yes, there are changes and distancing is happening, but sharing an open-aired space and being in one another’s much-missed company is filling our hearts. #montessori

We have transformed our outdoor covered areas into Montessori classrooms! We began our restart today to in-person classes. We have measures in place such as different entrances per class, choosing your desk for the week and designated supplies for each child. We’ve moved to touchless soap dispensers and barrier film for high-touch surfaces. It’s amazing how our children are already used to distancing and a quick reminder brings them back to how we physically interact differen...tly right now. Two-thirds of our students are attending this first week. We continue to offer morning connects via Zoom and our ongoing Virtual Learning platform. These are indeed strange times but our province’s plan to restart includes carefully reopening child care and schools. We take this next step with the utmost care under modifications and controls, combined with following strict measures. The beaming, glowing faces and smiles that came through our doors today is something we will always remember. See more

Hatching baby chicks in our classrooms is a highlight for our students each year. So we were thrilled to still be able to share this precious miracle virtually via Zoom! Our 11 chicks will soon move from their temporary home at Ms Mischa’s house to their huge chicken coop in Southlands with one of our dear families. How eggciting!

Ms Tanya shared this most lovely Raffi Song, Take a Breath, during our Whole School Morning Yoga. Sending love ...

We dance! We end our week moving our bodies, letting loose and celebrating the week we have shared. This ongoing connection and collaboration has brought sanity, normalcy and love through this. It’s been a give and take and we gain so much through the daily interactions, laughs and cries. However we are needed, we are here. If our families connect through our daily meetups, whole school Yoga and Dance Parties, our recorded lessons, readalouds, songs, crafts, baking, scienc...e, French or from the familiarity of our group time songs and games, we want to reach you in however you wish to receive us. We gain just as much from our children’s love and reciprocities. This has been a time unlike any other and we are holding on tight, brightening each other’s days until we can return to our classrooms. Until then, we will continue on. Looking back, we will be a stronger community full of love and knowing that we forged through it together, hand in hand. #montessori #montessorischool See more

We are celebrating Earth Day next week in a big way! It’s about the everyday little things that we do that make a difference. We want to foster mindful habits with how live, keeping our ecological footprints small. Building our video tutorials with helpful inspiration and ideas. #EarthDay #MontessoriSchool

Showcasing a few of the lessons we are hosting this third week of virtual learning. The beauty and appeal of our stunning Montessori materials allow us to collaborate with our students despite being apart. We have adapted some in order for families to use what they have to create a DIY version, ie: Sound Eggs! We love seeing the ingenuity and creativity that our children have exhibited in their activities throughout these past few weeks. We marvel at how the connection to these special materials and activities continues for our students, even at a distance. #montessori #montessorischool

Tuesday Mornings are magical as we come together led by Ms Tanya and Goldie. We stretch our bodies and feel all the love and light through our screens. These are not easy days but these most special moments are highlights that start us off on a great foot.

Our very first whole school dance event! Everyone let loose and danced our worries away. We must have really needed this and it felt so good to come together in this way after our first week back. Big thanks to Ms Sarah for orchestrating it. #montessorischool

We’ve moved our lessons, songs and stories to a WMS community page just for our families. It has been wonderful to meet with our classes every morning. It’s the small things such as singing our songs together that give us that sense of routine and connectedness through this very strange time. Seeing the smiling faces of our children brings light to our days. Thank you for the overwhelming love and support. #montessori

A comic from Elise Gravel that explains COVID-19 and social distancing to children ... this is also a free printable via her website.