Waikato Montessori Education Centre
267 Newell Road, R D 3, Hamilton. Ph 07-858 3563 fax 07-858 3561
www.goldenbeads.org.nz <montessori@goldenbeads.org.nz>
6-12YRS NEWSLETTER 21 OCTOBER 2014 Welcome to Term 4 everyone —Spring has arrived and the childrens’ gardening work is continuing to flourish. We have fruit trees in flower, vegetables and flowers shooting away and of course the grass is taking off again. Papavero children have vegetables from their garden available for sale now. Organic celery is $1.50 bunch—pop over anytime to talk to the children about their produce.
Conferences with guides Sandy and Dominique are available for one on one conferences to update you with your child’s progress in curriculum areas. These commence 3 November and an electronic booking system is used - the link will be sent separately. If you have trouble using this system please email Diane to arrange a manual booking. Written reports for the year will be distributed at the interviews. Staffing updates We have had the pleasure of hosting AUT Student Karen Robertson for 5 weeks. Karen completes her B.Ed (Montessori Primary) requirements next week. Karen will return to assist in Chiaravalle in December whilst Dominique returns to Sydney for the next block of her AMI course. Dominique will be away 1—19 December so will miss the end of year activities. Ponmani and Karen will very capably manage the class in Dominique’s absence. Timetable All parents have access to Montessori Compass (www.montessoricompass.com) - if you have misplaced your login details please email admin@goldenbeads.org.nz and we will send you the details. Montessori Compass will show the weekly timetable specific to your child(ren). The following table is a summary. Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Mornings - No scheduled visitors to preserve the 3hr workcycle Chiaravalle : 11.40 -12.10 Recreational time —12.10 lunch followed by cleanup and returning to classroom activities Papavero : 12.00 lunch 12.30—1pm recreational time followed by cleanup and returning to classroom activities Afternoons Te Reo lessons with Whaea Erena—in class groups.
PE—Papavero (9-12yrs)
PE—Chiaravalle (6-9yrs)
Scheduled events Tuesday 28 October 2.15pm—Presentation by Steven Arnold (Senior Lecturer from AUT University) Upstairs Library room. Steven will address the benefits of completing the Montessori 3 year cycles and be available for questions on anything Montessori. Everyone is welcome. Friday 14 November 1pm—3pm Athletics afternoon for everyone. Athletics stations will be setup which the children will rotate through. Eg long jump, high jump, sprints. This concludes with an interesting obstacle event where water guns are involved. Parents are invited to assist with record/time keeping and also as spectators. Monday 24 November—Outing to Maungatautari Reserve (bus trip and a separate permission slip will be sent home, parent assistance on the day will be appreciated) Thursday 11 December 12.15pm—end of year concert presentation by children and community lunch. All family members are invited to come along. Friday December 19—last day of Term 4.
6-12YRS
NEWSLETTER
21
OCTOB ER 2014
Welcome Silas Halford-Cope has joined the 6-9yrs class and we welcome his family from our ECE programme—Lu Cope and Terry Halford. You will see Lu in the grounds quite regularly as she tends the school gardens each week. Music and instrument tuition Would you like extracurricular music lessons for your child i.e. paid private lessons? Julie Dowden is an accomplished tutor in the violin, voice, cello and a number of other instruments. Julie comes to school each Thursday and is contactable via email <julie.dowden@musiqhub.co.nz> Class plans for Term 4 All children have individual work plans for Language (writing and reading) and math, geometry etc This Term they will also be presented with information on Biomes. A Biome is the representation of the world characterised by a particular climate and soil rather than political boundaries. A biome is an interdependent community of plants and animals woven into an ecological view of geography. Areas covered will depend on childrens’ interests as they will prepare research projects—this could be on the work of the sun, air, water, soil or a particular Biome and its’ attributes. (Grasslands, desert, tropical/temperate forest, wetland, mountain, ocean, polar regions.)The attributes of our own NZ environment and our native plants and animals will be viewed from this perspective.
Vania and Alysse published a handbook on caring for rabbits for the ECE children.
Reading at home continues to be an important and much appreciated role for parents to support their children — if your child is bringing home a reading journal please read with them every night .
Nerissa and Mira demonstrate flax weaving to our ECE children.
Eden and Kevin preparing a stir fry of vegetables from the garden.
Chiaravalle children farewelling Kaela and Sahara Stanton. (Class photos are coming this Term).