W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
December 14, 2016
 
In this Issue


Upcoming Events

December 15
6-9 Concert Dress Rehearsal
1 p.m. in the Gym


December 16
6-9 Concert
9:30 a.m. in the Gym
All are welcome!
 

December 22 & 23
Winter Break
No classes. 
Pre-registered child-care available. 


December 26 - January 2
Winter Break
Building closed 
(No child-care) 


 January 3
Lead Teacher Professional Day
No classes.
Pre-registered child-care available. 


January 4
Classes resume!


January 12
Admissions Open Houses
9:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Tell a friend!


January 13
Financial Aid Deadline for Returning Families
Learn More 
 


 
Message from 
Instructional Technology Coach 
Rosemary Feehan
 


"What purpose would education serve in our days unless it helped humans to a knowledge of the environment to which they have to adapt themselves?"
 
- Maria Montessori
 
As a child of the 1990s, my elementary school experience was similar to what my teachers had seen as children. All assignments were done by hand; the main ingredients of a project were paper and glue, and any research involved encyclopedias and a trip to the library. It is strange to think that my elementary school experience had more in common with that of a student from 1950 than what today's students experience - all due to the integration of technology.
 
Although integration is the end goal at WMS, we are not creating technology-oriented goals and standards as we go along. ISTE (International Society of Technology in Education) is the guide that educational institutions around the world use to help them stay on track, moving our students toward what is commonly referred to as a 21st-century learner. ISTE standards focus on technology while also aligning well with the Montessori standards for learners.
 
There are seven main ISTE standards : empowered learner, digital citizen, knowledge constructor, innovative designer, computational thinker, creative communicator and global collaborator ; each can be met in a variety of ways. This allows a teacher to achieve each standard in a way that best suits the curriculum, classroom environment and needs of each student.
 
Just as the Montessori Method empowers each student to take control of his or her learning, ISTE's first standard does the same with the addition of technology. At the Lower Elementary (6-9) level, this could mean that a student chooses to use an assistive technology, such as speech-to-text, to help transfer the story she has in her imagination into writing on a page to share with the world. A student might also decide to use Khan Academy to practice math skills and track his or her progress over time.
 
Being part of a community is a core value at WMS; students explore their membership in groups such as family, school, the local community and, as they get older, the global community. Learning how to be a good digital citizen and how to participate as a global collaborator aligns with these values. Students begin by using cloud resources such as Google Drive to share files and communicate with the members of their school community. As they learn about becoming a member of a global community, they also learn about the importance of staying safe in the digital world. Students in the Upper Elementary (9-12) Program create blogs and participate in discussions and activities that address safe practices and what it means to have an identity on the internet.
 
When a student does work in a Montessori classroom, they are invited to choose the work that will best help them achieve their learning goals. This work can be guided or assigned by a teacher, or it can be chosen by students as part of their work plan choices, with the purpose of improving a skill and progressing in their learning. The ISTE standards that match this aspect of Montessori pedagogy are: constructing knowledge, innovative design, computational thinking and creative communication. All can be seen at each level at WMS in a variety of ways. The Lower Elementary students have participated in projects that challenge them to conduct research and use that knowledge to create (construct) a digital product (such as the Ashland Nature Center: The Lenni Lenape digital book). Both the Lower and Upper Elementary classes participate in a variety of experiences in the Maker Studio that focus on innovative design using tools such as littleBits and the Genius Project to create a solution to a given problem. All levels at WMS explore computational thinking . During last week's Hour of Code, Toddlers and Primary students challenged their computational thinking skills in hands-on programming with Bee-Bot and Cubeto . The Upper Elementary students are continuously challenged with how to create a product that effectively communicates their message with the audience through a digital platform, such as blogging or video.

Our goal is that students are able to eventually have enough confidence with different digital platforms that they can decide what works best for them. Integrating technology as a tool that aligns with the Montessori philosophy is a goal for everyone at WMS. By incorporating technology into our classrooms, we will continue to realize Maria Montessori's vision as we prepare children for the complex world of tomorrow.
 
News & Notes News
After-School Enrichment Programs -
The Perfect Holiday Gift
Looking for a unique holiday gift for your child that doesn't take up any space in your house?  

Registration for our winter/spring after-school enrichment programs is now open! With a variety of programs for children ages 4 through 12, there's sure to be something your child will enjoy for weeks after the holiday decorations are packed away!

Visit www.wmsde.org/afterschoolspecials to learn more about our offerings and register online. As an extra bonus, we'll be happy to give you a WMS note card and envelope in which you can share news of your special gift with your child!

Questions? Please contact Cass Winner!

 
FAST logo
Important Financial Aid Reminder
T he 2017-18 Financial Aid application is now open to current and prospective WMS families.

Please keep in mind that the deadline (January 15 for current families) is strict. I f you anticipate needing assistance with your application, please begin it as soon as possible so your application is not delayed.

All portions of the application and your 2015 tax returns must be received by FAST by the deadline in order for the financial aid committee to consider your family's application. 

Current WMS families who submit their materials on time will be considered for the first round of financial aid. Late submissions will be included in later rounds, alongside new families.

The majority of financial aid funds are distributed during the first round, to current WMS families. 

Please contact Nancy Oddo, Business Manager, with any questions.
 
Today's Learners leaders
Montessori Classrooms & Holiday Observances
by Room 15 Lead Primary Teacher Erin Wehler

Amidst the many distractions of the holiday season, teachers at WMS strive to preserve Maria Montessori's core principles in the classroom. Dr. Montessori's vision of educating the whole child encompasses the goals of peace and inclusion, as well as the importance of offering children the opportunity to learn through direct, multi-sensory experiences. While these guiding principles are actually at the heart of the holidays, they often get lost somewhere between shopping trips and television specials, and our children begin to lose sight of the true meaning of each celebration.
 
The Montessori classroom embraces the winter holidays with a distinct perspective. Our cultural curriculum serves as a wonderful foundation a s we honor the celebrations of people around the world. We model acceptance, tolerance and an appreciation for diversity. We are reminded that there is more than one way to view the world and that it may be different from what we know for ourselves.

In Room 15, an "ornament tree" is adorned with small decorations representing each child in the room. While a festively decorated pine tree is a common Christmas tradition, our tree looks a bit different and serves as a celebration of the diversity of our classroom. We offer each student the opportunity to bring in an ornament that represents him or herself. Each child shares the story behind his or her ornament: "This ornament represents me because it is a peace dove, and it is kind," one child told me as she entered the classroom. The children experience the beauty of their own differences through this tree, along with learning about the many stories and rituals related to the traditional decoration of the Christmas tree.

With the help of our families, the children have similar hands-on cultural experiences related to a variety of winter holidays. As we honor these celebrations of friends in our classroom, it mirrors our understanding of people around the world.

When we learn about Sweden's St. Lucia's Day, the children marvel that it is celebrated on the longest, darkest day of the year with very little daylight. We learn that gingerbread is popular in Sweden, and we look forward to decorating gingerbread cookies. Have you heard of La Befana, the old woman who delivers gifts to children in Italy on the Eve of Epiphany? She has been known to visit our classroom to fill the children's shoes with goodies and to make sure they write a note to their parents. Instead of letters to Santa, Italian children write letters to tell their parents how much they love them.   For Diwali, children dress up in traditional clothes and parade through the hallways to Indian music. They feel different textures as we make a powder rangoli and sculpt clay diyas for candle votives. For Hanukkah, the children mold wet potato latkes in their hands. The oil crackling in the pan reminds them of the miracle when the oil lasted eight nights in the Jewish temple. This year, we made a large Venn diagram to compare the similarities and differences between the seven nights of Kwanzaa and the eight nights of Hanukkah. A girl in our class exclaimed, "I got it! Diwali uses diyas for light, Hanukkah uses a menorah, Christmas uses a star, and Kwanzaa uses the kinara! The holidays celebrate light!"

As the children learn about these rituals, they gain an understanding of the passage of time and seasons throughout history. These traditions are best taught through stories. Children adore listening to the traditional stories. Many winter holidays relate to the ideas of darkness turning into light or the triumph of good over bad. After hearing the story of Hanukkah, a boy in our classroom remarked, "The Maccabees defeated the Syrian King just like Rama defeated Ravana for Diwali!"
 
As Montessori schools around the globe continue to honor all humankind through the cultural curriculum, Maria Montessori's vision is not lost. "Do we believe and constantly insist that cooperation among the peoples of the world is necessary in order to bring about peace? If so, what is needed first of all is collaboration with children..."
The Wednesday Weekly shares WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community.  

Please send submissions to [email protected] by 4:30 p.m. on the Friday prior  to the issue in which you wish to include your information. Content may be edited for length and style and may be held for a future issue due to space constraints.  

For more information, contact Noel Dietrich, Director of Communications.
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