Fairweather Class

 

 

For the next while, the learning environment is your home and surroundings. This means we need to find ways to support independence, engagement in meaningful tasks and supplement learning through various activities suggested by your child’s guide.

We encourage you to establish these three spots for your child: a work space, a quiet corner and snack access.  It is important that when preparing the environment you include your child in some decision-making:

• Ask them where to set up their space for the three listed above.
• Organize materials and supplies in the space
• How do they want to decorate it – beauty appeals to children on a subconscious level, so help them make it appealing and inviting to ensure they will use the space.

As guides, preparing the environment to effectively meet the needs of children was a substantial part of our training. As a parent, we understand you are working with what is available to you. Ideally, the environment should be sized for the child; however if all you have is your dining room table – you can make that work! Here is a gallery of other home-learning prepared environments. You do not have to copy any of these, they are just for inspiration!

Work Spaces:

                          

During online lesson time, please support your child to be in an environment they can focus, learn and connect with others. Here is a good visual suggestion:

Quiet Corners are fundamental for self-regulation and will be part of the daily schedule coming from the teacher. Please help your child prepare one with cozy items.

 

Having bins or containers with snacks your child can access indepently is also very important to the rhythm of their day; the guides are going to strongly urge children to prepare their own food at home during this time – this will be a work expectation. The goal here is to build more independence. Please support your child by providing them with an area (if you don’t already) to access snacks and drink.

     

Dr. Maria Montessori Quote for inspiration on the prepared environment.

If you need help, suggestions, or recommendations on setting up with what you have, please request a 1-1 meeting with your child’s guide.

Sincerely,

Sharlie & Sanjay

Dear Families,

While it is well known that learning to read is a foundational skill to a successful life, do you know that reading can bring life to you too? In the early years we learn to read, later we read to learn. In elementary, us adults have the privilege of witnessing this passing happening for children and it is truly remarkable. Once a child has opened their mind the the world of wonder inside of a book, they can’t be pulled away for any reason – this deepened focus will straighten executive functioning skills.

In this highly digital age, we want to preserve this century old practice for our children. It is within books that the imagination will soar; it will grow into creative thinking skills, social learning that translates into the real-world, offer a momentary reprieve from stresses, and spark wonder that reality couldn’t hold a candle too.

It is on this solid foundation that I reach out to our beautiful community and humbly ask for you to purchase books, or make a contribution for us to purchase books, for our learning to continue to bloom and flourish under the loving guidance of literature. Below is a link to our classroom book wish list. If it is within your power to contribute, we are deeply grateful. These books will be a daily resource for our classroom community members, actively helping them to extend their learning, spark momentum to learn more and stimulate curiosity.

Fairweather Book Wishlist>>

From our hearts to yours, Thank you!

Love, Fairweather