Top News Archives - Rowntree Montessori Schools

2018/04/19 by R.M.S.

Students Solving Real-World Problems at Brampton Private School

Recently Grade 3 students at our award-winning Brampton private school at the RMS Academy Campus were posed with a question of what they would do with the increasing number of plastic water bottles and plastic bags that generate large amounts of garbage in our communities. Teachers and students discussed how some of this plastic garbage is dumped into the oceans, harming marine life, polluting soil and compromising the quality of earth. According to research conducted by the plastic pollution coalition organization, by 2050 the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by weight. This is a concern, so we asked students how to help reduce or eliminate plastic, and assigned them the task of creating structures using plastic water bottles and plastic bags.

Private school students in Brampton at RMS working on solving a real-world problem of pollution

Brampton private school students working on solving a real-world problem about pollution

Using the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) approach, each student stuffed plastic bags into plastic water bottles to strengthen the bottle and to build stable and useful structures. Each group sketched the structure that they wanted to build, and together they built a couch, a bookshelf, a step stool and a coffee table! The science component included building stable structures, the math component involved measuring and weighing the structures. With this project, students researched the effects of plastic pollution and they prepared a Google slide that displayed their research. In art class, they painted, and decorated their structures.

These are the types of problems that we challenge our students to solve. This year we will be holding the Annual STEM Fair with the theme “Mad About STEM” on Friday, April 27, 2018. We invite our RMS parents to this activity, and the agenda can be found on myRMS. We will also be holding a bake sale in order to purchase new science materials for all grade levels. This should be a great learning opportunity for all and we look forward to seeing all of the great experiments from our students.

Image of Student at Private School STEM Fair

Student showcasing project to a judge

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

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2018/04/09 by R.M.S.

Shaping Values in Private School

As a 21st Century Private School in Brampton, we pride ourselves in shaping students with strong values that will ensure a successful future for our students and our world. The Student of the Month assembly is one of our many school-wide initiatives that foster good values. Each month we celebrate a value and we recognize students who demonstrate that value on a daily basis. Students also present a skit or a song that depicts the value of the month. Below is a video of the Grade 3 students performing a song about Determination, entitled ”The Climb” by Miley Cyrus.

This month we are focusing on building “Leadership” among our students at the Academy Campus. Students can be recognized for demonstrating this value when we see them 1) Thinking for the future, learning from the past, and acting in the now 2) Influencing others to participate 3) Being able to deal with and overcome failures, mishaps, and mistakes 4) Understanding the importance of setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound 5) Pushing oneself to learn more, work harder and compete for the greater good 6) Being effective at delegating to all members 7) Being open to working with all channels 8) Listening before speaking 9) Continually asking questions or 10) Knowing the rules. Not only do we focus on ensuring that our academic curriculum is challenging and always 1-2 years ahead of the Ministry set guidelines in each subject, but we also make sure that we are supporting the overall well-being of each child, offering well rounded opportunities to grow and develop into good citizens of the world.

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/04/03 by R.M.S.

Hands On Learning in Grade 1 – Private School

Whenever possible at Rowntree Montessori Schools, we encourage the use of manipulatives and hands on materials in the classroom to problem solve, especially in mathematics. According to Small (2009), “there is a strongly held belief in the mathematics education community that when students are actively engaged in constructing their own understanding of a concept through hands on materials, they better understand what is being taught”. In fact, Canadian researchers of education in Kindergarten to Grade 8 classrooms often suggest that children who are encouraged to focus on how to solve problems over how to complete exercises, better understand concepts. Click here to read Chapter 1 of Making Math Meaningful to Canadian Students, K–8 by Marian Small.

Grade 1 stuents at RMS private school in Brampton problem solving through the use of manipulatives

Grade 1 students at RMS Central Park Campus showcasing their playgrounds in science class

Recently, our Grade One students at the RMS Central Park Campus completed a unit of science about Materials, Objects and Structures. To complete the unit, students needed to build their own playground out of available materials, such as cardboard, paint, pipe cleaners, tubes and other supplies. Prior to building the playground, each student needed to create a blueprint of what he or she was planning to build, outlining what materials would best support his or her structure. Not only did this challenge encourage students to visualize and problem solve, but when presenting their projects they needed to verbalize their creations. This was a great learning opportunity for each student, and we are proud of their results.

A proud Grade 1 student showcasing her work

We are currently still accepting applications to our Grade 1 programme, but space is very limited. Click here to Apply Now or Contact the Admissions Office at 905-790-3838 for more information today!

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/03/08 by R.M.S.

Math Day a Success at RMS Private School in Brampton

Over the past week students of all grades at our private school campuses have participated in Math Day activities to engage in learning mathematics through numerous hands on simulated experiences. At the Academy Campus, students were able to shop at the mock “Rowntree Central Mall.” The students from grades four to seven were assigned the responsibilities of setting up stores, the grade eight students took on the responsibility of organizing the finances, and our kindergarten to grade three students had the privilege of being shoppers! Rowntree Montessori School’s Athletic Committee, “RMAC”, also volunteered their services as mall security. Over the course of the day, the grade eight students did an amazing job of explaining the banking system to our shoppers. Plenty of guidance and advice was offered to the younger students, who excitedly spent their Rowntree dollars! It was indeed interesting to watch how the students shopped, some went through their money even before their shopping spree had ended. Others were more thoughtful and careful in their spending! Take a look at the video below for a preview of an exchange being made between buyer and seller.

Grade 7 students at the Academy Campus participated in the Real-Estate Fair, where they acted as real-estate agents, trying to showcase and sell their properties. This gave them an opportunity to learn how to calculate commission rates, understand mortgage rates, mortgage contracts and all the necessary steps to sell homes. Students at our Preparatory Campuses also participated in Math Day. Those at the Central Park Campus participated in a mock ice cream shop, making delicious purchases with mock money. They also had a money trivia room and a money arcade, to keep learning exciting and fun. Downtown Campus students participated in grocery shopping, ran a book store and enjoyed a math games room, while students at the Mayfield campus made pizzas in order to learn about fractions, had multiple counting games to participate in, and made a math craft activity.

This was another successful Math Day at our Award Winning Private School in Brampton, where teachers witnessed a kaleidoscope of virtues and values, from dedication, responsibility, co-operation, commitment, leadership and unity. Watching our students lead each other, and guide each other with such confidence and ease, makes us realize that this is truly a one of a kind student community. The sheer potential of our Rowntree Montessori School students never ceases to amaze us!

Students at Rowntree Montessori Schools private school in Brampton selling real estate in math day 2018.

Students showcasing a property for sale

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/02/28 by R.M.S.

Learning about How to Stop Bullying on Pink Day

Today our students are learning about why it is important to treat others with respect. Here at RMS, our student code of conduct is based on 3 Rs. Students are expected to monitor their behavior by demonstrating Respect for Themselves, Respect for Others and Respect for Property. As part of our support for Anti-Bullying, today our students at the Academy campus are dressed in pink. We are also spending the day learning about the importance of positive self-esteem and the need to speak out against bullying.

Private School students at RMS in Brampton wearing Pink in support of Anti-Bullying

Students at the Academy campus wearing pink in support of the importance of Anti-Bullying

Our students are also watching a performance geared at helping them understand the importance of speaking out about bullying. This performance called Bully and the Beanstalk is about a boy named Jack who gets bullied. He then makes a wish to be brave, and in the end befriends the bully. Using this type of performance for our students allows us to teach modern lessons using familiar characters and stories. The performance was thoroughly enjoyed by our students. View the video below for a snapshot of the first performance of the day.

For more information on how everyone can work towards stopping bullying in schools, click here:

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/02/23 by R.M.S.

The Value of the Arts in Education

We recently completed our 12th Annual Festival of the Arts at Rowntree Montessori Schools – Top Private School in Brampton. We are very proud of all of our students for showcasing their talents! We agree that “learning art goes beyond creating more successful students. It creates more successful human beings” (Neil Swap, Creativity and Academics: The Power of an Arts Education, 2016). According to Neil Swap, there are five main benefits of an Arts Education. Firstly, “through the Arts, students develop skills like resilience, grit, and a growth mindset to help them master their craft, do well academically, and succeed in life after high school.” We see this especially from our students who graduate in Grade 8 who have achieved significant successes in their educational achievements and lives outside of the school. With a well-rounded education as their foundation they are able to continue into successful future studies. Swap also says that the Arts help increase a student’s self-confidence. We recently witnessed this in many performances at the Festival of the Arts. Students who continue to perform each year make improvements in their self-confidence inside and outside of the classroom and on stage. Below is a video featuring one RMS student who has made great achievements with his ability to play the piano.

Swap also points to research that “connects learning music to improved verbal memory, second language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability, and executive functions in youth.” He also shares an example of how participating in a music ensemble allows “students learn to verbally, physically, and emotionally communicate with their peers, conductor, and audience.” Finally, he suggests that an appreciation for the Arts deepens cultural and self-understanding. We could not agree more about the importance of Arts in a well-rounded education. Below is a video of a pair of siblings completing a beautifully choreographed dance, which clearly has taken time and effort to prepare.

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/02/16 by R.M.S.

Register Today for Summer Learning Camp

Register online today for our Summer Learning Camps for this upcoming Monday July 2nd to Friday August 24th, 2018! We offer Kindergarten Montessori Readiness (children turning 4 in 2018), Prep-One Readiness (children turning 5 in 2018), Grade 1 Readiness (children turning 6 years old in 2018), a Grade 2-5 Enrichment and Remedial Educational Programme, and a Grade 6-8 Math/English Enrichment and Remedial Programme. Our summer programmes are specially designed to allow students to continue school throughout the summer months and to get a head start for the upcoming year, while enjoying fun and exciting activities and outings. Dedicated, caring, and qualified teachers and instructors will conduct a wide variety of activities that will complement and enhance your child’s academic needs and address their extracurricular preferences. Camps are offered in safe environments as a morning only (Academic), afternoon only or full day programme. Students will have the opportunity to have the best of both worlds by participating in a learning programme for the morning session, and then take part in planned activities in the afternoon, with a scheduled weekly field trip. All activities will coincide with a planned weekly theme. Parents will be given a calendar outlining the weekly events scheduled throughout the summer.

To learn more about our summer learning camps and weekly themes/fun afternoon activities and outings, click here.

To directly register online for summer learning camp, click here.

2018/02/09 by R.M.S.

Celebrate 100 Days of School!

At RMS our Kindergarten Montessori (Junior Kindergarten) and Prep-One (Senior Kindergarten) students enjoy learning through the use of multiple teaching techniques, including Montessori inspired methods. This prepares our students to learn more complex topics, as all of our subjects meet and exceed the Ministry set guidelines for learning by one to two grade levels. Today we celebrate the 100th day of school and we recognize the value of what we have learned so far this year! Every day starting at the first day of school Kindergarten Montessori and Prep-One students count the day, and when they reach the 100th day they celebrate! This year the Prep-One students came up with 100 reasons why they love school, including reasons like enjoying doing challenging work and loving their great teachers! Take a look at the video below of our Prep-One students using golden beads and large numbers to count over 100!

This afternoon we will have an assembly to celebrate the the achievements of our students, followed by Kindergarten students enjoying a 100th day cupcake celebration. Each day at Rowntree Montessori Schools we make sure to challenge our students to become the best versions of themselves and to learn something that will help them achieve success in their educational careers.

Students in Junior Kindergarten at RMS Private School Brampton celebrating the 100th day of school

Students in Prep-One celebrating the 100th Day of School

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/01/26 by R.M.S.

Grade 6 Students Create Mona Lisa Artwork

Our Grade 6 students recently learned about the history of the famous painting of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. First our students prepared a presentation on their Chromebooks about the masterpiece, learning about its subject and the controversy that surrounded it, when it was painted. Then our students were asked to recreate the Mona Lisa artwork either as their favourite fictional character or as a modern woman or man.

Grade 6 private school sctudents at RMS working on an art project

Student working on her Mona Lisa drawing

Students were very excited about this art project. The task was to draw the traditional pose of Mona Lisa, but completely change her look along with the background to match their idea. Students used tracing paper to start the outline, and then sketched in their ideas. Finally, students wrote a museum label for their creation that explained how and why they recreated the Mona Lisa the way they did. The artwork results are very impressive!

Artwork from Grade 6 private school class at Rowntree Montessori Schools Brampton

Sample of the final Mona List artwork creations

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .

Please kindly SHARE this post with others by clicking onto one or more of the icons below. We would appreciate it and thank you in advance.

2018/01/19 by R.M.S.

Using Math for 2D Design

Recently our Grade 8 students were given the opportunity to utilize their math skills to design 2D shapes in class. This was a great opportunity for students to be exposed to how math is used in real-world situations, as they learned to calculate the area and perimeter of CDs. The challenge was to investigate different polygons in order to find the one with the largest area. The next step was to make a printable label for a CD case. Students needed to cover a perimeter of 30cm. In order to do this, they investigated rectangles, triangles, trapezoids and parallelograms. Not only did this foster creativity, but using Chromebooks to complete this exercise made it very engaging for the students. Wherever possible our teachers try to provide lessons that combine teaching methods with real-world problems that students are able to solve. This helps encourage independence and problem solving skills, which are core skills that we teach here at RMS.

Student at RMS Private School Designing a CD Label

Student designing a CD Label

CD Label Design Process at RMS Private School

Sample of how the CD label is designed

We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!

To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:30am-3:00pm.

More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here .