The big picture on Alive Montessori & Private School
We summarized the school ourselves
Julia Simon founded Alive Montessori in 2001, and she remains very much the head and hands of the school today. She established the school as a means of delivering the Montessori principles, prime among them being the provision of a family-like atmosphere in which to learn. Families who enroll here are drawn to the small size of the school, allowing students to gain a heightened sense of their place within the life of the school. Instruction is personal, with pacing cues taken from the individual students, and a close attention to the talents, perspectives, and interests that they bring with them to the school each day. Students are encouraged to have a voice, and to use it in their daily lives. Numeracy and literacy are important, though passion is, too, something that Simon has rightly built the Alive program around.
We questioned the school adminstration
1. Who are you, as a school?
"Located one short block north of Eglinton at Bathurst. PRE-SCHOOL TO GRADE 6. Children get off to a very fast start to their education in a safe, family-like environment. Early reading at ages 3, 4 and 5 develops into fluency at a young age with our extremely effective reading program. Very strong emphasis on the Basics of Reading, Writing and Math to give a solid grounding for all other learning. Watch your child's confidence grow as he or she demonstrates competence and ability. FASTER LEARNING – MADE FUN!"
Every child is a unique individual deserving of the best education possible.
Every child has an innate desire to learn that must be cultivated, not blunted.
Every child has his or her natural interests and strengths.
Learning occurs at varying rates and every child learns at his or her own optimum pace.
The Basics of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic are important as these still form the foundation.
The goal of education is to give every child the tools to become self-reliant and successful in life
Education does not have to be a dreary and dull activity. Done properly, learning is fun.
Our goal is to provide the best possible start to our children through proper education.
We aim to create a safe, caring and fun environment.
A better education. A better job. A better life.
2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?
"> Every child is a unique individual deserving of the best education possible.
> Every child has an innate desire to learn that must be cultivated, not blunted.
> Every child...(more)
"> Every child is a unique individual deserving of the best education possible.
> Every child has an innate desire to learn that must be cultivated, not blunted.
> Every child has his or her natural interests and strengths.
> Learning occurs at varying rates and every child learns at his or her own optimum pace.
> The goal of education is to give every child the tools to become self-reliant and successful in life.
> Done properly, learning is fun."
3. What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?
Information not yet available.
4. What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?
Information not yet available.
5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?
Information not yet available.
6. Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?
Information not yet available.
7. To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?
"For our parents Alive is more than education. Our school means family and means trust and a whole new understanding what it means to feel safe and loved.
"For our parents Alive is more than education. Our school means family and means trust and a whole new understanding what it means to feel safe and loved.
They choose our school because it is small and welcoming place where every child is appreciated and feels a sense of belonging. In the end of the day, children do not want to go home and arrive each morning with a smile. The hands-one learning and qualified staff are major factors that contribute to our student's success."
8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
Information not yet available.
9. What aspect of your school is underappreciated?
"Our school has Speciality Classes almost on a daily basis during the normal school hours.
From piano classes to gym classes, to drama and dance classes, we have a wide range of...(more)
"Our school has Speciality Classes almost on a daily basis during the normal school hours.
From piano classes to gym classes, to drama and dance classes, we have a wide range of activities."
10. What might families find surprising about your school?
"We treat each child as an individual and families often get surprised that we know each other on a personal level. We truly care about every single child that steps through the...(more)
"We treat each child as an individual and families often get surprised that we know each other on a personal level. We truly care about every single child that steps through the door. We are a very small school community of 50 students in total, going from Preschool to Elementary, which allows us to give our students the attention and guidance to help them reach their full potential."
11. What improvements or changes has your school made recently?
Information not yet available.
12. How will your school change in the next 5 years?
Before we came to Alive Montessori & Private School, my son disliked school. He dreaded every morning and as soon he entered the playground he would shut down. On his first morning at Alive he was timid and I left him at school with tears in his eyes, little did I know this was the last time he would have this reaction to school ever again.
When I ask him what he loves most about his school he always tells me the same thing. He tells me how much he loves the variety that the school offers. They make learning fun and cater to what interests him while focusing on the core fundamentals of literacy and numeracy.
He loves that he is able to express himself emotionally without judgment in a space that encourages and truly attempts to understand the emotional intelligence of the child.
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