Canadian Montessori Academy - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Administration
General Questions
Dress Code
Outings
Food Restrictions
CMA Community
Infant
Toddler
Primary
Elementary/Middleschool

Administration

What steps are involved in Registration?

Attend a (free) Parent and Teacher Training Information session.
Observe a Classroom in progress.

Once you are interested in further inquiry or in reserving a place for your child at CMA, please contact the Registrar who will arrange:

A registration appointment with the Vice Principal, who will go through the registration documents with you.
Answer any further outstanding questions and help you complete the registration paperwork.
A final registration meeting between the Principal and both parents.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Q:	Who owns CMA?
A:	CMA is a family run business. It was founded by Ayna Cader in 1980, a student who studied directly under Dr. Maria Montessori. CMA is now run by Ayna’s daughter Sherie de Mel and her grand-daughter Sabena de Mel.
Q:	What are CMA’s affiliations / memberships?
A:	Member of the American Montessori Society, (AMS) International Montessori Council, (IMC) International Association of Montessori Educators, (IAME) Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)
Q:	Why should I send my child to CMA?
A:	We believe that CMA provides the best education and development for your child, along the lines that are consistent with modern brain research on how children learn and develop. We encourage students to be independent, show respect for each other and their environment. We ‘follow the child’ helping him/her to do the best and become the best they can.
Q:	Does CMA follow the Ministry of Education Guidelines?
A:	CMA is governed by the Ontario Ministry of Education and our curriculum exceeds all Ministry of Education guidelines. In each of the three Progress Reports you receive in an academic year about your child, we provide you with the comparison of our curriculum against the Ministry of Education’s guidelines.
Q:	What are your Teacher / Student Ratios and how do they compare with other educational institutions?
A:	CMA Teacher Student ratios are better than that in most other institutions. All classrooms which consist of at least two teachers exceed Ontario Ministry Requirements. CMA Teacher / Student ratios: Infant: 1/3, Toddler: 1/6, Primary: 1/10, Elementary: 1/15, Middle School 1/15, Special Needs: 1/1
Q:	How is CMA able to deliver personalized instruction?
A:	CMA’s Low Teacher Student Ratios which consists of a minimum of two Montessori teachers in each classroom ensures personalized, one on one instruction that exceeds Ministry of Education ratio requirements.
Q:	How does your Bilingual Program compare against a French Immersion Program?
A:	There is a French teacher in each classroom speaking French to the children at all times. Our French curriculum which is provided within a Bilingual classroom setting is equivalent to the Ministry of Education Guidelines for French Immersion Programs. Recent research in language education points out that the model of, one parent in the family speaking only French and the other parent speaking only English is the most conducive approach to helping the children become equally fluent in both languages. This is the model that is followed at CMA.
Q:	Are CMA teachers Montessori Certified?
A:	All CMA teachers hold a certification in Montessori Education relevant to the level they teach. Our experienced teachers, most of whom have several years of relevant teaching experience, hold Bachelors and Masters Degrees or other related professional qualifications within specialized fields. All Elementary teachers must hold a Bachelors degree.
Q:	What is a Master Teacher?
A:	A Master Teacher is defined as someone with at least five years of in-class experience after Montessori certification. These individuals mentor student teachers and lecture in Training Programs. CMA is fortunate to have seven Master teachers as part of our faculty.
Q:	What is your practice on First Aid and CPR?
A:	We require all staff to be certified in First Aid and CPR for infants, children and adults. Our Staff update this certification annually.
Q:	Do you screen employees?
A:	Canadian Montessori Academy is proud to announce that since 1997, we required all staff to undergo criminal reference checks. Criminal reference checks are obtained for all staff annually, to enhance the safety of all children.
Q:	What is your practice regarding student pick up?
A:	All teachers maintain a record of who may pick up your children. We draw this information from the information provided by the parents at admission and subsequent updates.
Q:	What is CMA’s policy on Illness?
A:	We follow the Ontario Health Department's standards, which state that your child should be kept home for at least 24 hours after the last occurrence of a temperature, diarrhoea or vomiting. If your child has a communicable disease or condition, such as: diarrhoea, impetigo, vomiting, strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink eye), scabies, mouth sores, skin rashes (not diaper), s/he should be kept home for 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotics, or until your doctor has given a written statement that your child may return to school.
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Dress Code
Q:	Are there uniforms at CMA?
A:	All students, with the exception of infants, must wear the CMA Uniform to school every day.
Q:	Why does my child need two pairs of shoes?
A:	One pair for indoors and one pair for outdoors.
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Outings
Q:	Do the children go outside?
A:	Yes, children go outside twice a day, weather permitting.
Q:	Do the children go on outings/have guests visitors?
A:	Field trips / Special Guests are arranged by the teachers in each classroom. A blanket permission slip for all field trips during the school year is required as part of your registration documents. More involved field trips such as overnights require individual permission forms.
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Food Restrictions
Q:	Do you have any food restrictions?
A:	Yes. CMA is nut free, junk-food, free and pop free environment. Our aim is to promote good nutrition habits in our children. No smoking is allowed in or around the campus.
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CMA Community
Q:	How Does CMA Communicate with Parents?
A:	General communications about school events, policies and procedures and special notices about each child's growth and progress are an important part of the relationship between the school and parents. Here are some of the ways we keep in touch: School Calendar A school calendar is provided before the start of each school year and can be downloaded off our website. Monthly Newsletter Monthly newsletters are available at the beginning of each month. In our continued effort to be “green”, we developed an electronic newsletter. Our newsletter is our way of keeping parents abreast of the latest happenings at the school. Link to our newsletter is sent to each parent every month. Some of our old newsletters are available on our website at: www.montessori-academy.com Workshops In order that you understand and support your child’s learning and development in the Montessori way, we offer many parent Montessori Workshops during the year. We strongly believe that attending these workshops increases your investment in your child’s progress and development. Thus we require that you attend the these workshops and provide the active partnership between CMA and you in the continuing development of your child.
Q:	How can I get involved in the school community?
A:	We offer opportunities for each parent to volunteer in our school. Usually we ask that if you wish to volunteer in a classroom, you avoid working in your child’s classroom so as to avoid the distraction to your child. However we always welcome your help at many special events that give you the opportunity to spend time with your child at school.
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INFANT

Q:	What is the routine in the Infant room?
A:	The Infant room is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Each Infant has his/her own routine. We follow the child. Feeding, diaper changes and sleep patterns are all individually determined by listening to and observing the child. Midmorning the children enjoy gathering together for stories, songs and finger plays at circle time. Daily walks, outside play, art and music are an important part of the Infant's development and are all included in the daily activities. We use a set of simple signs to communicate with infants who are not yet speaking. This is a research initiative of our school. It is very successful in leading the child to early communication. Also, it has reduced the crying in the infant class.
Q:	My child resists nap time. How would you get her to go to sleep?
A:	The teachers observe the children for signs of tiredness. If the child is helped to sleep at the right time there usually isn't a problem. If the child still resists, then every effort is made to ensure that the child is relaxed and comfortable. We often play some favorite music and give a cuddle or a soothing massage. The younger infants often prefer to sleep in the snuggly area of our main room until they are confident enough to nap in the sleep room. We have designed special low cots which enable the infants can go in and out, without crying for help from an adult. An adult always supervises the children at sleep time.
Q:	My child is a 'fussy eater'. How would you handle mealtimes?
A:	Food is offered to the children at regular mealtimes or whenever they show signs of being hungry. If a child refuses to eat he may not actually be hungry at that time. The food is put away and offered again later. Our program is designed to allow for flexibility, and mealtime for a fussy eater can be as long as they need to be. All food intake is documented and the teachers are able to identify favorite foods as the eating pattern emerges.
Q:	How do you know when to start toilet training?
A:	Toilet learning (as it is known in Montessori) usually takes place when the child is in the Toddler class and only when the child is physically and emotionally ready.
Q:	How often are the baby's diapers changed?
A:	On average every two hours or as needed.
Q:	How often are the toys and materials cleaned, and what products are used?
A:	All area surfaces and toys are washed and sanitized at the end of each day or as needed during the day. A commercial, nontoxic cleanser is used. The teachers will be glad to show you the products we use.
Q:	Do the babies get a lot of hugs and kisses?
A:	The infants are cared for in a very warm and nurturing environment. If a child is upset or hurt, the teachers will offer comfort and a hug, but they will always respect the child's needs, which they communicate effectively.
Q:	How do you discipline the infants?
A:	Infants are not disciplined but are redirected from an unacceptable behavior to a more appropriate activity.
Q:	Can a parent visit the class during the day?
A:	Of course you can. You may choose to go inside the class or only to view through the glass opening on the main door to the classroom. It is important to understand that there are other children in the class and the presence of another child's Mom or Dad could be upsetting to a small child. Your own child will also behave differently during your visit and will certainly be very upset when you leave without him/her. At the end of each term you will be presented with your child's portfolio which has photographs of your child during his daily activities. This is always a pleasure for parents and helps to gain some insight into their child's day.
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TODDLER

What is the Toddler routine?

7:30-9:00	Extended care with Montessori Materials and free time.
9:00-9:45	Work period with Montessori materials Individual presentations and art projects
9:45-10:00	Circle time
10:00-10:45	Snack and toilet routine
10:45-11:45	Outside play time
11:45-1:00	Lunch time and washroom routine
1:00-3:00	Rest time (nap)
3:00-3:45	Washroom and snack time
3:45-5:30	Extended care (inside or outside)

Do the Toddlers have to be toilet trained?

No, they do not need to be toilet trained. This is part of our program and we work with the children and parents when the child is physically and emotionally ready.

Is the food provided by the school?

The parents provide the midday food and drink for their children. Parents take turns in providing healthy snacks to be shared by all children, during snack time.

How do you discipline the children?

We talk to children about the situation and sometimes the children sit on their own to think about what has just happened. Discipline in a Montessori classroom is a topic covered in the parent workshops. An amazing feature of our Montessori classrooms, is the high level of self-discipline among students of all ages.

Can I come with my child to school the first few days?

It is easier for your child if he starts school by himself because it will be his normal routine. If he gets used to his parents coming to school with him, it is what your child will begin to expect on a continuous basis. A quick drop off and a smile from mom or dad is the best. We welcome you to come back after a while and see through the window to see how soon and how well your child has settled down. There are a few exceptions at times where the crying can continue for a while. Frequently, seeing other small children happy in the classroom helps to calm down the new children, very soon.

What do the children learn at school?

We set the environment up so that children can learn through exploring and observation. The teachers constantly present a large number of lessons both individually and in groups. Thereafter, the children are free to work with the materials on their own and this is how they learn. Children can become very independent at a young age which helps them to be able to explore and become comfortable and confident in their environment.

How is this Montessori school different from Day Care?

There is a vast difference in the approach to the child between a CMA Montessori teacher and a trained care-giver at a Day Care. The main difference is in that the Montessori Teacher is trained to believe that the child is always striving to perfect himself/herself. They are shown how to pay attention to every child, but not interfere with the child’s efforts at all forms of exploration. The Montessori environment is clean and safe, because independent exploration can lead children to put things in their mouth. Generally, the rooms at CMA are set up for the children and their interests. At a Day Care, the room may be set up more for the needs of the Care Giver.

PRIMARY

What is the daily schedule in the Primary classroom?

7:30-9:00	Corpore-Sano or Extended care program with Montessori Materials and time for children to mix with each other socially. The work day begins at 9:00 with the children working on the mats and getting lessons from the teachers.
11:00	Circle time with a big group lesson, the calendar and anthem.
11:40	Lunch
12:15	Get ready to go outside
12:45	Come in
1:00	Rest time
2:00–3:00	Afternoon activities (art, gym twice a week, music and science) The younger children will have supervised sleep time.
3:00	Snack
3:45-4:00	Grace period prior to departure. If the child is in a Corpore Sano program, these fun activities such as cooking, floor hockey, swimming, gym and sports commence at 4:00 pm and continue on till 5:30 pm. During these times the children get more opportunities to laugh and play and make life long friendships. The corpora sano programs provide the parents with opportunities to be with their children and enjoy their company during the evenings and week-ends, because the swimming, hockey, gym and other extra curricular and co-curricular programs have been provided at school.

Can I bring a separate snack for my child?

We have ‘snack on demand’ for the students of the primary and higher grades. Our snack table is open during work time. Whenever the children are hungry, they may go and partake of the snack.
This snack is made up of healthy ingredients (fruit, vegetables, cheese), that parents bring on Mondays.(Parents take turns in bringing these snacks.)

My child said that he/she doesn’t eat snack. Why is that?

The snack is open to all children. Some are not interested in it. There is a lot of work in the Practical Life area involving food (cracker work, orange juicing, banana and carrot peeling), that children love to do. If they do that work, they may be too full to have snack.

Can I help my child learn to read at home?

Parental involvement in reading is always encouraged. However, please be aware of the Montessori method of teaching first. We teach the alphabet phonetically, making it very easy for children to start reading. The parents and teachers should read about a thousand books to the primary child.

My child was disciplined at school, what do I do?

First, in order to discipline a child we invite him/her to the thinking chair. In this chair, the child is allowed to calm down and think about his/her actions. We do not make this into a big deal, and neither should you. It is important not to focus on a behaviour which happened a while back and has been dealt with already.

Does CMA celebrate birthdays?

On the child’s birthday we recommend a book donation to the class, which will be inscribed with your child’s name and date. If your child would like to bring in treats for the class, we ask that you avoid nuts, and sugary frosting (we are a nut-free environment). We sing “Happy Birthday” together and have a little party at the end of the day with treats and games where possible.

My child has a favourite toy. Can he/she bring it to school?

Although not advisable on regular basis, a small toy for the child’s sleep time is permitted. If your child doesn’t sleep, it is not necessary to bring toys. We have a lot of material on the shelves and a lot of toys in the extended care room.

My child appears anxious to be left at school in the morning. What do I do?

Create a “goodbye routine”. It is best to say goodbye at the door of the extended care classroom. The child will go into the class with his/her lunch bag. There are always teachers to lead the child into the classroom and help with the lunch bag.

Why do I need an ice pack in my child’s lunch bag?

Please include an ice pack in your child’s lunch bag to keep it cool. Milk and yogurt can’t always be refrigerated at school. An ice pack ensures that your child’s lunch stays fresh.

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLESCHOOL

Q:	What is the day like for my child?
A:	7:30-9:00 Corpore-Sano or Extended care program with Montessori Materials and time for children to mix with each other socially. Class work begins at 9:00 sharp and the class gathers for morning circle. Various topics are discussed at this gathering. Some teachers may have a “tip of the day” or “question of the day” which promotes discussion. Students are encouraged to be vocal and share their thoughts during this time. Group interaction is an essential element in the development of a child who is six plus. Lessons and concentrated work begins at 9:20 and students work without interruptions until French class, which runs from 11:00-11:45. Students have 30 minutes to enjoy eating lunch with their peers and then they have 45 minutes of outside playtime. At 1:00 students return to class. Junior Elementary students (grades 1-3) enjoy a specialty subject from 1:00-2:00 (Drama, Music, Phys. Ed. And Art). After this class they return to their unfinished activities and have one hour of undisturbed work time until clean-up at 3:15. The Senior Elementary students return from outside playtime and have one hour of work time from 1:00-2:00 and then enjoy their specialty subjects from 2:00-3:00.
Q:	What do the children wear to school?
A:	On Monday, the children wear their full formal uniform, which consists of the CMA oxford shirt, navy pants and socks, and the CMA tie. The formal uniform is also worn on Picture Day and various other occasions. The other days of the week the children may wear their other CMA clothing, always remembering to wear navy or white socks and simple, sensible shoes.
Q:	Who takes care of snack?
A:	We have ‘snack on demand’ for the students of the primary and higher grades. Our snack table is open during work time. Whenever the children are hungry, they may go and partake of the snack. This snack is made up of healthy ingredients (fruit, vegetables, cheese), that parents bring on Mondays.(Parents take turns in bringing these snacks.) We ask that each child brings in his/her own midday meal and any additional snacks to satisfy individual needs. Some children at this age do not eat snack, whereas others depend on it greatly.
Q:	Does CMA celebrate birthdays?
A:	On the child’s birthday we recommend a book donation to the class, which will be inscribed with your child’s name and date. If your child would like to bring in treats for the class, we ask that you avoid nuts, and sugary frosting (we are a nut-free environment). We sing “Happy Birthday” together and have a little party at the end of the day with treats and games.
Q:	Will my child get homework?
A:	In the Junior Elementary, students are asked to study for their spelling tests and practise their reading skills every night at home. Apart from this, Junior Elementary aged children are not assigned homework on a consistent basis. As they approach their third year, however, and are getting ready for their transition to Senior Elementary, students will start getting extra practise homework more often to ensure that they are ready for the new level. Students will also have homework to do when they have not maximized their time in class. In the Senior Elementary, students receive homework on a more regular basis. Students will have weekly assignments with firm due dates and they will be asked to complete some of their work at home in order to meet the deadlines. Senior Elementary students will also have monthly project work that will require research, model-making and experimentation. While these are school activities, it is expected that some of the work will happen at home, as well.
Q:	How can I help my child at home?
A:	Read with your child every night. Reading skills are the most important tool children can acquire in their early education. Children learn to read until grade 3 then read to learn afterwards. Once children are independent readers, they can begin teaching themselves and acquire knowledge exponentially. Parents must also support the expectations of the classroom teacher regarding behavior and academic effort. When the parent and teacher are unified in their message and expectations, the child’s improvement is far reaching.
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