DECEMBER 2009
And suddenly, we find ourselves a whole decade into the 'new' millennium!
Out with the old and on with the new - and so it is that we are now officially able to start sentences with 'And' and 'But'. So be it!
Wildwood Montessori has crept one small step nearer to a new school venue with the welcome news that St George's Church has received from the Chancellor of the Diocese a 'positive letter'. He says that he is ‘minded to grant a faculty’, but that he wants clarification as to whether planning permission is required before he will do so.
Let us wait quietly and hopefully and see what transpires!
We leave 2009 with more good news about our charity, Montessori Education for Autism (MEfA), which has exploded into the media with its own website, facebook page and youtube video.
www.montessorieducationforautism.com
I wish you all a peaceful, healthy and safe Christmas-tide!
Wendy
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NOVEMBER 2009October whizzed by! Actually, there's also plenty of whizzing in the sky just now as it is 5th November as I write this update and sky in Blackheath is even more beautiful than the full moon we enjoyed at the beginning of the week. The moon was visible during the day - a great opportunity for cosmic education during the Year of Astronomy. If you have not yet visited the 2009 astronomy exhibitions at the Maritime Museum don't leave it too late.
Firstly and most urgently, a school update:
I visited St George's yesterday for an update (this is an easy thing to do on a Wednesday at noon as they have a delicious community lunch!) and learned that Qs & As have been back and forth to the Arch Deacon regarding our faculty (parking, funerals etc). It seems there have been just 12 funerals in the last 5 years, so the need to be 'out of the way' occasionally should glide effortlessly into our planned field day programmes.
This said, there is still no real progress just a general understanding that we are plodding onwards and upwards. Because some of you are literally quite desperate I have asked if we might use a small portion of the church for tutoring sessions, perhaps one morning and one afternoon weekly, until we get the faculty licence proper.
On the plus side, this did mean that I was free to attend the Montessori Europe Congress in Cracow, Poland. The focus was special education, which is right up my street, and being asked to give a seminar on 'Montessori Education for Sensory Issues' was perfect.
Please ask for a CD of my presentation if you would like one - I did try to post in onto this website but no success yet (if you know how to do this I'd welcome advice).
If you have an interest in Autism the exciting news is that The Autism Act has now been enacted by parliament. Even more exciting is the news that our new charity, Montessori Education for Autism (MEfA) has been validated by the Inland Revenue, so we are up and running!
Right now I am writing presentations for my trip later this month to Geneva to address the Montessori Association there.
On Saturday I'll meet with my co- trustees of the Dyspraxia Foundation in Hitchin. I am working on a benchmark for Dyspraxia-friendly schools so if you know of any excellent practice please let me know (especially in Cornwall!)
'Anything is Possible', just believe.
Wendy
SEPTEMBER 2009
We have sourced some great new books for the new term so take a peek in our Shopping Cart.
Check out,'Montessori Madness!' by Montessori Dad Trevor Eissler. It's just £12.00 post free within the UK. 242 pages, published by Sevenoff. We have been awarded SOLE UK DISTRIBUTORSHIP for this item.
Trevor is Dad to three Montessori children and manages to fit his writing in with being a business jet pilot and flight instructor. This is a book by a parent for parents; just good plain common sense.
Next, we have a few rare copies of, 'A Parents' Guide to the Montessori Classroom', by Aline Wolf. This publication is now out of print so we are very pleased to have some. Again, £12.00 post free within the UK. 62 pages, Parent and Child Press.
Our very popular booklets, 'Montessori Meets the Early Learning Goals', and 'The Montessori Centenary Supplement', both written by yours truly, are available at £4.00 and there are good discounts for multiple copies for fundraising etc.
While we are still waiting for news of our new school premises we are considering some 'atelier' style Montessori workshop classes for parents. If you are interested please send an email using our Contact Form.
The Mailing List: Some of our updates to you are bouncing back due to incorrect email addresses - e.g. Rute's address. We cannot amend the mailing list from this end so please ensure you click on to rejoin the mailing list, or to join for the first time if you are new to our website.
Finally, Wendy is making preparations to attend the Montessori Europe Conference in Krakow, Poland, next month where she will lead a workshop on 'Sensory Issues in the Montessori Classroom'.
Bye for now
Wildwood Montessori
Summer 2009
Nearly there .. fingers crossed!
The following note from St. George's Church, Blackheath explains the situation regarding our application to open a Montessori school there:
'The parish's Parochial Church Council agreed the final version of the terms of the agreement between us, the Registrar of the Diocese has said that we can apply for a faculty (which doesn't mean that we shall necessarily get one), and the Archdeacon is happy with the arrangements if we obtain a faculty. The application for a faculty will be posted today, and at the weekend public consultation notices will go up at St. George's Church (one outside, one inside). These have to be up for a month. After the consultation period, and taking into account any comments or objections received, the Chancellor of the Diocese will decide whether or not to issue a faculty.'
The consultation period has now closed and I am waiting to hear the outcome. As we come to the end of the Summer term it is in the lap of the gods - well the Chancellor of the Diocese of Southwark - as to whether the next Wildwood Montessori will find a home at St George's.
If you have children on the waiting list, and if we have good news during the next few weeks, I will certainly be in touch before the start of the Michaelmas/Autumn term.
I wish you all a restful, relaxing and refreshing Summer holiday.
with kind wishes
Wendy Fidler
March 2009
Birth Pangs....
We have made a formal application to a local church to use part of their ground floor premises as a base for our new school. Several aspects of the process are happening concurrently: the Church Council are considering our application for a licence and the Archdeacon is responsible for issuing the faculty. We will need to work around other users of the premises and much of our equipment will need to be stored away on some evenings and at weekends.
If we are successful in our application we will have access to sufficient space for three small classes, with limited storage and an outdoor garden area. In line with Montessori philosophy the classes will be for children aged 3-6 years, 6-9 years and 9-12 years.
At present we are updating our policies, procedures, insurance, fees, terms, conditions, timetables and diary dates. We are looking at a starting date of September 2009.
As soon as we have confirmation we will open the 'real' waiting list. Many of you are already on the list having watched and waited patiently during our premises search. Now is an excellent time for any of you with professional skills - architecture, accountancy, garden design, food technology, web design, graphic design, furnishings, storage etc., to give advice and encouragement to our endeavours.
During the last few weeks I have interviewed several prospective teachers. If you are interested in joining us, either as a qualified Montessori teacher, a graduate specialist (music/art/astronomy etc), bursar, housekeeper, gardener or indeed 'clerk of works', please drop me a line by email or call me on 07710 433 994. There will be many part-time and voluntary opportunities to enable our students to participate in practical life activities on an ongoing basis.
In addition to the regular classes, the intention is to hold parent and toddler classes for children aged 0-3 years. There will also be regular workshops for our parents and interested others, including the home-schooling families who have waited so patiently.
with kind wishes
Wendy Fidler
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9th December 2008
More church halls!
I have been invited to check out three local halls and they all have potential as a venue for our small school. If we do go down this route a decision will need to be made quite soon as leasing can be complicated and time consuming.
If you have any other ideas for our venue please let me know as soon as possible. You can text or call on 07710 433 994 or send an email via this website. I have also added a mailing list to the website so please sign up for this.
After Christmas I will be starting some Montessori workshops for adults and children because there are quite a few home educating families who require this option.
In January I am attending a Montessori Congress in Chennai (formerly Madras). This coincides with the 70th anniversary of Montessori education in India.
Seasonal greetings to everyone!
kind wishes
Wendy Fidler
4th November 2008
Enquiries are really hotting up now
I have been enquiring about church halls as a possible venue for our small school. One local church has some spare capacity for two mornings and three afternoons - depending on whether the caretaker agrees. An unusual arrangement, but not impossible.
If you have links to a community hall, or similar, in the Blackheath/Kidbrooke/Greenwich area would you enquire about their spare capacity please?
If we do decide on this option we could have a 'soft start' to school in the new year and may not need to wait until September 2009.
kind wishes
Wendy
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October 7th 2008
Every cloud has a silver lining!
I have been to see some potential premises for our new school - one especially lovely small building housed in a private garden looks exciting - and lots more 'to let' boards are popping up around Blackheath and Greenwich due to the economic downturn.
If you know of any potential premises please do get in touch as soon as you can. We will need planning permission and will need to register as an independent school - the latter will need to be in place by about April.
Ideally premises which have already been used for 'education' would speed things up.
A few weeks ago I went to Frederick, Maryland to attend a conference on Autism from a Montessori perspective - it was really interesting to compare notes with our colleagues from 'across the pond'. Each state in the USA takes a different approach to special needs; I found that the provision on the East Coast varied widely from what I had observed last year when I was invited to speak about Asperger Syndrome to Montessori Schools in California.
I get lots of special needs queries from Montessori teachers and parents around the world and just at the moment there are many about Down Syndrome. If you or someone you know has experience of teaching children with Down Syndrome in Montessori please get in touch and we can share notes.
If you are coming to the Montessori Europe Conference this weekend it will be great to connect with you. I hope there will be a message board. My text number is 07710 433 994.
Best wishes
Wendy
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Following the success of Wildwood Montessori in Lancashire, Wendy Fidler is currently seeking premises in the Blackheath, Greenwich, Docklands area. Wendy has a growing waiting list for the new school which will initially be for children aged 2-12 years. The planned starting date for the new school is September 2009.
Wildwood Montessori is for children of all abilities and we have a range of articles, written by Wendy, about children's success with learning in Montessori schools.
Interest is both local and international with many familes relocating from overseas, so it is worth asking whether you have skills which can help us with business planning, charitable status, funding and premises.
What we are looking for is ground floor accessible rooms with adjoining garden area. This could be a disused school, new build or ground floor rooms in a large house/home. Please contact Wendy Fidler on 0208 858 4368 or 07710 433 994 or email on wwoodmontessori@aol.com for more information.