It is with great pleasure that I share with you the success of our bilingual school at the Toronto French Montessori over the last 15 years. Thanks to our vibrant and active community, we achieved our goals and for this, I congratulate you all. The past 15 years have been years of growth and change for the school. We have much to look forward to as we continue to grow to meet the needs of our students in the future. The challenge before us is to maintain the spirit of faith and hope and further develop the sense of family, all of which are integral parts of this school.
Looking at our school today, I am reminded that the progress achieved is due in part to the pioneering spirit of those eleven families who believed and had trust in what could be done. In July 2000, we had nothing to offer their children except a bilingual French Montessori education. We had not yet hired any staff and we did not have any real capital. Yet, these 11 families had faith and vision. It is through their faith and vision that we achieved our goals. In 2011, we had our first grade 8 graduating class.
Our duty and commitment at Toronto French Montessori School are to provide the best possible education to our students and ease their entry to their high schools. Furthermore, we provide guidance and answers to their expectations at the next level of their life experience. Our qualified teachers are deeply committed to their student's academic development, dedicating their time to provide an enriched and rewarding learning experience both in French, English, and Spanish as a second language.
TFMS accepts students from 18 months to 5 years of age. We offer half-day and full-day programs for both the pre-casa and casa classes at our Stouffville Campus. TFMS has authentic Montessori classrooms under the direction of fully qualified Montessori teachers. Students in the elementary level benefit from a bilingual education, where both English and French are taught are dominant languages. Our students are very advanced in both the French language as well as the English Language. TFMS offers a Montessori Elementary and Junior High Program directed by teaching staff trained in the Montessori philosophy.
Montessori schools follow a method of teaching based on the educational philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori. Conceptualized more than 100 years ago, it emphasizes and develops the potential of each child through the utilization of special teaching materials, a prepared environment, and teachers with a solid understanding of the philosophy who have been trained in the use of Montessori materials.
Montessori recognizes that children possess an innate curiosity and desire to learn Montessori materials awaken this desire and channel the child's natural curiosity into an enjoyable learning experience. These didactic materials promote independence and are, for the most part, self-correcting, thus allowing children to progress at their own individual pace.
As a result, children who grasp concepts quickly are not held back, and those who require more time do not become frustrated. The purpose of the material is to isolate a single concept and lead the child through a series of steps. A properly prepared Montessori classroom is replete with equipment encompassing subjects from math and language to geography, botany, and technology.
To provide a nurturing Montessori community where the child's full potential is met in an integrated, interdisciplinary environment and where education is a valued preparation for life. Montessori was also a great advocate for world peace, having lived through several worldwide conflicts during the 20th century. She strongly believed that the road to peace would be paved by our children. She felt that if a child's needs were met and they were expected to give and receive respect in a community such as their classroom or school, that respect would be carried forward with them into adulthood. Peace through education is a fundamental part of Montessori's philosophy.
TFMS strongly believes that every student will excel and achieve his/her maximum potential when they are provided an atmosphere of kindness, guidance, and nurturing. In turn, students will acquire a love of lifelong learning which will help them to discover the wealth of possibilities in their future.
