- history
- a downtown school located in a natural setting
- convenient drop-off & pick-up
- our menu
- our staff
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE of the Waterfront Montessori Children’s Centre is to foster the emotional, social, physical and cognitive development of the children. Each child is a unique person whose individuality is respected and encouraged. But each child is also part of a community, be it family or school, city or country. Individuality is fostered through our commitment to a co-operative environment which in turn develops fosters a sense of community, It is our strong belief that the child’s rights are of primary importance. These include the right to have and make choices, be challenged, feel trusted, feel protected, have consistency and be treated fairly.
Healthy children exhibit a natural and intense desire to learn both in and out of the school setting. In our environment the children are free to follow these drives and work with the learning materials of their choice. The Montessori and Early Childhood Education materials are concrete. They allow the children to see, touch and understand what they are learning. The teacher observes the choices and progress of each child and provides guidance when appropriate. The children are not passive recipients of knowledge being taught by the all-knowing teacher. They have a voice in their education and are the driving force behind it - not their parents, not the teacher, but the children themselves. The teacher is their resource to observe and guide their progress and help set standards for their work. In this atmosphere the children want to come to school.
history
Waterfront Montessori Children’s Centre celebrated our 30th anniversary in 2004. The Centre is unique in that it combines the Montessori method with Early Childhood Education, which we feel gives our children the best of both approaches.
a downtown school located in a natural setting
Located on Algonquin Island, WMCC is part of the Toronto Island Residential Community. We offer our students the unique experience of connecting with nature each and every day. Children can walk to school in a car-free neighbourhood, explore the many areas of the Island, and enjoy a playground that backs onto a meadow.
convenient drop-off & pick-up
Parents drop off their children at the Toronto ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street and Queen’s Quay, where our staff escort them on a short ferry ride to Ward’s Island. Once there, the children may choose between walking or riding the bus to school.
View a map of the pick-up location.
our menu
We provide a hot cooked vegetarian lunch and healthy morning and afternoon snacks prepared in our on-site kitchen. The menu includes such favourites as homemade soups, casseroles, salads and freshly baked cookies.
View our complete four-week menu.
our staff
In accordance with our licence, we maintain an eight-to-one child-to-teacher ratio. Our teachers, trained in both Montessori and Early Childhood Education, bring a wide variety of teaching experience to their work. We also have an administrator, cook and support staff who have worked with the school for many years.