Ottawa, ON | Grades NS - 8 | Shortlist
My kids love the classes where their interests were discovered, encouraged and they can learn on their own pace. They love the camping and bike trips, the musical and the concerts. These activities have built up the kids well. The children also loved the school as it is a Christian school and the love and Grace are experienced in classes and in the daily school life. They also enjoyed very much the intellectual challenge as the material covered in many major subjects, like in math, French and science are more advanced and deeper than other schools in general. They have built up confidence through the hard work and training. When they graduated from the Junior high and went to highschool, they were very well prepared and were very advanced in the class.
Our daughter loves BHMS. She is challenged and engaged by the lessons and the activities, and interested in numerous aspects of school life. The experiential nature of the teaching approach is a huge asset for her. When your child looks forward to going to school because it's FUN, you know the school is doing a great job.
What stands out most from my time at BHMS was how freely I was able to follow my own interests and passions - while there was certainly a well-rounded curricular structure, we also had room to explore the things that interested us and spend more time on them. To this day, I still have fond memories of the hands-on learning that I experienced at BHMS, driven by curiosity and the desire for discovery.
My favourite part was the unique learning experience I was immersed in. The small class sizes allowed more one-on-one time with the teachers, and the environment sparked creativity and learning. I felt more than prepared when I entered high school, as much of the curriculum I was taught in grades 7 and 8 included some of the high school material. A prospective student should expect a very different classroom environment that allows children to be independent and collaborative.
When I think back to my time at Bishop Hamilton Montessori School I have nothing but incredible memories. The quality of education paired with the supportive learning environment provided me full academic preparation for high school. As a student entering the International Baccalaureate program in high school, I was very confident in my mathematics, languages, sciences and arts. This made my transition very smooth and enjoyable. Apart from the academics, what stood out to me and made a lasting impression, was the emphasis that the school placed on developing leadership, social responsibility and instilling an endearing love for learning. This was not merely a preparation for future endeavors, but was imperative in shaping me to be the person I am today. It is during those years of life that a student needs guidance in those aspects of life and I felt that the directors and specialists just immersed themselves into providing that and more.
