The Younger Group

The Younger Group

 

 

Cathleen Tong teaches the three-year span of the Younger Group. She "lives the day" with her children, carefully nurturing the group of six- through nine-year-olds as they develop into a caring, concerned community of learners.

Academics begin to have a more traditionally structured form in the Y.G., with a strong basis in problem solving. The children are encouraged to find and use their own strengths as learners to build their skills through a large variety of activities and equipment.

The classroom is bright and busy. Cathleen encourages movement and talking, because children need to do both to learn. The whole Y.G. works on many things together, like plays, singing, group books, and a sense of group responsibility. They also work in small learning groups, teaching each other, and as individuals, developing their own ideas, work habits and projects.

Cathleen believes that children in these age ranges "need a wide path for learning."

 

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YG Newsletter

  • A Hurricane in Ohio
    Written by

    A hurricane in Ohio???

    Two and a half weeks ago, the great kiddos of the YG had a very rainy walk to and from the Yellow Springs Wellness Center.  We watched the rain all morning from the classroom and decided we could make the beautifully wet walk. One of the children noticed that there was a waterfall coming over the back wall on the tire swing side!  The children happily filled buckets with mud and water and splashed in the huge puddles.

    We decided to walk down the bike path and up through Antioch Amphitheater to avoid the ponds of water in the field.  We got there fairly quickly, and as always, the kids enjoyed their time in the gym and in the pool. They are such naturals in the water, and it is so fun to watch them being little fish!:)

     Our clothes and shoes were already wet from the walk there, so we decided to go back through the field on the way home.  After a special snack, we started on the trek back. About halfway through the field, the wind really picked up and rain started to come down hard.  We were walking backwards because the wind and rain were so cold. After we got back, I asked the kids their thoughts about our walk through the big storm.

    “It felt like there was a hurricane.”

    “The rain felt like pins and needles on my skin”

    “It was raining cats and dogs!”

    “I felt like I was going to blow over!”

    We made it back to school, completely soaked to the bone.  There was not a piece of dry clothing on any of us, but we felt triumphant. We felt like we had made it through the storm together, like a crew of greenhorn sailors at sea.  It was quite the adventure! What curious, resilient, smart children they are. I am so happy to be their teacher, rain or shine...

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Cathleen - The Younger Group Teacher

Cathleen Tong - Younger Group

Cathleen grew up in Trotwood, Ohio. She graduated from Ohio University in 1986 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. Before teaching, she was a sailor on tall sailing ships in Key West, Florida, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific and traveled extensively on land and at sea. In 2000, she moved back to Ohio with her son to be closer to family.

In 2000, Cathleen moved to Yellow Springs and returned to graduate school at Antioch University-McGregor, where she received her teaching degree (grades K-8) and a Master`s degree in Educational Leadership. This is her 18th year of teaching. Before coming to The Antioch School, she was an inner city Montessori teacher for Dayton Public Schools. She is bilingual in Spanish and incorporates this beneficial language into her teaching every day. This is her first year at The Antioch School, and she is thrilled to be a part of this amazing community of learners.

"I love kids! To me, teaching is not just a job. It is at the core of who I am and everything that I stand for. I love the choices that the children have over their learning at our school. It is a balance between freedom and limits, and they learn to work things out peacefully at an early age. They know that we are a family, and that they are truly valued and respected. They are allowed to be just kids and enjoy the beauty of nature and outside play, which teaches them so much about life and other people. I am so honored to be the YG teacher and thrilled to watch the children grow and flourish. The Antioch School is magical, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of this idyllic, special place."

The Younger Group
For first-, second-, and third-graders
Full-day
8:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
 

Upcoming Younger Group Events

Sat Aug 24 @ 9:00AM - 02:00PM
Opening of School Work Bee

Tue Aug 27 @ 6:00PM - 07:00PM
Younger Group Room Meeting

Wed Aug 28 @ 8:30AM - 03:00PM
First Day of School

Thu Aug 29 @ 6:00PM - 08:00PM
School Welcome Picnic

Mon Sep 02 @12:00AM
Labor Day - School Closed

Tue Sep 10 @ 7:00PM - 08:00PM
Faculty Panel/Orientation

View Full Calendar

Contact Christine

If you have a question for Christine, please use the form below to send her an email.







Testimonial of Alban Holyoke.

Alban Holyoke
The Antioch School 1990-1999

 

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