Give your child the world.
Our Curriculum
The Montessori Method
The Montessori Method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. As an Italian physician and educator, Montessori revolutionized the field of early childhood education with her innovative approach. Driven by her observations of children's natural curiosity and desire to learn, she created an educational approach that focused on fostering independence, self-discipline, and a love for learning. The Montessori Method is based on the belief that children learn best through hands-on experiences and exploration of their environment.
Practical Life
The activities in the Practical Life area of the classroom help each child develop four skills necessary to further future learning. Children between three and six years old are in a sensitive period to hone these aptitudes.
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Order
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Concentration
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Coordination
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Independence
Children learn to care for themselves and the classroom environment, and they do activities that help them develop control of their body and the finer control of their hands.
Sensorial
The Sensorial area of the Montessori classroom provides materials that “educate the senses”. These pre-math materials help children differentiate size, shape, dimension, colors, and sounds. These hands-on activities provide them with a concrete foundation for learning more advanced mathematical concepts in the future.
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The Pink Tower, the Red Rods, and Brown Stair are classic Montessori materials that engage the child in active learning, increasing their coordination and concentration.
Mathematics
Maria Montessori believed that young children have a “mathematical mind.” This area is designed to take advantage of that notion and introduce children to the many concepts in mathematics concretely. Learning number concepts and applying the symbols to those numbers is done actively using number rods, spindles and bead materials.
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The concept of place value is learned early, as students learn to understand the concept of large numbers with bead materials and begin doing mathematical operations with these large numbers in a concrete way. Children develop a concrete understanding of multiplication, division, and fractions using the specialized materials in the math area of the classroom
Language
Preparation for writing and reading begins in the Practical Life and Sensorial areas. Here, children improve their fine motor skills so they can use a pencil to write, and they learn to discriminate shapes, sharpen their sense of hearing and do activities in a left to right progression, all of which prepare them for reading.
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Actual reading instruction uses hands-on activities to engage children. A phonics approach is used, introducing children to letter sounds and to the letter symbols using sandpaper letters. This lets children learn through their tactile sense as well as visually. Constructing words using a moveable alphabet makes “writing” a more dynamic activity and allows children to express their thoughts in words before their fine motor skills are ready to put pencil to paper. Children progress from using these tools to express themselves to reading their own “writing”, then on to decoding words others have written using objects and pictures as clues.
Cultural
The cultural area of the classroom consists of the geography (physical and cultural) and science materials. Montessori cultural studies expose young children to a variety of cultures, traditions, and customs from around the world. Through hands-on activities, children learn about different countries, their languages, music, art, and even cuisine. These studies help promote a sense of respect and appreciation for diversity, while also fostering curiosity and a global perspective in young learners. By immersing children in different cultures at an early age, Montessori cultural studies set the foundation for a more inclusive and understanding society in the future.
Grace and Courtesy
Montessori Grace and Courtesy is an essential aspect of the philosophy that focuses on teaching children manners, respectful behavior, and social skills. It is designed to help children develop a sense of responsibility, empathy, and consideration for others. Through daily practice of grace and courtesy lessons, children learn how to greet others, use polite language, take turns, share, and resolve conflicts peacefully, creating a positive and harmonious social environment within the Montessori classroom.
Kindergarten
Maria Montessori observed the preschool grouping from 3 to 6-year-olds provided the most benefit to children as they move along a similar continuum of concepts and development. This final year of Montessori preschool education offers your child the opportunity to solidify their educational growth and, more importantly, grow into a leader for life.
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Our Kindergarteners have a special work time each afternoon specifically designed to meet their unique developmental needs. They focus on the Biomes and Cosmic Curriculum with an introduction to plants, animals, soil, air, water, and the Sun, using materials demonstrating how each of these parts works and connects to form our Universe. They help the child establish a sense of place in this vast web of life. It also presents geography as a study of contiguous biomes, such as the forests, deserts, and mountains that cover a continent. This fosters an understanding of the world based on the relationships of the parts of a biome and the plants, animals, and people that inhabit it. The children gain increasingly sophisticated knowledge of geography, ecology, zoology, and cultural anthropology.
Additionally, they continue to work with more advanced language and math lessons and during our weekly science classes, conduct science experiments culminating in the Kindergarten Science Fair with our science volunteer, Ms. Pat!
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There are multiple “going out activities” (field trips) each year and children learn useful practical life skills including weekly baking lessons and an advanced sewing curriculum. The Montessori third year really encourages independence, practice of leadership skills and begins a passion for lifelong learning!
