Programs

The activities in a Montessori classroom are referred to as “work”. The child is working to build and perfect him/her self using the environment as the means. Working in the present, rejoicing in it and repeating it - is the means by which perfecting begins inside the child. Each child is presented the material he or she is capable of mastering, which helps to develop self esteem and makes the child proud of his or her accomplishments.

The Montessori classroom is geared to the child’s size, pace, abilities, and interests. Each child learns at her/his own pace and rhythm, which is why the multi-age classroom is so beneficial. The Montessori classroom offers a wide variety of graded materials. As the child grows, these materials take them from one level of complexity to another. Most activities are done individually, so that the child can move at their own pace independently. The classrooms are designed with emphasis on the child’s innate need for movement. The use of materials involves walking, carrying, pouring, speaking and particularly the constant use of hands - the hand is the chief teacher of the child. All activity is guided by respect for the equipment, respect for the work of others, and respect for the teacher. Self-discipline is acquired through work.

The core of the Montessori curriculum is based on the activities of Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language and Cultural Arts.

Practical Life

These activities involve care of self, care of the indoor and outdoor environments, grace and courtesy. The 3-year old child begins here with simple activities like pouring, spooning, sweeping etc., to develop eye-hand coordination, concentration, and lengthening the span of attention for more complex activities that follow.

Sensorial

These materials are used to train and refine the senses. Each material emphasizes one defining quality like color, shape, weight, texture, while minimizing or eliminating others. Hence the child is being indirectly prepared for later mathematical concepts.

Math

The world of numbers is explored through the use of concrete material to assimilate the facts of arithmetic. First the concrete form is introduced to the child, then the abstract symbol. The form and the symbol are then placed together relating the concrete and the abstract. In a Montessori classroom there are many materials that can be used for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

Language

The language material includes objects and pictures to be named, labeled or matched to aid vocabulary development. Textured Sandpaper Letters help the child to learn sounds of the letters before the alphabetical names because it is the sounds he hears first. Writing or the construction of words almost always precedes reading, which follows quite naturally following the various word building exercises.

Cultural Activities

These include various activities in the study of geography using maps to learn about the world and the continents in detail. Activities about animals, plants, the solar system, and our environment are presented. Science experiments are performed indoors and outdoors. History is studied in the form of time-lines.

Art

Various activities are available to encourage creativity and just to have fun. There will be lots of different projects we will be working on throughout the year using different mediums.

Music and Creative Movement/Yoga

These activities are performed as a group. We learn about music from various cultures, explore rhythms and move with the beat! Creative movement activities help to promote various gross motor skills. We use scarves, bean bags, tumbling mats, etc. to explore ways our body can move and have lots of fun.

Children love the gentle art of yoga. We perform yoga as a group. Yoga cards are also available to the children during individual work time.

Our Schedule

7:00-8:15am flexible arrival and free choice work breakfast will be served to children arriving before 7:45AM

8:15am our morning begins as we gather as a group for line time* and sing songs and share stories

8:30am our 3-hour Montessori Work Period** begins

11:30am we transition to our outdoor playscape

12:00pm we share lunch together

Following lunch, the younger children nap from 12:30-2:30pm and the older children rest from

12:30-1:30pm

1:30pm the older children work quietly with the lead teacher

2:30pm the younger children begin work and finish around 4:00pm

4:00-6:00pm the children learn through play outside, enjoy creative music and art activities, fitness exercises, building and creating with blocks, and much more!

*Line Time

Line time is an enjoyable time for our students. During line time we gather collectively and sing songs, read stories, perform finger plays, present concepts of math and science, and learn about theenvironment around us. Line time can be a powerful way for a group of children to build a sense of family – to really bond together.

**The 3-Hour Montessori Work Period- During this time both the adults and the children respect a child's concentration and do not interrupt a child who is learning and exploring.

During this work time each child chooses an activity, completes it, and returns it to the

shelf. After the successful completion of an activity the child has the opportunity to reflect on their success. We often see the children choose to work on the same activities many times to perfect their efforts; repetition is the key to learning. Dr. Montessori noticed that after the work cycle there is a great sense of satisfaction and the desire to do more work.

Our materials are designed to build concentration, support independent learning, and

encourage the child’s natural desire to learn and explore as well as lay the foundations for future academic work. The classroom, therefore, is very different during the 3-hour Work Period than it is during drop off and pick up time. Please feel free to stop by during our work session to learn more about the Montessori classroom.