Academics

The Montessori curriculum is based on research and philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori. It is designed to spark interest and create in children the joy of learning. Children explore concepts and develop skills at each level of understanding that prepares them for more complex lessons at the next level. Dr. Montessori’s principals of education were developed through intense observation of children. She observed that all children progress through stages of development or formative periods. Each stage builds and expands upon the previous one.

The Primary classroom has children ages 3, 4, and 5. The Lower Elementary class is made up of children in the first, second, and third grades. The Upper Elementary class has fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.

The multi-aged classrooms provide a wealth of positive educational experiences for children. Children are inspired by the work of others. Very young children of ten learn quickly by simply observing others at work. The older children become responsible role models for the younger children. The little ones instill a sense of nurturing in the older children.

Multi-aged classrooms also allow children to develop at their own pace without the feeling of being singled out. Children can continue to work on skills that need more attention and advance in areas where they excel.

In a multi-age classroom, children develop a stronger bond with the teacher and their classmates. Likewise, the teacher gets to truly know her students after spending three years with them.

The materials in a Montessori classroom are extremely important. The materials are designed to be self-correcting. The child knows immediately if the lesson was done correctly. This allows the child to continue the lesson on his own and find the solution to his problem without intervention from an adult. These problem-solving skills are vital in today’s society.

The practical life area is where the foundations are laid for further learning. By using these materials the very young children develop concentration, coordination, independence, and a sense of order. There are activities that enhance the pincher grip. (This is essential for handwriting.) There are also activities that sequence from left to right. (This is essential for reading and writing.) Many other activities such as classification and matching are also important in math and science. The child learns how to care for himself and his environment by buttoning, sewing, polishing, sweeping, and hammering. The child is actively involved in the care of the plants and animals in the classroom.

The sensorial area introduces the child to abstract concepts through hands-on materials. The child explores size, length, volume, color, sound, and taste. The materials give meaning to such terms as bigger, lighter, darker, and softer. Many of the activities come in groups of ten, which is an introduction to our base 10 math system. Many of the materials also introduce different geometric concepts.

The young child performs many readiness activities in preparation for reading. When the child is ready, he is introduced to sandpaper letters. This gives the child a “hand-brain” connection to the concept. As the child traces the letter, he hears the “sound” that the letter makes while feeling the configuration of the letter. This forms a firm connection within the child’s brain. Once all the letters are mastered, the child uses the movable alphabet to make words and later phrases and sentences. At this point, the child is reading on his own.

As with the language curriculum, math is introduced with sandpaper numbers. Once the numbers 1-10 have been mastered, the child moves on to quantities of numbers, counting, addition, subtraction, skip counting, multiplication, and division. Special concrete materials are used to teach all of these abstract mathematical concepts.

In geography, the child learns the continents and the countries within them. The people found in these countries, their flags and customs make up a large part of the curriculum. Various land and water masses and their appropriate terms are studied. (Example: peninsula – a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides.) The passage of time is taught through calendar, clock and timeline activities.

The difference between living and nonliving things is the first concept introduced in science. Later, the child studies botany and zoology. In zoology the child investigates the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates. He is taught the proper names of all the external parts of each plant and animal that is studied. Simple physical science experiments are performed by the teacher and the children. Other concepts include planets and the solar system, rocks and minerals, weather and seasons.

The Montessori method is not just a “teaching method”. It is a philosophy that everyone must embrace, the teacher as well as the parents. Each must be willing to foster independence in the young child by providing experiences, which allow the child to “do it by myself”. The child must be allowed to explore, discover and find solutions to the problems that may arise on his own. This is truly the joy of learning.