Classroom
Montessori classrooms are orderly: All materials and tools have a place and there is no clutter and the walls are free from an abundance of posters or other visual materials that can be distracting or over stimulating. Instead you will find a beautiful piece of artwork or a carefully selected display related to a current topic or the season.
Montessori classrooms are home-like: “Children’s House” was the name that Maria Montessori gave to her first classroom and as Montessori teachers, we continue to create a cozy, home-like environment that feels inviting and safe. You will find low open shelving filled with age-appropriate materials and tools along with child-sized tables and chairs. The goal is for children to locate materials easily, without having to rely on adults for assistance. The materials we choose reflect a commitment to quality, aesthetic beauty, and the child’s ability to become independent.
Curriculum Areas:
Practical Life Skills:
This curriculum area teaches life skills to help develop independence, coordination, concentration, self-control, self-awareness, confidence and include:
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Care of Self (food preparation, dressing, washing),
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Care of Environment (cleaning, gardening, care of pets, environmentalism),
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Grace and Courtesy (greetings, manners, social interactions),
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Control of Movement (refining movements (fine and gross motor), moving quietly).
Sensorial:
Sensorial materials were designed by Doctor Maria Montessori to help children express and classify their sensory experiences. The purpose of the Sensorial materials and lessons is to teach a child about his or her environment and to develop the senses, which is a necessary foundation upon which higher levels of learning can be built. There are Sensorial materials that focus on visual perception, tactile impressions, auditory sense, and olfactory and taste perceptions. Activities often include matching and grading materials that isolate the sense of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.
Math:
The Montessori math curriculum enables children to internalize concepts of numbers, symbols, sequences, operations, patterns, and basic facts. The multisensory materials, carefully laid out from simple to complex, offer a concrete representation of abstract mathematical concepts such as simple operations, area, volume, and measurement. While children are learning addition and subtraction, the materials are reinforcing a basic understanding of the decimal system. At the preschool and kindergarten level, students develop number fluency and apply their skills in enriching ways. By the time they complete the Children’s House program, most students will have a solid understanding of numbers to 100 and many will grasp concepts far beyond.
Language:
Language is taught in a sequential, systematic way designed for the acquisition of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Using sandpaper letters, the moveable alphabet, metal insets, and other multi-sensory materials, children learn to recognize the shape and phonetic sounds of letters and the construction of words to develop skills in reading and writing. Children are introduced to a wide range of literature and reading materials to match their developmental stage.
Science & Cultural Studies:
Montessori Children’s House programs have rich history, science and geography curriculums that advance throughout a child’s three years in the classroom. The study of physical geography begins with the use of materials such as sandpaper globes and puzzle maps, which help children visualize the continents of the world, the countries within the continents, as well as the states of the United States. Through literature, photos, cultural presentations, and handling objects and clothing from different cultures, children are exposed to many of the people and customs that make up our diverse world.
The sciences are taught through hands-on exploration and experimentation. Children begin to understand the basic concepts of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth sciences. From the study of vertebrates and invertebrates to identifying the parts of a tree, and understanding the difference between a liquid, solid, and a gas, the Children’s House science curriculum is vast.
Social Development and Peace Education:
Appropriate behavior within our culture is learned from a very young age. Through Grace & Courtesy lessons, children are taught how to respect each other, themselves, and their environment. These lessons are what make Montessori classrooms such peaceful places to learn! Children learn how to respectfully speak and listen to their classmates and teachers, receive instruction on how to respectfully call for another person’s attention, how to move quietly around the classroom, how to take out and put away materials, pull out and push in chairs, and how to wait patiently while allowing classmates to finish work without interruption. Montessori students thrive in this peaceful environment and their ability to act respectfully, cooperate, and exhibit high levels of self control is in noticeable contrast to most traditional pre-school environments.