The Montessori Philosophy

Our Montessori Primary classroom is split up into 7 distinct areas:
Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, Cultural, Art, and Peace.

Practical Life

Success in school is directly tied to the degree to which children believe they are capable and independent human beings. As we allow students to develop a meaningful degree of independence and self-discipline, we also set a pattern for a lifetime of good work habits and a sense of responsibility. In Montessori, students are taught to take pride in their work.

Independence does not come automatically as we grow older; it must be learned. In Montessori, even small children can learn how to tie their own shoes and pour their own milk. At first, shoe laces turn into knots and milk ends up on the floor. However with practice, skills are mastered and the young child beams with pride. To experience this kind of success at such an early age is to build up a self-image as a successful person and leads the child to approach the next task with confidence.

In Practical Life, many activities isolate one particular skill, allowing the young child to master it one step at a time. These lessons in the Practical Life area help the child to develop an inner sense of order, a greater sense of independence, and a higher ability to concentrate and follow a complex sequence of steps.

Dr. Montessori wrote, "Adults work to finish a task, but the child works in order to grow and is working to create the adult, the person that is to be."

Sensorial

The Sensorial curriculum is designed to help the child focus her attention more carefully on the physical world, exploring with their senses the subtle variations in the properties of objects. The Sensorial jobs include lessons in vocabulary, as the child masters the names of everything from solid geometric figures to the familiar plants and animals.

Math

Students who learn math by rote often have no real understanding or ability to put their skills to use in everyday life. Learning comes much more easily when they work with concrete educational materials that graphically show what is taking place in a given mathematical process.

Montessori students use hands-on learning materials that make abstract concepts clear and concrete. They can literally see and explore what is going on. This approach to teaching mathematics, is based on the research of Dr. Maria  Montessori, offer a clear and logical strategy for helping students understand and develop a sound foundation in mathematics and geometry.

Language Arts

The process of learning how to read should be as painless and simple as learning how to speak. Montessori begins by placing the youngest students in classes with the older students who are already reading. All children want to "do what the big kids do", and as the intriguing work that absorbs the older children involves reading, there is a natural lure for the young child.

Montessori teaches basic skills phonetically, encouraging children to compose their own stories using the "moveable alphabet". Reading skills normally develop so smoothly in Montessori classrooms that students tend to exhibit a sudden "explosion into reading" which leaves the children and their families beaming with pride.

Cultural Studies

In the Montessori classroom it is our  goal  to develop a global perspective. The study of history and world cultures forms the cornerstone of the Montessori curriculum. The Montessori curriculum  teaches history and world cultures starting at a young age. The youngest students work with specially designed maps and begin learning the names of the world's continents and countries.

Science is an integral element of the Montessori curriculum. Among other things, it represents a way of life; a clear thinking approach to gathering information and problem solving. The scope of the Montessori science curriculum includes a sound introduction to botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, geology and astronomy.

Peace Education

The Montessori peace curriculum supports  peace in our daily lives.   We work on our grace and courtesy towards our peers, teachers, and families. The children also learn about methods of problem solving and develop empathy for others. We explore international customs and encourage understanding and open-mindedness.