Curriculum

What will my child learn?

Our school environment is dedicated to nurturing a child's inherent curiosity by enabling children to explore and discover. Our classrooms and materials are designed to stimulate the child's senses as well as to respond to the preschool child's need for order within the world. In our carefully prepared environments, children work independently, of their own initiative, developing concentration and self-discipline.

Language - the spoken word to the written word

The Language curriculum progresses from oral language activities and
pre-reading work to writing and ultimately to reading comprehension. The
aims of the oral language activities include:

the development of listening skills,
comprehension and vocabulary as well as the ability to express oneself with confidence,
introducing the letters and sounds of the alphabet, leading to the composition of words and sentences using the moveable alphabet

All aspects of language development are occurring simultaneously and it is the teacher's role to observe readiness for each new lesson.

Math - journeying from the concrete to the abstract

By laying groundwork in the practical life and sensorial curriculum, children are able to begin exploring the world of math. The Montessori materials enable the naturally mathematical mind of the preschool child to build on each other in natural progression. Children are encouraged to explore and discover in the following progression:

exploring the concept of quantity
using symbols or written quantities
combining quantities for the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Practical life - the skills of daily living

The practical life area of the curriculum is the bridge for young children between home and school. Practical life activities allow the young child
to perform adult activities.
The aims of the practical life materials include:

independence
a sense of order
concentration
coordination

Practical life lessons include:

care of the person (buttoning, zipping, tying)
care of the environment (cleaning, polishing, food preparation)
small and gross motor development (pouring, cutting, balancing)
social development (interpersonal skills, grace and courtesy, speaking, participating in a group)

Sensory - exploring the world through the five senses

Dr. Maria Montessori identified the period from 2-6 years as the age of the "absorbent mind". Children come to know and understand the world they live in through their five senses. The Montessori sensorial materials, such as the pink tower, geometric solids, sound cylinders and color tablets help a child to understand and internalize the concepts of size, shape, color, taste, touch and sound. These materials build the foundation for developing skills in the areas of music, mathematics and language.

Culture and Science - botany, zoology, geography, and more

Geography and the sciences make up the cultural component of the preschool program. The geography curriculum introduces the concepts of:

land and water forms
the study of cultures and customs
the understanding of fundamental human needs through exploration of the seven continents