Curriculum

Practical Life:

Incorporates exercises and activities that children observe in daily life. It consists of activities such as grace and courtesy, caring for self and the environment and everyday activities using real life objects in a child sized environment. These activities develop children’s independence, concentration, and fine motor skills. The Practical Life activities prepare the child for all other subject areas of the classroom.

Sensorial:

It is through the five senses of sight, touch, sound, smell and taste that the sensorial materials prepare the child to sharpen their abilities in learning reading, writing and mathematics. Through sensorial materials, children learn about similarity and difference, dimensions, colors, and shapes, and distinguish between smells, taste, and sound. Sensorial materials help children develop visual discrimination, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination. For example, the grasping of small knobs on equipment enables a child to gain control over the small finger muscles he/she will use for writing.

Mathematics:

Is explored with the use of concrete learning materials. The sensorial area is the preparation for Mathematics. Hands-on materials are used such as number rods, sandpaper numbers, number boards, spindle box, number tiles, beads, and games. Each exercise builds upon another, and the child gradually moves to from concrete to abstract areas such as place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and fractions.

Language:

Language is explored phonetically in a Montessori classroom. Initial alphabet sounds are first introduced through the sandpaper letters and matching objects. The metal insets are an exercise used to refine pencil control and help to improve writing skills.

Culture:

Incorporates a wide range of subjects, including: Geography, Botany, Zoology, Science, History, Music and Art. Through explorations of culture, children develop an understanding of their community, their world, and their social responsibilities. Children learn to respond to diversity with respect, appreciate music and art, and develop awareness of sustainability.