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The Montessori Classroom

The Montessori Classroom is organized into several age and skill appropriate curricular areas. The Montessori materials, designed for Sensorial Development, Language, Mathematics, Science, History, and Geography, are tools to stimulate the child into logical thoughts and discovery.

The Practical Life Exercises
"The child's work," according to Dr. Montessori, "is to create the adult the child will become." Imitation is one the child's strongest urges during the early years. When rolling and unrolling a rug, for example, the child learns control over the large muscles. Spooning and pouring exercises develop the eye-hand coordination and small muscle control. Working with dressing frames leads to independence and greater self-esteem. As the children improve their basic developmental skills and perfect their coordination, they will be able to work later with more intricate academic materials.

Sensorial Exercises
A Young child meets the world around him or her through the constant use of all of the senses. The sensorial materials in the class help the child to stimulate the sensory impressions. Some of the materials, like the cubes in the Pink Tower, the Red Rods, the South Boxes, and the Color Tablets, help the child to distinguish, categorize, and to relate the new information to what he or she already knows. The Knobbed Cylinders, likewise, train the child to observe, make comparisons between objects, follow judgment, reason, and to make informed decisions.

Language
The child, at three, four and five, has a unique fascination with words, both printed and spoken. The Sandpaper Letters and the Moveable Alphabet help the child learn basic skills phonetically. The process of learning how to read becomes as painless and simple as learning to speak as the child masters the reading skills using the vast variety of language materials available to him or her in the classroom and exhibits a sudden "explosion into reading".

Writing
One of the difficulties in learning to write is acquiring the ability to hold the pencil properly and to control the movement. The Metal Insets, an important component of Montessori materials, help the children to perfect their motor skills. By tracing the design made with Metal Insets, singly or in combination, and coloring carefully with parallel lines, the child masters the basic skills. This also helps to develop a sense of harmony of colors sense.

History and Geography
The child is provided with especially designed Montessori materials to help him or her begin learning about the world, continents, and other countries as early as age three. International studies continue at every age level in Montessori education. The International Day, which we celebrate every year, plays an integral part in this education.

Mathematics
The children are provided with a wide variety of hands-on learning Montessori materials which help them to conceptualize abstract ideas and then in turn realize them in a clear and concrete form. These materials also offer the children a logical strategy, helping them understand and develop a sound foundation in applied mathematics and geometry.

Science
The goal of the Montessori approach to science is to cultivate the child's fascination with the universe and help him or her to develop a lifelong interest in observing nature and discovering more about the world in which he or she lives. Nature studies, gardening, taking care of pets, learning about the parts of a flower, a plant, a leaf, and animals help the child to observe and engage in activities with a sense of eager curiosity and wonder.