The program provides a Montessori learning environment for children throughout the entire period of operation each day. The age range of children in each classroom is 2 ½ to 6 years of age, which allows children to naturally learn from each other in a very stimulating, productive manner.

From 7-6 daily, Monday to Friday, the program accommodates a flexible format for attendance, emphasizing a long period of time for individual work activity with the special self-teaching materials provided. This assures the best possible opportunity for concentration, which is a vital step to support the children’s full, normal development.

The daily program is built around free-choice activity with a wide-range of learning materials. The children use these materials to develop themselves according to their own particular needs, interests, and abilities. The daily schedule also allows for a morning and afternoon snack, outdoor activity, and rest time. Parents provide food from home for children to eat at lunch time.

Learning in the Montessori Environment :

Young children (2-6) are naturally suited to learn in an effortless and spontaneous manner with each other. In 1907, Dr. Montessori discovered that they have a uniquely absorbent mind that allows them to gain many concepts by simply handling materials that are specially designed for their self-directed learning.

The Montessori environment includes special self-teaching materials that allow children to learn basic academic skills in reading, writing , math, science, and geography through their own free sensorial activity, discovery, and experimentation.

The Montessori materials are generally organized into four main categories: practical life (awareness of movement, physical order, and care of the environment and oneself), sensorial (making accurate judgments and comparisons of size, shape, color, sound , and texture to refine the senses), math (concepts, such as counting, numeration, place value, addition, and subtraction), and language (writing, reading, and speaking).

The teacher’s role is indirect, to support children in their independent, self-directed learning. This includes providing the materials on low shelves in an organized and appealing way for children to choose as they wish. The teacher also offers brief lessons in how to use the materials, when needed, based on the children’s interests .

Resolving Misbehavior

Montessori teaching resolves misbehavior indirectly, by controlling the environment, not the child. Using specific techniques, such as eye contact, patient waiting, and proximity, this approach creates a friendly, positive condition that allows children to gradually trust and respond to their own inner guidance, returning naturally to their normal state of peace, order and harmony.

Parents will be guided in this indirect approach to resolving misbehavior according to need and interest. A school discipline policy sets forth the basic agreement to assure understanding and cooperation among all parties involved.