Preschool

"We seek to sow life in the child rather than theories—to help him in his growth, mental and emotional, as well as physical—and for that we must offer grand and lofty ideas of the human world."
-- Maria Montessori

Our main goal for the preschool child, ages three to five years old, is to help them learn to work independently, to take care of one's needs, and develop a good self image. Children have different interests at different times. Maria Montessori called this “sensitive periods”. We respect these differences and have unique expectations for each child. Children are always free to move around the room instead of staying at desks. There is no limit to how long a child can work on something she has chosen. Opportunities for both individualized learning and large group experiences occur naturally in this multi-age setting of three to five year olds. The wide variety of activities and materials nourish self-confidence, concentration, cooperation, and respect for others.

The Primary classroom includes areas of Practical Life, Sensorial Exercises, Mathematics, and Language Development. Lessons are also given in history, geometry, biology, geology, and geography. Art, music, and literature are integrated into the classroom activities.

The organization of experiences and impressions is guided by a multi-sensory approach. The child discovers reading through phonics, mathematical concepts through concrete materials, and geographical relationships and scientific information through manipulating objects and real life materials.