The premises behind Montessori education is simply that each child is unique and should develop based on his/her full potential. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own pace according to their own choice of activities within a broad range of subject areas. These areas include life exercises, sensorial activities, mathematics, science, language, geography, music and art. Montessori classrooms are divided into multi age groups three years to six years, six years to nine years, nine years to twelve years etc. Varying age groups generates a cooperative mentality in which older children spontaneously share their knowledge with younger children. For Montessori students, learning is a journey of self-discovery that ultimately leads to high levels of concentration, high self esteem, self-motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.

The Montessori method encourages individuality within a communal setting where each child is responsible for themselves and the populace at large. The secret of the Montessori methodology is that children incur concrete experiences that tie into abstract concepts. This allows for a “hardwiring” of critical concepts that the child will need later in his/her life.

Our enhanced Montessori Education System is designed to keep a balance between physical, educational, social, spiritual and intellectual development in order to help children reach their full potential.

We Offer: A Family Oriented Montessori School, A Meaningful Curriculum, and A Professional Staff

Practical Life
The purpose of these activities is to enable the child to acquire coordination, orderliness, self-confidence, independence, control over his/her small muscle movements and to enable him/her to understand the function of his/her immediate environment. Students will learn to open, shut, carry, pour, peal, cut, wash. In addition, polishing, scrubbing, the use of buttons, zippers, snaps, ties and latches. The child’s experiences will also include care of person and care of environment.

Sensorial
These activities, which surround the use of sensorial materials, lead the child from sensation to ideas; from the concrete to the abstract and to the association of ideas. These materials also assist the child in learning to differentiate between sizes, colors, weights, textures, sounds, odors, and tastes. These materials include sandpaper in varying degrees of roughness, red rods, pink tower, cylinder blocks, color tablets, geometric cabinet sound boxes, and bells. Students become involved in exercises which allow him/her to organize and classify.

Language
The development of language begins with speech and progresses into writing and reading. Vocabulary enrichment activities enable the child to classify his/her environment, enlarge his/her vocabulary and develop communication skills. The geometric insets are used to develop the small muscles as a preparation for writing. The movable alphabet, phonogram board and grammar boxes are used to teach analysis of sentences.

Mathematics
The child progresses from concrete to abstract through the use of materials such as beads, spindle boxes, and number charts. The number rods are used to teach the decimal system which is the basis for all branches of mathematics.

Geography
The children learn about the world around them, cultural diversity and distant lands. The child's first impressions in geography are sensorial globes, puzzle maps, flags and geographical land formations which enable the child to learn and to become interested in the world in which we live.

Science
Experiments are introduced in botany and in zoology. Nature studies are conducted both in an out of the classroom. In science too, the child learns by doing and empathy with one’s surrounding creatures. Children learn about living and non-living things, parts of plants, parts of the body, and animals. Student begins to make scientific observations and discoveries.

Music and Art
Children are encouraged to express creativity in music through free expression. The children learn folk songs, and foreign language songs. Students work with musical instruments (rhythm sticks, chimes, bells, glockenspiel, and xylophone) to heighten the child’s awareness and understanding of musical concepts. Art is a natural part of the Montessori classroom which encourages individual expression. Collage, finger and brush painting, water color and clay offer opportunities to experiment and create. This area is process rather than product oriented.

Dr. Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori (August 31, 1870–May 6, 1952) was born in Chiaravalle, Italy and was the first woman in her country to graduate as a physician. Her career in education began at the University of Rome Medical School where she was part of the psychiatric clinic charged to instruct mentally challenged children.

On January 6, 1907 she opened her first school named Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House) in a housing project. It was during this time that she developed her Montessori methodology. She meticulously observed the behaviors of her students and from this created her unique curriculum.

After being exiled by Mussolini in the early 20th century she moved to Spain until civil war broke out in 1936. After a brief stay in Holland she moved to India and lived there for the remainder of the war. Her final move was to the Netherlands where she spent the rest of her life.