In the preschool community, the Montessori philosophy creates an environment which sparks the child’s natural curiosity and wonder about the world. Classroom areas are divided into: Practical Life; Sensorial; Language; Math; Science; and Geography. Each of these areas presents concrete lessons to the child. The environment is set up for the children to progress from simple to complex and concrete to abstract. Practical Life lessons develop the child’s sense of order, concentration, coordination and independence. Sensorial lessons develop the child’s visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory and olfactory senses, as well as the ability to distinguish size, shape, form and dimension. The Language area presents the child with lessons designed to enrich vocabulary, develop visual and auditory discrimination, memory capacity and logical thinking. Handwriting, phonetic reading and beginning spelling are prominent in the language area. In the Math area, the children are presented with activities to compare, classify, order and count. Concrete examples of quantity provide the child with a strong foundation for future math operations. Science and Geography integrate all areas of the classroom into a combined path of learning. Through exploration and investigation the children will begin to learn good stewardship of our natural resources and preservation.
The sense of community emerging from this environment encourages children to care about one another and consider perspectives other than their own. Children learn about fairness, turn-taking, following rules, and share their stories with others. It is a place where children learn to be part of families, care for younger children, learn from others, trust one another and appreciate the diversity that exists within our community.
We are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for our children, families and faculty where they learn and grow diversity in all of its many forms. We continue to look for opportunities to increase this awareness and understanding by providing rich educational and creative experiences.