Our Philosophy

We follow the Montessori method for early education which fosters joy, intelligence, independence, and self-confidence. The Montessori classroom is a child-centred learning environment where children can learn from one another, in small groups or one on one with their teacher. Students are exposed to a wide-ranging curriculum. Lessons in language, math, geometry, science, and art are followed up with individual practice by the child.  All students enjoy regular music and movement activities and our large gymnasium, in addition to the abundant outdoor green space, provides plenty of scope for physical activity.  Along with a strong foundation of academic skills and a love of learning, we strive to develop independence, responsibility, caring and compassion in our students.

Main Objectives of a Montessori Education

Montessori education offers a broad vision of education as an aid to life. Education involves more than acquiring skills in math, language, science and the arts. Education must also provide our children with deeper skills that will enrich their lives, explore the meaning of life, the caring of self and others, the emotions of love, forgiveness and understanding, the ability to adapt to unanticipated developments, the fostering of curiosity and the love of learning.

Independence

Children, with guidance, choose their own project, work independently or in small groups, and return the materials when completed.

Confidence

Successes are far more numerous than failures. Children learn to correct their own work.

Respect

Children learn to embrace rules and regulations that reflect a sense of respect for others and authority.

Intrinsic Motivation

Children learn to pursue learning for the pure pleasure of it, rather than for short-term, arbitrary goals.

Citizenship

Children acquire the qualities to become “citizens of the world” and through civic virtue come to understand and cherish the world they live in.

Academic Readiness

Children learn how to learn. Children learn to pursue learning for the pure pleasure of it, rather than for short-term, arbitrary goals.

Child-Centered Learning Environment

The focus is on the child’s learning, not on the teacher’s teaching. The Montessori learning environment is designed to…

  • Meet the needs of the children and appeal to their interests, correspond with their abilities and challenge their potential.
  • Allow the child to develop at his or her own pace according to their own capabilities.
  • Be “prepared” in advance of their children’s entry, and to be easily adaptable according to the changing needs of the children in the class.
  • Include all levels of intelligence and styles of learning – visual, spatial, kinesthetic, auditory, linguistic, intuitive, logical-mathematical and musical.

The greatest sign of a success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.”

Maria Montessori

Concrete Learning Activities

Montessori education develops a child’s potential by giving them hands-on experience with materials specially designed to stimulate learning. In the Montessori classroom…

  • Children learn first hand. They don’t just watch someone else demonstrate an activity or listen to a teacher explain a concept, they actually work the problem out with their own hands.
  • Children are encouraged, by the hands-on environment, to pursue their own learning intentions.
  • Children spontaneously seek growth and development. It is in their nature to do so, and the Montessori approach respects this and exploits it to the child’s benefit.
  • Children initiate their own work and continue with it until the task has been completed.
  • Motivation comes from within the individual child. The child’s own curiosity and interest drives them toward competence.

Why Montessori Works?

The Three Year Cycle

Montessori classes are grouped across a three-year age span: ages 3-6, ages 6-9, and ages 9-12. This accommodates each individual child’s educational needs at each unique stage of development.

As the child gets older and develops more skills, they are encouraged to act as helpers, demonstrators and eventually mentors to the younger students. This mentoring approach not only develops leadership skills and confidence, it teaches children the importance of supporting and cooperating with others. This is in contrast to an attitude of competition where in order to be a winner others must be losers.

The benefits of the three-year cycle are perhaps most obvious in the Montessori Casa program. Starting a full year or more before traditional kindergarten, in Montessori, a child is given the opportunity to move from the physical world – where she can develop her motor skills, and all her senses with self-teaching, self-correcting materials – into the abstract world of ideas and concepts, all at her own pace.

During that critical third year of the Casa program is when all the learning absorbed by the child during the previous two years of Montessori suddenly fits together and makes sense; the child begins reading, writing, doing the math and showing other signs of intellectual growth. While some children may not start reading and writing during the third year, they usually do so the following year in their elementary class, seemingly without effort because they have gained the strong learning foundation they need.

Contact Us!

We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions and show you our classrooms of actively engaged learners.