Programs | Montessori School On Edgewood

Infant Toddler

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Preschool

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Kindergarten Transition

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Nutrition

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School Readiness

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Our Curriculum

Montessori Education provides a unique individualized program for children. The magic is that a child who is advanced spatially but behind in vocabulary development can work at the perfect level in each area. Also, Montessori is known for supporting children’s development of impulse control and love of learning necessary for life. Although we offer a curriculum uncommon for early education (such as learning the continents or fractions) early focus on concentration, order, independence, and love of learning are better developed.

Children work independently, with another child, or in a group. They are given the opportunity and privilege to work alone without interruption.

MSOE also provides elements of the curriculum from the traditional Early Childhood model. There are times of the day when children participate in role-playing or play in the pretend play area. This often supports the curriculum “studied” during the Montessori work cycle. For example: if the children are studying the classification of animals, the dramatic play area might be a zoo.

The Montessori classroom is a beautifully prepared, enriched environment, with child-sized furnishings and materials within reach of even the smallest student. There is a broad range of activities to meet the needs of children from three to five years old. The activities and materials allow each child the opportunity to find work suitable for his or her stage of development. All children are allowed to develop at their own pace, and according to their own capacities in a non-competitive and supportive atmosphere.

The work in our classroom fall into nine main categories:

Practical Life

Activities are designed to aid a child to function in his own environment. Activities in this area include preparing food, pouring, sorting, and folding clothes, housekeeping, polishing, sawing, hammering, and taking care of dressing, toileting, selecting activities, and cleaning up.

Sensorial

With materials designed to use all of the senses, children acquire the ability to separate and classify forms, colors, textures, and smells. The sensorial area may well be called the cornerstone of the environment, as the child develops skills in thinking, judging, concentrating, comparing, sequencing, discriminating, and differentiating.

Language

The environment and lessons throughout the classroom enhance the children’s vocabulary. The children are encouraged to converse with other children and adults in the environment. Some of the activities in this area are the singing of songs, storytelling, writing, reading, library visits, and developing the skills of listening and sharing ideas.

Math

The math curriculum consists of many Montessori math materials. The child is introduced to numeration and brought through the following sequence on the concrete level: numeration, base ten, linear counting, and the four operations. Math is everywhere in our world and it is wonderful when a child notices that!

Geography and Science

There are several aspects of geography that appeal to children. They have a strong interest in other children from other countries – their clothes, homes, parents, and school.

Movement and Music

The classroom is designed by the teacher to ensure purposeful movement. This is done with such activities as walking on the line, engaging in finger-plays, carrying objects and trays, sitting, dancing as well as outside time with balls, kites, and playground apparatus. Music is easily integrated into the movement, with dance and line activities, but certainly not limited to that. There is an abundance of songs and finger-plays. Montessori bells are a part of the sensorial area.

Art

Art is an area where children freely express themselves, whether they are painting at the easel, gluing, cutting, stapling, taping, or coloring. Children also work with clay, wood, recyclable items, and other 3 dimensional projects.

Social / Emotional Development

The children will be provided with opportunities to exhibit curiosity, creativity, and independence in all learning situations. The following social-emotional indicators will be observed: development of emotional expressions, development of self-regulation, self-control, and self-help skills. There is also a focus on peaceful living and a peaceful world filled with kindness but also polite boundaries.

Physical Development

Children will be provided with opportunities to engage in a wide variety of gross-motor activities that are selected and teacher-initiated. Children will develop fine control and gross motor coordination.