At Concord Montessori School, our philosophy is to foster independence, love of learning, and a positive sense of self in a prepared environment. Through activities in daily living, children’s fine motor skills, care of the environment, care of themselves, as well as grace and courtesy are developed. Montessori developed all of her materials to initially isolate a concept before unifying ideas. The multi-faceted materials are organized in the following areas: practical life, sensorial, language, mathematics, science, geography, music, and art.
practical life
The Practical Life area concentrates on developing a foundation for learning in all of the other areas in the classroom. The four basic skills that are focused on are: order, coordination, concentration, and independence.
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A child's development comes through the carefully designed hand to brain learning activities. The exacting movements and sequential work patterns encourage the development of order within the child. The exercises of Practical Life are designed to encourage the child to develop independence, sense of responsibility, and enthusiasm for learning.The Practical Life activities are the ones that appeal instantly to the younger students. These activities include but are not limited to:
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sensorial
The sensorial area is the focal point for the development of the whole child. All of the equipment is carefully and scientifically designed to help a child to develop his intelligence. A child's senses are more acute between the ages of two and five. This is the time when working with sensorial materials can help a child grow and develop to his highest potential. The sensory areas, which are trained and refined, are the sense of dimension, tactile sense, chromatic sense, auditory sense, thermic sense, gustatory sense, olfactory sense, stereognostic sense (combines tactile, baric, thermic), and visual and tactile senses combined. The sensorial materials are designed to give children a system by which they can discover similarities and differences. The materials include but are not limited to:
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language
The Montessori environment is constantly interwoven with language and communication. Language is an integral part of each area the children study. Language is not solely designed to teach a child to read, but it is also to help him to develop skills of communication and verbal expression. The development of a child's imagination, independent thought, interaction with others, and verbal problem solving are all integral parts of the language area. The language materials begin with simple exposure to vocabulary and progress to exploration of grammar and to total reading experiences. The materials include but are not limited to:
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Phonetic sounds
sandpaper letters
matching objects with the initial sounds
blending sounds to make simple phonetic words
matching objects/pictures with simple, printed, phonetic words
making simple, phonetic words using a movable alphabet
Phonograms (consonant and vowel combinations)
matching objects/pictures with word cards
making words containing phonograms using a movable alphabet
composing short sentences/stories using a movable alphabet
Reading
simple readers
simple grammar work
more advanced readers
Writing (unrestricted - on blank paper or chalkboard)
exploration of letter and number forms
writing forms with pencil, marker, and chalk
writing dictated sounds and words
writing own words and sentences6. Handwriting (on paper in designated spaces)
writing individual letters, simple words, simple sentences
writing full name, address, phone number
writing created stories in a journal book
mathematics
The math materials have been developed scientifically which much precision to make the learning process as effective as possible. The child learns easily using concrete materials. As in the other areas, repetition and manipulation are the keys to learning. The physical order of the materials is developed to follow the pattern of the mental order. These materials hold a fascination for the child, usually beginning at age four. The more concrete materials the child works with during the years 2.5 and 6, the better grasp the child will have of the abstract at a later age.
The materials are designed to go from zero to nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine. The order of the materials moves through quantities from one through ten, recognition of numerals, the concept of zero, the decimal system, and into the abstract. The materials allow for discovery by the child through repetition and reason. Teachers begin with the exploration of number and quantity, building on the knowledge the children acquired using the sensorial materials until they progress to fuller understanding of more complex ideas.
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1. counting 1 - 10
2. recognition of numbers 1 - 10
3. sequencing numbers 1 - 10
4. counting 11 - 19
5. recognition of numbers 11 - 19
6. sequencing numbers 11 - 19
7. counting 1 - 100
8. recognition of numbers 1 - 100
9. sequencing numbers 1 - 100
10. composing numbers 1 - 10,000
11. writing numbers 1 - 10,000
12. adding numbers to 10
13. subtracting numbers from 10
14. adding two-digit numbers
15. subtracting two-digit numbers
16. exchanging
17. time concepts
18. money concepts
19. calendar skills
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science
The science curriculum includes, but is not limited to the following:
1. living and non-living things
2. plants
3. animals (insects, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals)
4. solar system
5. vertebrate and invertebrate
geography
Children become familiar with the world by exploring globes and maps. As each area of the world is studied, the culture, resources, and treasures of that area will also be explored. The geography study includes but is not limited to:
1. Land and water formations
2. Continents (puzzle maps, flags, customs, cultures, celebrations, natural resources, treasures, animals)
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Map of Asia |
music appreciation
Along with songs, rhymes and finger plays, the children listen to and read biographies of classical musicians.
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Bells |
1. Construction activities (cutting, tearing, gluing, stitching, weaving, folding)
2. Modeling and sculpturing
3. Exploring crayons, markers and colored pencils
4. Drawing and copying models of landscapes, still-lifes, portraits
5. Painting with brushes and other tools
6. Art appreciation of famous artists (Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, etc.)
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Art Shelf |
Student using scissors |
suggested reading The Montessori method is a system of educating young children with which many parents may be unfamiliar. In order to fully understand and to appreciate the opportunity for success that your child is receiving, some readings have been suggested:
The Secret of Childhood
by Maria MontessoriThe Absorbent Mind
by Maria MontessoriMontessori, A Modern Approach
by Paula Polk LillardThe Montessori Controversy
by John McNicholsA Parent's Guide to the Montessori Classroom
by Aline D. Wolf
available from: The Parent Child Press
P. O. Box 767
Altoona, PA 16603Association Montessori InternationaleAmerican Montessori Society
The Montessori Foundation
The International Montessori Index
North American Montessori Teachers' Association