Children's House (Pre-school/Kindergarten) program
Ages 3 years through Kindergarten
Program options:
Full day (8:00am - 3:00pm)
Half day (8:00am - 12:00pm)
- Five Days - Monday through Friday
- Four Days - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
- Three Days - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
- Kindergarten - Five full day program only
The Children's House (Pre-school/Kindergarten) Program provides children with a caring, safe environment that encourages the child's inner curiosity and love of learning. It is a world specially prepared for pre-school age children. Children work within multi-aged groupings receiving both individual and small group lessons. In this natural setting of mixed-aged students, young children learn from older ones and older children reinforce their own knowledge by working with younger children. Attention is paid not only to the child's academic ability, but also to their social, emotional, and physical development.
Every lesson presented to the students is done utilizing hands-on manipulative materials which are designed to foster discovery of the concept by the child. In addition, the materials are self-correcting, allowing children to learn from their mistakes. The concrete materials utilize all five senses and lay the groundwork for abstract thinking. The Montessori teacher guides each child through the natural progression of materials by giving lessons in the order that ensures appropriate development. A key principle which underlies and guides activities in a Montessori classroom is respect. Adults respect each child as an individual and the children learn to respect their peers.
The Children's House student explores concepts appropriate for their developmental stage in the following areas of the curriculum:
Practical Life
Children learn Grace and Courtesy through integration of proper behavior and social skills by following the examples being modeled by their peers. These lessons include activities such as greeting others, opening doors, establishing proper manners, and working in a community to make decisions which affect the whole group. Children gain a sense of self-worth through Care of Self activities that promote independence by focusing on personal awareness and responsibility. Children continue to develop self-awareness and independence for the care of their environment by maintaining cleanliness and order.
Sensorial
Children use manipulatives to gather knowledge about their world through sensory discrimination. The manipulative materials prepare the child for the continued development of the mathematical mind and lay the foundation for understanding complex, abstract mathematical concepts.
Writing
Students engage in tactile activities with the use of manipulative materials which enable them to develop fine and gross motor skills. Activities aid in the development of writing include tracing insets, push-pin exercises, sandpaper Numerals and Letters, creating picture stories, and dictation to adults.
Reading
Children develop pre-reading skills through concrete activities and the use of manipulative materials. Students also continue to develop Oral Expression through vocabulary to promote their opinions in group presentations, songs, sharing, fingerplays, and telling stories from own pictures.
Research
The students explore and investigate topics of interest utilizing concrete materials, sharing, Read Alouds, and picture reading.
Mathematics
The Mathematics Curriculum exposes students to an immense range of concepts numeral recognition through multiplication and division.
Science
Children develop scientific intelligence through hands-on experiences in life, physical and earth science experimentation.
History and the Humanities
The children's concept of time and history revolves around their daily schedule and the awareness of the passage of time. The Humanities Curriculum captures the study of cultures around the world.