Curriculum
Practical Life:Practical Life materials mirror activities of the culture, such as care of self and care of the environment. Although the Practical Life exercises may seem simple and common, they play a critical role in self-esteem and subsequent intellectual growth.
When the children first center the Montessori classroom, they are busy with the practical life materials. Through them, they learn to give, care, serve, and respect others. They further develop their concentration and their ability to be independent. They also learn manners and social behavior through grace and courtesy lessons. For example, teacher demonstrations of how to walk in front of someone, or set a tray down quietly, or blow a nose, are all part of Practical Life.
Sensorial Materials:The Sensorial Materials reflect the qualities and facts of the world and are each designed to convey an abstract idea in concrete form. For example, sound cylinders for shaking and matching convey the concept of loud, louder, loudest, and soft, softer, softest. A tower of cubes demonstrates volume and size, a series of rods the concept of length, and so forth.
Sensorial Materials aid the children in the development of their senses, hand control, balance, and coordination, as well as establishing an understanding of classification and comparative relationships in size, weight, length, color, and volume. Children form sensorial impressions through their own manipulations of these materials, which builds a strong conceptual base for further knowledge.
Language:In our Montessori program, language is heard and constantly used in and throughout the classroom. Conversational skills are taught through daily use and practice. These skills are used to build vocabulary and comprehension, while words are associated with objects and actions in other areas (Practical Life, Sensorial, Math & Science).
Writing begins in Practical Life through daily activities by strengthening small finger muscles and coordination associated with the pencil grip. Mental insets, tracing names, and practicing line work in the Language area build upon the basic skills already learned. Writing skills follow easily and naturally after children perfect the pencil grip from the use of the Montessori materials.
Reading also follows naturally in our Montessori classroom. Children build visual acuity through the Sensorial materials: left to right and top to bottom orientation, concepts of spatial relationships (above, beneath, behind, etc.), and patterning skills, all are learned through Sensorial and pre-language activities.
Mathematics:Our Montessori Math materials pave the way for the journey from the concrete to the abstract. Pre-math concepts are established through work with the Sensorial Materials which represent specific measurement designations and geometric shapes. Children are given an indirect exposure to the basis of the decimal system when they use the Sensorial Materials composed of sets of ten objects. Through their sensorial exploration of geometrical shapes, the children establish a base for geometry and other math.
With the Math materials, children establish a solid basis for understanding the decimal system, the role of zero within it, and the hierarchy of numbers to the thousands. Through counting and labeling, squaring, and cubing chains of small bead bars, the children also become familiar with skip counting. After working with the materials, they have a strong foundation in the four mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They even experience algebra in concrete form with the binomial and trinomial cubes and are ready to discover them in the abstract at the upper elementary level.
Geography:Our Montessori classroom offers many opportunities for young children to expand their knowledge motivated by spontaneous interest. Among the Geography materials is the introductory map of the world, which has a separate puzzle piece for each continent. After working with the world map, the child can do one of six puzzle maps of the continents. From there, they can also work on a map of the United States which has a separate piece for each state. In addition, the concepts of water and land formations are also covered in Geography.
Science:In our Montessori classroom, materials help children to become more observant of the characteristics of the things that grow in their own environment. We have beautiful sets of nature cards illustrating in color such information as the parts of a tree, a leaf, a flower, etc., which children match with corresponding names. Plants, flowers, or vegetables found growing in the yard, playground, or at home can be brought in to coordinate with the illustration cards, connecting lessons learned in the classroom with the outside world.
Art & Music:Individual work with the Montessori materials is always supplemented with other activities. Group singing, music appreciation, creative arts, crafts, poetry, and group games are all coordinated within the Montessori program.
What is Essential in Montessori EducationThe above curriculum areas are only supplemental to what is most important in our Montessori program and children’s self-formation. The children’s development of personality and social behavior is an essential aspect of Montessori Education. The children’s good manners, their gentleness with each other, their confidence and ease with those both younger and older than themselves, their care for their environment, and their eagerness and energy for learning make clear the essential goals of our Montessori program.