The Montessori Concept

In the prepared Montessori environment, the child learns to explore and make their own discoveries about the world around them. The method, which emphasis learning through play, teaching through observing and the use of wooden equipment and neutral colours, has been adopted for young children.

The Montessori classroom is divided into six subject areas:

Practical Life:

The very first activities children take part in are ones that develop their ability to look after themselves and their surroundings. They can practice dressing skills on specially made frames which allow them to try zips, buttons, bows and buckles.They will also have opportunities to choose activities from the shelves which will help improve their motor skills they will use small jugs filled with beans rice or water tp practice pouring, there will be many activities in which they will be familiar of around their own home and from watching mummy or daddy have used e.g dustpan and brush, nuts and bolts, tweezers for transferring and polishing shoes and many more activities.

Sensorial:

On the sensorial shelves there will specially designed materials and equipment to encourage development of senses. The senses are a very important part of the child; they are what the child needs and uses to learn through. The sensorial materials include sets of cylinders in graduated sizes, cylinders with knobs to be fitted into the right holes, smelling and touching activities and many more activities which all help the child for reading and writing for the future.

Language:

Writing often becomes before reading in a Montessori environment, with children building their first words phonetically using wooded letters. Reading materials are colour coded for each level. inside a pink box a child finds a tiny dog. The child takes it out says the word, listens to the sounds and seeks out the letters which makes those sounds build a word. We have many stimulating language games and activiites which will enhance and improve all the children in this area with lots of fun too!!

Problem Solving and Reasoning: (Maths)

We have various maths activities which encourage the child to count and recognise numerals, sizes, colours and patterns this also includes using their senses with our sandpaper numbers, once the child has the basic recognition we introduce them to more challenging games learning at their own pace is paramount to the individual child.

Art and Music:

Painting and drawing is freely available in a Montessori Classroom along with music lessons which include performing, dancing singing and experimenting often using unusual instruments from a variety of cultures.

Cultural Subjects:

We cover many topics which cover festivals and religions, we incorporate some of our themes to include food from all around the world. The older children have the opportunity to learn french by attending a weekly lesson with our private french teacher.