THE TODDLER PROGRAM

Toddlers are the youngest members of our school community, ranging in age from 12 months to 3 years. Each child is helped to make choices of “work” from an array of activities. It is through activity, that concentration and self-confidence grow. Students may choose to water the classroom plants, "read" a book, help prepare the snack, or paint a picture.

Each choice, every movement, builds on itself.

The Toddler curriculum is well-rounded and includes:

  • Language—enrichment and extension.
  • Socialization—beginnings of social membership.
  • Movement exploration—large and refined motor skills.
  • Practical life—including care of person and bathroom independence.
  • Functional independence—completion of work cycles.
  • Grace and courtesy—living in community with others.

 

THE PRE-PRIMARY PROGRAM

By far, our Pre-Primary class has been our most popular Montessori program. And for good reason! Dr. Maria Montessori's first Casa dei Bambini (Children's House), where she began in earnest to study and serve children, worked with individuals of this age group. She observed that children in this age group (with what she termed the "Absorbent Mind") could, in the appropriate environment, learn far more than was ever imagined at that time and perhaps, even today.

Our Pre-Primary program offers your child a comprehensive curriculum, that focuses on:

  • Sensorial Activities
  • Practical Life Activities
  • Language Arts
  • Culture & Science
  • Mathematics

 

Our Pre–Primary class essentially covers the Pre-Kindergarten through 1st Grade level. Graduates of this program are prepared for entry into the 2nd Grade.

PROGRAM ENRICHMENTS

Music
Musical games, chants, nursery rhymes, finger plays and songs are used to help the children develop their sense of pitch and rhythm, and improve their coordination, focus, and enjoyment of group activity. Children deepen their understanding of basic musical concepts such as singing in tune, beat, tempo, dynamics and melodic awareness. Some of the skills being introduced in age appropriate ways include matching a pitch with one's own voice; easiest singing intervals; high-low pitch awareness; moving to a steady beat; responsibility to group activity and sound; learning by repetition; and musical structure.

Art
Children are encouraged to use their imagination through experimentation. From the beginning, work with the Montessori sensorial materials helps to refine the sense of color, balance and design, preparing the child to see harmony in his/her surroundings and using this in artistic expression. The art environment is planned, set up and maintained by the teacher, as are the activities, so that the children can function independently to use their materials and tools, work in their space, and most importantly, create their own unique pieces of art.

Spanish / French
The children will be taught various colors, numbers, short phrases, months, and days of the weeks in Spanish and French; music will also be introduced. Exercises designed to explore the cultural aspects of the language are also part of the program.

Physical Education & Nutrition
Students will be taught the importance of staying physically active and how healthy eating habits contribute to their overall health and well being. Team sports will teach students to cooperate, formulate strategies and coordinate amongst themselves. The importance of rules and playing within a structured environment will also be emphasized.