OUR GOALS
Our goal at Village Montessori is to develop two important aspects of learning within your child: independence and intelligence. In order to achieve this goal, we have filled each classroom with Montessori apparatus, teacher made materials, and unique educational equipment.
We also want to:
- Encourage learning through the use of the five senses.
- Develop gross and fine motor coordination.
- Develop problem solving techniques and decision-making abilities.
- Provide materials which focus on one concept at a time in a sequence of increasing difficulty.
- Allow the child to learn at his/her own pace and level of interest.
- To provide opportunities for physical, mental, and social development in a nurturing, caring environment.
PROGRAM CHOICES:
TODDLERS and PRESCHOOLERS
Children blossom in our nurturing environment. At Village Montessori we recognize your preschooler has many needs. First and foremost, your child must feel that his/her school is a safe, loving, and happy place to be. Our teachers create an inviting environment dedicated to fostering the trust and acceptance of each child.
Each classroom is equipped with over 200 ‘hands-on’ activities which are carefully selected and maintained by our teaching staff. Our Montessori classrooms are prepared with learning areas devoted to the development of "Early Childhood Educational” skills. The primary goal for our preschool children is for them to gain independence and self-confidence.
The preschool classrooms are equipped with age appropriate manipulative materials specifically designed for the child’s level of capability. Emphasis is placed in the areas of: Practical Life, Math, Language, Sensorial, and Cultural, which consists of science and geography.
In addition to the areas mentioned above, we also introduce the children to concepts such as: Communication, Music, Botany, Zoology, Nutrition, Physical Education, Community Awareness, and Social Skills (such as manners, grace and courtesy). The prepared environment exposes the children to a large variety of educational experiences to foster successful learning in the future.
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN
Our TK program facilitates your child’s spark for learning. The year of Transitional Kindergarten is one of the most important years of a child’s life, educationally, as well as socially.
During this school year much emphasis is placed on refinement of the skills which are necessary for successful learning in school years to come. Such skills include fine and gross motor development, concentration, coordination, listening, self-direction, and independence. Along with the refinement of these skills, focus is also placed on developing positive self-esteem, a crucial component for successful lifelong learning.
A majority of the Transitional Kindergarten curriculum focuses on mathematics and language development, e.g., reading, writing, comprehending, listening, speaking, and thinking skills. Our math program introduces your child to activity-based understanding of mathematics concepts such as sorting, classifying, graphing, cardinal numbers to 100, odd and even numbers, place values, addition and subtraction. Our reading program is both literature- and phonics- based. The children are exposed to many different resources to foster an understanding of the written word as well as a love for reading. A substantial part of the reading program is done in a small group format.
Other curriculum areas of the classroom are Science, Geography, Botany, Zoology, Sensorial, Geometry, Practical Life, and Music. In all the learning areas, manipulative materials help the children to acquire knowledge.
DAILY SCHEDULES
Each classroom has a daily schedule while encouraging freedom of choice within that schedule for the child. The morning and afternoon programs consist of the following:
- Group activities, such as circle time, to promote socialization and listening skills.
- Job time, or self-directed activities which include practical life and Montessori materials.
- Playground time which fosters the importance of exercise, sharing, and allows the children to express themselves through creative play and imagination.
- A nutritious snack is also served in the morning and afternoon; and a nap time is also offered from 12:30 to 3:00.
