Curriculum

The Montessori curriculum is divided into five main categories:

No one area is taught in isolation, but rather interdependently, so that children learn the relationships between everyone and everything. The Montessori Curriculum is non-graded and non-competitive, allowing children to work and grow in an environment that allows their individual potential to reach its own level , at its own pace , without any negative or judgmental pressure. Because Montessori philosophy encourages children to work at their own level and pace, enrolment in the programme is possible at any point during the school year.

1. Practical Life

Activities develop eye-hand coordination, gross and fine motor skills, concentration, attention to details and a sense of order. Practical Life encompasses four main areas: Control of Movement, Care of Person, Care of Environment, and Grace and Courtesy.

2. Sensorial

Exercises provide the child with the means to increase his perception and understanding, thus forming the basis for abstract thought. Sensorial materials assist the child in learning to order and classify by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting, listening. These materials also lay the groundwork for writing, reading and mathematics.

3. Language

Instruction begins at age two and a half with vocabulary enrichment. A phonetic approach to reading is incorporated with a sight-sound-touch presentation of the alphabet. Basic reading and writing skills are emphasized at this level.

4. Mathematics

Is not learned via rote memorization. The Montessori approach to teaching math begins with concrete objects, moving to the abstract ideas, and then associating the two together. The curriculum goes from learning quantities, to the decimal system, and on to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

5. Cultural

Subjects are on interdisciplinary study of the life of Man on Earth throughout time and in all geographic regions. It includes the study of Music, Arts and Crafts, History, Geography, Botany, Zoology. It allows the child to learn his universe and the interrelatedness of all life.