Pre-School Class
Dr. Montessori described the three to six year old child as having an “absorbent mind.” She believed that children ages three to six to have “intense mental activity” which ultimately translates into a need to process and learn as much new information through their environment as possible. The preschool classroom is the next natural learning extension after the toddler classroom; where students are building upon their knowledge foundation. During this time, the child is consciously learning through purposeful work in an attractively prepared environment where their cognitive, social and emotional skills are developing. Students move freely around the classroom and choose personal work based on whether they are ready for it. The Montessori classroom provides the correct amount of structure, freedom and guidance for students to excel at their own cognitive pace.
Pre-School students focus on mastering these important skills:
- Building upon concentration span, following-through to complete a task in a reasonably allotted time (5 -10 minutes)
- Development of social maturity, self-control and empathy for others
- Ability to work and share closely with others, solve small conflicts
- Developing grace & courtesy, respect for others
- Ability to listen, comprehend and follow verbal and non-verbal directions
- Able to carry on a conversation with an adult or child
- Able to recognize full name, learn how to spell name
- Able to memorize and/or repeat songs, events, finger plays, etc.
- Has understanding of classroom rules and consequences of their actions
- Able to associate all letters with their sounds
- Understand initial and ending sounds
- Use the movable alphabet to build words
- Able to build three letter words
- Working on phonetic workbooks A, B and C
- Begin reading three letter words
- Tracing letters using sandpaper letters and motor memory
- Tracing and writing one's own name
- Fine motor development, writing and staying on the line
- Understand and name basic geometric shapes (2-D and 3-D models)
- Counting numbers 1 - 10 (numeric symbol and associated quantity)
- Understand concepts of teen numbers (11 - 20) (numeric symbol and associated quantity)
- Understand concepts of ten's (10, 20, 30, etc.) (numeric symbol and associated quantity)
- Understand decimal point concept and quantity
- Counting and numeration order from 1 - 100 (numeric symbol and associated quantity)
- Understand counting and numeration from (1 - 9000) (numeric symbol and associated quantity)
- Beginning basic concept of simple addition
- Use of metal insets to promote hand strength and fine motor skills for writing
- Naming each metal inset shape, using metal insets with activity variations and extensions
- Differentiating between patterned objects and matching accordingly
- Matching, grading, classifying and categorizing different objects to build writing skills
- Refining the senses through grading and matching activities such as:
- Smelling jars (differentiating between smells)
- Sound cylinders (differentiating and matching sounds)
- Tasting jars (differentiating between tastes)
- Touch (feeling rough and smooth objects)
- Sight (grading by size, shape and color)
- Botany: Parts of plants, how plants grow, care of plants, study of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds.
- Zoology: Parts of different types of animals, amphibians, reptiles and dinosaurs, where animals live and how to take care of animals
- Science: Simple experiments to develop an understanding of physical science and how it relates to planet Earth.
- Geography and Culture: Earth's landforms and continents, recognizing and naming continents, native plants and animals from each continent, different cultures and traditions from each continent.
- Mandarin Instruction: Use of songs, vocabulary and conversational Mandarin (numbers, months, days of the week, colors, etc.) introduction to basic Chinese characters.
- Spanish Instruction: Use of songs, vocabulary and conversational Spanish (numbers, months, days of the week, colors, etc.)
- Art: Use of a variety of art mediums to encourage creative, student-driven art
- Music & Movement: Singing and dancing to new songs every month, learning gross motor development and control of movement.
- Famous Composers & Artists: Students study the well known works, societal contributions and life of one different composer and artist every month.
- Gymnastics: Gross motor development activities through: tumbling, balancing, stretching, jumping, hopping, etc.
- Computers: Students use Wi-Fi computers to supplement phonetic and mathematics work with computer programs.