Where the Wonders of Learning Never end...
The child is attracted to those things that give him independence and control of his own life. An important activity of the young child is to develop his muscles and coordinate his movement. This development enables him to focus his mind on a particular activity, i.e. to concentrate, therefore, to approach future tasks with greater proficiency. At our preschool, special materials enable him to learn to tie his shoes, button, and use many other fastening devices. With materials scaled to his size, the child enjoys sweeping, dusting, washing, polishing and gardening. Lessons on courtesy permit him to deal with everyday situations. The basis of the child’s interest is that these activities are real and exist in his every day life. It provides the very foundation on which the child approaches all other work.
Among the interests of the child from age three to six are experiences that involve his senses in his exploration of his environment. The child is able to exercise, discriminate, and learn the vocabulary which corresponds to his sensorial experiences. These tools of life afford the child the ability to form his frame of reference with which he/she can classify those inputs to his senses and allow greater opportunity to be successful in all other fields.
According to Dr. Montessori, the evolution of language
begins with the infant’s unique capacity to absorb intact fragments of
language, which will serve as a basis for his development. This continues
through an orderly, unconscious process of assimilation and abstraction. This
child first discovers that sounds have meaning, and then he/she isolates the
parts of speech. Finally, he/she grasps the use of sentences. The constant
assimilation of language results in a sudden expansion of vocabulary.
The child learns the oral language naturally. He/She
automatically takes it from his own environment. The work of the teacher is to
expose his to the equivalent forms of written language which he/she learns
through the same general pattern of development.
The Montessori child begins reading when he/she is ready
and proceeds at his own pace. His experiences in practical life and sensorial
education serve as a preparation for this. The sandpaper letters provide a
phonetic basis for reading. This child’s desire and sensitivity to touch
are utilized by these letters that are cut out of sandpaper and mounted for
tracing. He/She not only hears the sound and sees the shape, but trains his
muscles for when he/she begins writing. With cut-out letters the child builds
his own words on a mat. The material frees him from the fatigue of his still
developing writing skills, and yet gives him the opportunity to pursue his
interests in words. This child builds his store of words through storytelling,
conversation and many exercises in the environment. These activities serve as
preparation for the time when the child assimilates what he/she knows and
explodes into reading.
Written language is
clarified by illustrating the function of the parts of speech. When a child
understands function, he/she has a concept that allows the definition to have
meaning. Logical analysis of phrases, clauses, and sentences lead the child to a
recognition of style in the works of literature. He perfects his reading ability
through exercises in interpretive reading. The development of language is not
limited to a single academic area. All subject matter is inter-related and
organized around the child’s vital interests.
The materials for mathematics introduce the concept of quantity and the symbols for quantity – the numbers 1 through 10. The quantity is introduced by a series of rods, which the child can count and compare. He/She matches sets of symbol cards with the rods. Using a variety of beads and symbol cards the child becomes familiar with the numbers as a decimal system including concrete experiences with the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These exercises not only teach the child to calculate, but they provide a deep understanding of how numbers function. He/She learns concrete mathematical concepts and the materials lead him to the abstract, so that his understanding has substance. Because of the concrete nature of the materials, the child is able to work with the basics of factions and geometry.
We use simple science experiences to introduce and
illustrate the phenomenas that are observed in nature. For example, experiments
dealing with evaporation and condensation lead to an understanding of the rain
cycle. Other scientific experiments form the basis for the study of biology,
botany, geography and geology as well as physics and chemistry. These sciences
are not taught simply for their implicit value; they are taught to give the
child knowledge and thereby respect for the life around him.
A Montessori program is too extensive to give a brief
treatment to every area. For more detailed information, it is recommended that
you visit a Montessori classroom.
Wow, where do I begin? Our son was diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder at the ripe old age of three months. Lots and lots of therapy and fast forward to last October when I found this wonderful school.One of our sons issue's was that he/she hated things on his feet. Meaning he/she was always barefoot! Within just a few weeks these wonderful teachers had him keeping his shoes on all day!!! Amazing!. The list of wonders is too long to note them all. I will say that Ms Kiran has brought peace back into our home, taught me a new and more effective way to parent him, and all in all has given my son a new extreme level of confidence. I would highly suggest this school for any parent of a young child to let your child's school days start here! Katie (Parent)
Little Angels Montessori School Inc.
(623) 594-0888
1908 W Parkside Lane Phoenix, AZ
85027
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