In the Montessori classroom, children are always engaged in hands-on learning. They may be creating, building, exploring, or testing, often with supplies found in all classrooms, but also with tiles, cards, and books prepared especially for their individual learning experience. The students work together or individually, always making connections from concept to understanding,
The Montessori Method, developed by educator Dr. Maria Montessori over a century ago, encourages self-directed learning that promotes confidence and independent thought and action while fostering social-emotional and intellectual growth. Through hands-on learning, children make the leap from their lessons to real life, developing skills that will help them in school and beyond.
In the classroom, children work with specially designed materials that invite exploration and engage the senses in the process of learning.
“All learning activities children in choosing meaningful and challenging work at their own interest and ability level,” according to the American Montessori Society (AMS). When children direct their own engagement in learning, this “strengthens motivation, s attention development, and encourages responsibility,” according to AMS.With an exploratory approach, children do more than just memorize facts; they gain a firm understanding of the meaning behind them, laying the foundation for learning by developing the ability to classify, sort, and create order —skills necessary in math, geometry, and language.For example, during the early childhood years, preschool and kindergarten children learn to identify numerals and match them to their quantity through hands-on math activities. They practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and explore patterns in the numbering system. These activities move children from concrete to abstract understanding. The child starts to recognize quantities, sequences, and patterns.Seeing these mathematical qualities while working with sensorial materials provides “a strong foundation for later [more formal] systematic study of arithmetic, geometry, and algebra,” according to the American Montessori Society.The exploratory approach to education continues at County Montessori through elementary school. In the first- through fifth-grade classrooms, teachers introduce subjects that build on what’s learned in the early years as well as continue to develop students’ critical thinking skills.Through lessons in practical life tools, sensorial exercises, language arts, outdoor play, music and Spanish, students are challenged with directing their own time management, organization, and setting reasonable, responsible goals. The elementary years also see students moving from the concrete to abstract thinking they will need as they continue in school and life.The Montessori classroom environment gives students the freedom and tools to pursue answers to their own questions. This drives curiosity and makes learning enjoyable, leading to a lifetime of learning.
Country Montessori School serves children ages 2.6 to 11 years in its Early Childhood (Preschool and Kindergarten), for Lower Elementary (ages 6-9) and Upper Elementary (ages 9-12) programs.To learn more, Country Montessori School can be reached at (858) 673-1756. The school is located at 12642 Monte Vista Road, Poway, CA, 92064.Check out our informational video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-h20t0BiqI
