This Is How We Montessori

The Prepared Environment

Our space has been thoughtfully arranged for a Little Learner’s optimal use. We’ve intentionally curated the classroom to include: appropriately-sized furniture, easy access to supplies for any activity, and enough space to work alone or with a group.

Practical Life

**What this means:** Using everyday opportunities, such as showing responsibility for our messes (which are ALWAYS ok at school, and never shamed…because how else would we learn to responsibly clean up after ourselves?! :) and tending to our classroom bring awareness to the self & the environment and allow children to become a contributor to their own community.
**Why it’s important:** Toddlers deserve to experience as much developmentally-appropriate independence as possible to develop self-confidence which leads to the growth of a happier, healthier human.
**How we live this:** Children are encouraged to remove their own shoes & put on their own classroom slippers. Anything a toddler can **almost** do, they are given every opportunity to try on their own here at Miss Audrey’s…even if that means taking time to work through the struggle and frustration of learning a new skill! Here, toddlers have all the support and patience they require to become their most happy, contributing, self-aware, considerate, well-balanced selves.

Sensitive Periods

Children 0-3 will experience special biological windows of development called “sensitive periods” when they are exceptionally open to absorbing new skills in a particular area. They will pay significant attention to specific areas of interest such as language or social skills. Once these windows close, they never reopen!

Sensorial

**What this means:** Developing the senses-sight, smell, touch, taste, sound, and movement.
**Why it’s important:** Learners will gain a richer understanding of, and connection to, their life experiences. Sensory development is not only practice for absorbing knowledge of our surroundings and world in and of itself, it also increases fluency in learning. Since the brain is mostly developed by age 3, sensory play & work are **critical and necessary tools** for the mind, body, and soul to develop at maximum capacity.
**How we live this:** Spending time outdoors moving and challenging our bodies, gardening, experiencing shelf work with sensory-forward activities. Sensorial shelf work is also a great opportunity for language development (“These sea shells are rough and bumpy, while these sea shells are smooth and cold.”) We also enjoy water play activities on warmer days.

The Absorbent Mind

Young minds, from birth through age 6, easily and quickly soak up information from their environment and people around them, more than any other time in their lives. Miss Audrey takes seriously her responsibility of providing every possible developmentally-appropriate opportunity for children to experience growth while attending.

Mathematics + Science

**What this means:** Early exposure to conceptual math, geometry, counting, and animal life cycles, physics, and toddler-appropriate science.
**Why it’s important:** Provides Learners a foundation for abstract thinking and practical life skills. Children will use math and science throughout their lives, and the development within the first three years is crucial as it sets the tone for every stage of development thereafter. These are ways in which children can understand their world.
**How we live this:** There are a variety of standing math and science shelf works to normalize numbers, counting, etc. In addition, during Circle Time Miss Audrey will present “lessons” on new math works & introduce shapes and counting through demos and songs. She will also give children the opportunity to use their knowledge throughout the day (in any part of our curriculum) by ways as simple as counting our own fingers or as complex as presenting more advanced geometry shelf work (for 2-3 year olds.)

Auto-Education

Self-teaching empowers Learners to develop a love of learning and find intrinsic value in their work. Children develop the necessary confidence to absorb their understanding of a subject or concept.

Language

**What this means:** Learning how to communicate, listen, recognize, share, participate.
**Why it’s important:** Communication is vital for intra- and inter- personal relationship building. Miss Audrey recommends every enrolled family to read 5+ books to their child daily (facing them if possible so they can view your mouth movements…which is the first way the human brain learns language!)
**How we live this:** English is used to guide students throughout the day intermingled with American Sign Language as a tool for not-yet-verbal toddlers. Your child is given exposure to French at Circle Time, using songs and books which rotate throughout the school year.

Respect for the Child

Learners are valued for their individuality. We personalize curriculum for each student according to their unique learning style and interests. In providing uninterrupted time and developmentally-appropriate materials, students flourish with their newfound skillsets and are able to form their own identity in a healthy way.