Curriculum
Entire books have been written explaining Montessori curriculum and philosophy. Essentially, the Montessori philosophy allows for children to choose materials from the shelves once they’ve had lessons on those materials. As children finish with materials, they replace them on the shelves and choose new materials. This cycle, continuing daily during Montessori work time, allows children to develop concentration, independence, coordination, and order. During a typical work cycle, children use materials from all areas of the classroom.
Practical Life
Practical Life materials are the cornerstone of a Montessori classroom, offering inviting, hands-on activities that build essential life skills. Children learn to pour, sew, button, polish, and use real tools—often involving water or fine motor tasks they complete independently.
As they grow, activities like flower arranging and table washing introduce multi-step sequences that engage both large and small motor skills. Simultaneously fun and purposeful, Practical Life lays the foundation for future academic success.
Sensorial
Young children explore the world through their senses. Sensorial materials involve movement and allow children to order objects by height, length, width, or shade. These materials help children observe similarities and differences using multiple senses, including touch, sight, smell, hearing, taste, and more.
Children develop visual acuity and the ability to differentiate between similar objects. This helps when children later must distinguish between a 6 and a 9 or between two sounds that sound very similar.
Language
Over three years, children in our primary Montessori classrooms progress from pre-readers to fluent readers thanks to a logical sequence of hands-on materials.
Language materials support spoken, written, and reading skills. Through stories, games, and rhymes, even the youngest children build vocabulary. Most learn to write before reading by tracing shapes and using chalkboards, then progress to phonetic sounds with multi-sensory tools. Older children explore grammar and practice story-writing.
Math
Maria Montessori coined the phrase “mathematical mind” to describe a child’s natural aptitude for math. Children are naturally curious about quantity, and once they understand numbers and what they represent, they begin to enjoy working with them.
Montessori math begins with concrete, hands-on activities. Children add by combining objects and divide by sharing them equally. This physical approach helps them see what each operation means. Over time, these experiences lay the foundation for more abstract mathematical thinking.
Cultural
Part of our mission is to help young children grow into dynamic, thoughtful citizens of the world. The cultural shelves in the classroom support this by introducing children to the richness and diversity of our planet—its many countries, people, animals, plants, and environments.
Through hands-on materials, children explore geography, science, botany, zoology, and anatomy, developing a sense of wonder, connection, and respect for the world around them. These experiences help children appreciate the interconnectedness of all living things.
Art
Children have the opportunity to create art during the Montessori work cycle using materials like paint, clay, scissors, and glue. These activities foster creativity while developing fine and gross motor skills.
In addition to open-ended art, children learn about artists, musicians, and instruments, and enjoy a variety of music throughout the week. Afternoon art projects provide a chance to explore new techniques and express themselves in meaningful, hands-on ways. Artistic expression is celebrated as a form of communication and individuality.
Gardening
Children are the caretakers of our classroom gardens, actively participating in planting, weeding, watering, and observing the growth of the garden beds. This hands-on experience fosters a deep connection to nature and the food they eat, helping them understand where their meals come from and the effort involved in growing them.
Gardening also teaches important life skills, such as patience, responsibility, and consistency, as children learn that plants need daily care and time to grow.
Movement
The prepared environment of the Montessori classroom is designed to support independence, exploration, and purposeful learning. Children are free to move around the room, choose their own materials, and work in the space that suits them best. They may use the bathroom or have a snack without asking, learning to listen to their own needs.
This freedom within a thoughtfully structured setting helps children develop confidence, independence, and self-discipline as they make choices and take ownership of their learning.
Spanish & Yoga
Each afternoon, our primary children participate in either yoga or Spanish lessons, both designed to support their physical, emotional, and cognitive development. During yoga, children practice on their own mats, learning new poses while building strength, balance, and self-control.
Spanish lessons are led by our full-time bilingual teachers, who make language learning fun through songs, games, and hands-on activities. Introduced in the toddler program and continuing through Kindergarten, Spanish is woven naturally into the child’s daily experience.