The Skokie Montessori School recognizes and respects the fundamental value, dignity, talents, and special needs of each child. The Skokie Montessori School has expanded an attractive new toddler program environment that encourages the child’s natural tendency toward sensory exploration, and practical life skills necessary for this plane of development. The toddler program started late March of this year and within this period we have seen a tremendous growth and development in the areas of language, motor skills, emotional and intellectual aspects of the children. At this age children achieve control of their bodies, acquiring social awareness, physical, intellectual and psychological skills and refinement of language. Language is one of the vital developmental areas; in this stage, they are acquiring new words, phrases to say at different situations, being able to communicate and express thoughts and feelings. Expression through the arts helps the child to develop self-expression and satisfy the need for creativity.

The practical life of the “daily living” area is defined in the Montessori classroom as the area that builds the important abilities within the child. The activities in this area are designed to help the child promote order, coordination, concentration, and independence.

The Skokie Montessori School is well-equipped with instructional materials that are scientifically designed to provide an ample variety of learning experiences geared to the developmental needs of children from ages 2-6 years. Each program provides a high-level curriculum towards excellence through hands-on concrete materials in the areas of Science, Geography, Mathematics, Language, Sensorial Activities, Practical Life Activities, Art and Music.

The School provides children with an inspiring environmental that will enhance their interest in learning while promoting social interaction, emotional development, physical coordination, and cognitive preparations. Eventually, it builds a solid foundation of academics skills, indispensable to future learning endeavors. Children are encouraged to develop an ability to work independently based on their own initiatives; sense of order, self-discipline and freedom to explore their environment, learn from mistakes and internalize concepts and, in effect, encouraging their curiosity and desire to learn what interests them.

The Directress prepares the environment and is trained to know when to intervene in the child’s self-learning. This knowledge comes through her practice of the art of observation. The child is given what is termed as “freedom within limits”. That the child may freely choose to work from materials he has been shown how to use; that he must use the materials properly and return them to the proper order; and that he may no infringe upon the rights of others.

The child is given the opportunity to become independent and care for himself while learning in a self-directed way.

Both social and intellectual development is enhanced by this method of age grouping. Learning within this diverse group stimulates greater interest and encourages cooperation. The younger child learns through observation of the older child. In addition, the older student has the opportunity to become a leader and reinforce their knowledge as they help the younger friends.

Ages 6-9 and 9-12

The Physical Environment (The Classroom)

As one enters Skokie Montessori’s elementary classroom, they are immediately aware of the order, cleanliness, and beauty it possesses. The classroom is well stocked with diligently maintained, exciting materials from a large variety of subjects. These materials and activities encourage student growth and development and facilitate reaching each individual’s full potential.

The classroom is kept neat and orderly, not only by the teacher, but also by the students. Students participate in care of the environment with a variety of classroom jobs. Students are in charge of organizing the library, dusting the shelves, and placing the materials properly on the shelves. This helps the classroom stay clean and allows students to feel ownership in their environment. It also helps students be involved in keeping materials orderly and ready for the next student to use.

The shelves in the classroom are logically organized. The materials increase in difficulty from top to bottom as well as from left to right. The least complicated materials are in the upper left of the shelf and the most challenging materials are on the bottom right side of the shelf. Students can easily find materials appropriate for their skill development and interest on the uncluttered, visually pleasing shelves. Sequenced activities are placed in ascending order and are clearly numbered or marked making finding fitting materials simple for all students.

The elementary classroom is aesthetically pleasing for all who enter, especially the students who see it as a learning environment set up especially for their needs and wants. All who enter sense a logical, neat, well-planned, and well-maintained classroom open for the exploration of the students. The educational environment at Skokie Montessori offers a wide variety of curriculum materials and activities that encourage the child’s development of their full potential. The room is designed to allow for table work and group work, individual and group work, as well as quiet work and active work. The arrangement of materials and organization of the room is congruent with Montessori principles of individual development appropriateness.

Structure and Curriculum

The schedule and curriculum in Skokie Montessori’s elementary classroom is in harmony with Montessori’s beliefs of cosmic education, individual development, uninterrupted work time, and social interaction of students. The classroom schedule allows for a consistent and dependable routine each day of the week. The schedule also permits a variety of work options, such as working with peers, choosing subjects to study at an individual pace, and having long stretches of time to complete complicated activities. The classroom schedule also leaves time for cooperative group work and peer teaching. Lessons can be given collectively or selectively as need arises. Students structure their own learning time, guided by the teacher and a work plan that is fit to that particular student’s needs and interests.

The curriculum in the elementary room is vast and has many different subjects including, but not limited to: mathematics, language, geometry, geography, natural sciences, history and cultural studies, and beginning physics and chemistry. Activities for physical education and the creative arts are also included at Skokie Montessori. Peace education is very important and is a part of everyday for the students. Peaceful resolutions are demonstrated and encouraged. When all is peaceful, students are free to discover knowledge in the subject areas.

Each subject has engaging, well-kept, well-organized materials on uncluttered shelves. The materials entice students and appeal to their creativity and exploration. Each activity or experience is structured to provide purpose, procedure, closure and opportunity for success. Many materials are self-correcting and allow students to check their own progress. There is always room to grow and learn more about each activity and students witness this through their peers and teacher guidance. Field studies are offered to students who show deep curiosity in a curriculum area.

Leadership and Guidance in the Elementary Classroom

Each student at Skokie Montessori is encouraged to reach their highest potential in intellectual growth, social skills, and behavior from the leadership and guidance of the teachers. The elementary teachers demonstrate a broad repertoire of teaching strategies that reach a variety of learning styles and effectively meet the developmental, social, and emotional needs for the students. The teachers are able to give exciting and engaging individual lessons, small group lessons, and full class lessons. Lessons are planned and implemented in clear chronological order as shown by the readiness of the students. Each teacher gives clear and consistent verbal and nonverbal messages to the students that follow the classroom guidelines set up in the beginning of the year by the entire group. The teachers also use a calm voice and a pleasant tone throughout the school day showing respect to all students. This helps the teacher model techniques for conflict resolution and equal treatments and interactions for all.

Assessment in the Elementary Classroom

Teachers in the elementary classroom facilitate children’s optimal growth and development through observation and actions based on those observations. The teachers are skilled observers who know exactly what to look for to see if students are mastering ideas and materials. When teachers see that mastery, they respond by showing the next step, stepping up the challenge of the material, or showing students what to move on to depending upon the subject and material in question. The teachers are able to record this process anecdotally as well as on specific forms showing the goals. The teachers at Skokie Montessori also have appropriate expectations for the quality and quantity of work based on student ability and interest.

Students have the opportunity to plan, monitor, and assess their own learning and works. Students have work plans that allow spaces for checking completed work and shown work. Students are able to choose which work to do on a daily basis and watch their progress with that work. Blank space is also left for students to choose their own work throughout the week. All student work is kept in notebooks and binders and can be referenced as needs and used to show growth and development in the subject areas.

Preschool
(ages 3 years old) 3+ times a week
Half-day or full-day
(ages 4-5) Monday-Friday
Half-day, full-day or extended day

Kindergarten
(ages 5-6) Monday-Friday
Full-day or extended day

Elementary Level I & II
(ages 6-12)
Academic Class - 8:30 a.m - 3:00 p.m
Full- Day Program-7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m