Curriculum

The Montessori Curriculum

The Montessori curriculum offers children five key areas of study: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Cultural Studies. Each area of study is made up of a set of educational materials that increase in complexity. Children progress through the Montessori Curriculum at their own pace based on their stage of development and interests.

Montessori educators present key lessons to introduce children to the name and learning outcomes of each Montessori material. After a Key Lesson, the children work with the Montessori material independently to practice, explore, and make connections to the key learning outcomes.

New presentations are provided when a child is ready to progress to the next stage. Through repetition and practice, children master the progression of the Montessori materials and develop a fundamental understanding of each curriculum area.

Practical Life

The Montessori Practical Life Curriculum incorporates exercises and activities that children observe in daily life. These activities develop children’s independence, sense of order, concentration, fine and gross motor skills. The practical life activities pertain to their personal care, care of the environment and care and respect for others.

Sensorial

Sensorial activities teach children to refine their senses of sight, touch, sound, smell and taste so that they are able to organize sensory impressions and their understanding of the world. Through sensorial materials, children learn about similarity and difference, dimensions, colors and shapes, and distinguish between smells, taste and sound. Sensorial work also prepares children for mathematics, language and geometry by teaching children how to classify and sort.

Mathematics

The Mathematics Curriculum teaches children to understand abstract mathematical concepts and relationships through hands-on learning experiences. Children learn to count, identify and match numerals to their quantity, relate decimal quantities and symbols, and become aware of the functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division by using the Montessori materials.

Language

The Montessori Language Curriculum provides children with the knowledge and skills to build their vocabulary and understanding of language. The skills required for reading, writing and oral language are developed through hands-on experience using the Montessori language materials. Children learn the sounds of letters, letter identification and formation, how to combine sounds to make words, how to build simple sentences, and how to properly hold a pencil. Oral language skills are developed through daily social interactions, group time experiences, and lessons in grace and courtesy.

Culture

The Culture Curriculum incorporates a wide range of subjects, including: Geography, Botany, Zoology, Science, History, Music and Art. Through explorations of culture, children develop an understanding and awareness of their community, the world, how to care for other living things, and their responsibilities. Children learn to respond to diversity with respect, appreciate music and art, and develop awareness of sustainability.