Mindful Montessori

With gentle oversight, children learn to care for themselves and their environment. Montessori methods promote a sense of mastery and self-confidence in each child. By performing such tasks as sweeping, polishing, washing and preparing food, children develop coordination, concentration, good work habits, and the value of completing a task.

Using simple alphabet cutouts and sandpaper letters, children learn the sounds of letters and soon are linking letters to make words, then words to make sentences. Children first develop small muscle coordination necessary to master writing in their exercises of daily living and in using the sensorial materials. They soon progress to writing letters.

Our materials are designed to heighten the child’s senses of sight, touch, sound, taste and smell. Senses are instrumental in understanding and classifying the environment. Through distinguishing, categorizing and comparing the concrete, children develop a foundation for moving from the concrete to the abstract.

A child’s understanding of the basic mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division first emerges from using manipulative materials such as rods, beads, sandpaper numerals, cards and counters. Such materials help the student visualize otherwise abstract numbers. Using self-correcting materials, children learn not only number recognition and place value, but also solve problems.

Geography, science, art and music are referred to as cultural subjects. Children learn about people, their countries and the world through food, music, pictures, flags, maps, artifacts and holiday celebrations.