Spoken Language Linking real-life experiences to vocabulary is a key part of language development in Early Childhood."Once the child can speak, he can express himself and no longer depends on others to guess his needs. He finds himself in touch with human society, for...
One of the Montessori classroom's most compelling elements is that it is interest-driven. The classroom is carefully prepared, so it is primed to meet the students' intellectual curiosity, wherever it may lead. Miraculous discoveries happen daily; however, as parents...
The Development of Writing “The hands help the development of the intellect. When a child is capable of using his hands, he can have a quantity of experiences in the environment through using them. In order to develop his consciousness, then his intellect, then his...
Inside Escuela: Montesssori Materials The Printed Alphabet Dr. Maria Montessori developed the materials we see in the classroom through years of careful observation and experimentation giving us carefully designed items that naturally support the child’s mind at each...
As with other subjects, learning about geography begins with a global view. Children learn the continents’ names and then each continent’s countries. Later, they will explore pictures of different homes and animals from the continents and learn about customs and ways of life. They continue gathering new information and adding details to foundations they already know.
Dressing Frames Practical Life exercises are one of the key components of the Montessori Early Childhood Prepared Environment. These activities provide opportunities for children to develop the skills necessary to participate in daily life at home and at school and...
One of the amazing qualities of Montessori materials is the way they change throughout the course of a child’s school experience to correspond with their stage of development. While we may think of Montessori materials as carefully crafted objects at earlier ages, in the Jr. HIgh, they often simply look like real life items – because they are!
Dr. Maria Montessori spoke extensively about the importance of choice for young people. This is often misconstrued as students “doing whatever they want.” This is not the case. Rather, we expect students to find a balance between freedom and responsibility. All students are responsible for respecting themselves, each other, and the environment – a foundational philosophy students learn in Primary and carry throughout their years at Escuela.
Escuela del Sol Montessori does not provide conventional grades or quantitative assessments of a child’s work. Grading offers a limited evaluation of a student’s work and encourages the child to work for the grade. We want to encourage children to work for the intrinsic satisfaction of increasing personal competency and knowledge rather than to please adults.
Reading and writing skills blossom throughout the elementary years, not only through spelling and grammar work, but through work in all subjects. Writing develops as children research, experiment and share what they have discovered. Creative writing allows children to acquire a valuable tool for self-expression. Reading becomes an important means to satisfy their interests. Witnessing older children reading and writing spontaneously, the younger ones are highly motivated to perfect language skills that need work. With carefully structured presentations and appealing follow-up work, the teacher and child work together to accomplish these goals.
Escuela del Sol Montessori • 1114 Seventh Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 • 505-242-3033 • 800-317-4752 (fax)
