Montessori Method Alcott School Scarsdale Dobbs Ferry

Montessori Education is a way of caring for young children stressing respect,
respect for individual differences and the learning environment.

* Children should be respected as individuals who are different from adults
and from each other
* Children learn to create through purposeful activity
* The most important years for learning are from birth to age six
* Children possess a heightened sensitivity for learning and absorbing information from
their environment

In a classroom we have a set of “ground rules” to encourage a child’s development in these areas. The “ground rules” include:

These ground rules are designed to help children develop respect for one another and the environment as well as a strong sense of responsibility and self-discipline.

The Montessori teacher as in any other classroom is a key element. Always having a number of over-lapping roles, a Montessori teacher is at once an observer, programmer, and an exemplar. This means the teacher sets the limits and serves as a behavioral example. The teacher permits the child free choice of materials and thereby enables him to exercise his/her curiosity and develop independence. The teacher is able to see when assistance is needed and when to stand aside and let a child work a little longer at something so that she/he may achieve success, a feeling of self-satisfaction, and joy.

Children who have been in a Montessori program benefit in many ways:

Montessori children are independent learners who feel good about their ability to explore and learn on their own.
They are problem solvers who are confident in their ability to make decisions and choices.
Montessori children learn to manage their time independently.
Montessori children have learned good communication skills.
They have been taught that their ideas matter and are valued.
Children in a Montessori environment learn to value the opinions and ideas of others.
Montessori learners feel good about themselves and their abilities.
Research has shown that the best indicator of academic success is a child’s self esteem!

Art & Construction

Children are exposed to a variety of materials. They are shown how to use the material and are then free to create, build and design with it. While working in these areas, the children especially enjoy sharing and exchanging ideas as well as socializing with others.

Practical Life

The activities in this area are designed to improve eye hand coordination, develop mastery of common household tools and promote a child’s feeling of independence by enabling him / her to be able to deal with common items in the environment e.g. buttons, sponges, zippers, etc.

Sensorial

The activities in this area are designed to enhance the child’s ability to learn through his/her senses. Materials are specifically designed to develop the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound and to explore the dimensions of color, shape and size.

Language

The activities in this area are designed to move the child from the concrete (objects) to the abstract (letters) as well as encourage the creative use of language. Focus is on the development of an extensive vocabulary, listening skills and auditory discrimination skills essential for each child to acquire before s/he can learn to read or write. Each task moves the child closer to reading and/or writing independently as soon as s/he is able and interested.

Mathematics

Science & Geography

The activities in this area are designed to develop a child’s curiosity about the world around him. The activities in this area supply specific information about both the nature of the world which surrounds us and the people who inhabit it.