FAQs

A Montessori school is a special place for the child to cultivate his/her own natural desire to learn. Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, first formulated the Montessori philosophy during the early 1900’s. Dr. Montessori’s program for education and child development focuses on the natural development of the whole child from birth through maturity. Children 2 to 6 years of age are the focus of most Montessori educational programs. The concept allows children to experience the joy of learning at an early age and provides an environment in which intellectual, moral, creative, physical, and social growth flourish.

Most of your child’s intelligence and social characteristics are formed between the ages of two and a half and six. During these years are when your child is most receptive, curious and excited to explore the world. A Montessori education nurtures this joy of learning by offering a variety of materials to stimulate and intrigue your child. Our teachers are trained to observe a child’s readiness for new skills and to personalize presentations of new concepts. Children are encouraged to make choices.

The Montessori method is unique. The materials used to teach reading, writing, mathematics, geography and science are not found in traditional schools. The classroom materials take abstract ideas and put them into concrete form that makes sense physiologically and neurologically for young children. Children learn from peers, as classes are multi-aged from three to six. Watching the more advanced work of the older children stimulates younger children, and peer teaching is a great self-esteem builder. Additionally, older children also benefit from peer teaching, as it requires mastery and internalization of the skill they are modeling. Teachers take the role of observers much more in a Montessori classroom. Since many materials are self-teaching and self-correcting, the teacher steps in when the child is stuck or is showing readiness for a new skill. This allows a child to learn more independently, with the guidance and support of a teacher whose primary goal is to observe and adapt her teaching to the learning style and individual needs of your child.

We are committed to nurturing your child’s love of learning and to providing an education that is fun and practical. We provide an education for life – not just academics. Therefore, our aim is to model respect for life and for the rights of people. Our school was the first school to be Montessori Accredited in Orange County.

Children naturally pride themselves in doing purposeful and meaningful activity. For this reason, exercises are referred to as “work.” Children have a sense of the worth and value of their work. They choose all activities eagerly and spontaneously, and become totally involved. The work process involves attaining skills, refining abilities, developing sensitivities, strengthening concentration, solving problems, building self-esteem, and achieving new insights.

Sensitive age periods are described as “windows of opportunity” when the child shows unusual capabilities in acquiring specific skills. Another name for this phenomenon might be “formative periods” in which a child is psychologically attuned to acquire given ideas or skills more readily than at any other period. Examples of the “sensitive periods” are for acquiring a sense of order, between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years of age for the average child, for precise movement and coordination, 2 1/2 to 4 years, for writing, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years and for reading and numbers, 4 to 5 years of age. Recent studies show that 80% of a child’s mental development is complete by the age of seven.

The Montessori method is unique. The materials used to teach reading, writing, mathematics, geography and science are not found in traditional schools. The classroom materials take abstract ideas and put them into concrete form that makes sense physiologically and neurologically for young children. Children learn from peers, as classes are multi-aged from three to six. Watching the more advanced work of the older children stimulates younger children, and peer teaching is a great self-esteem builder. Additionally, older children also benefit from peer teaching, as it requires mastery and internalization of the skill they are modeling. Teachers take the role of observers much more in a Montessori classroom. Since many materials are self-teaching and self-correcting, the teacher steps in when the child is stuck or is showing readiness for a new skill. This allows a child to learn more independently, with the guidance and support of a teacher whose primary goal is to observe and adapt her teaching to the learning style and individual needs of your child.

Montessori is based on a profound respect for the child’s personality. The child works from his or her own free choice and is allowed a large measure of independence. This forms the basis of self-discipline. As the children progress at their own pace and successfully completes the self-correcting exercises, they develop confidence in their ability to understand their accomplishments.

Discipline is a prerequisite condition for learning. Montessori discipline is an “inner discipline” and inner control that the child develops from his or her own behavior and in conjunction with his or her home environment. Dr. Montessori noted that many so-called undisciplined children were really frustrated by the lack of proper stimulation and an inadequate opportunity to achieve. She noted that young people became happier and more self-controlled after a period of time in a Montessori class.