Some of the reasons we at Athena love the Montessori Method include:
1. A beautifully prepared work environment where students feel comfortable and have freedom within limits to choose their work. Children can practise an activity as much as they like to gain confidence with the activity. The teacher will guide them to enjoy new and different activities so that they can develop in all areas.
2. A big focus on hands-on learning, including many practical life skills, such as sewing, caring for their classroom, caring for plants, cleaning, and returning things to their correct place. Children learn through experience rather than being told. They see for themselves how things work. They learn to observe.
3.The "work cycle", which includes selecting an activity, doing the activity and carefully returning it to its correct place to make it a completed cycle. This instils a great life habit for students while maintaining a nice orderly environment to encourage students to focus. This repeated and self-chosen engagement with the material, the lack of interruption, and the requirement to set up the material and put it away afterwards, are key elements aimed at developing the child’s concentration.
4. Observation. This is key for both the student and the educator. Students use specialist Montessori equipment to observe through all of the 5 senses. The teacher takes time each day to observe their students and see where they are really at, so that they can guide them and support them in choosing their own activity.
5. The use of phonics. There is beautiful equipment, including sandpaper letters and the movable alphabet, which make learning phonics interesting, gradual and hands-on!
6. The prepared Adult. The teacher is a guide in a Montessori house of children. This entails physical, spiritual and intellectual preparation of the adult, so that they are able to guide students. Observation is a key assessment tool in the Montessori method. The prepared adult must therefore know that they are being observed at all times too, and thus set a good example of grace and courtesy.
Looking for a gentle transition into the school environment?
Our Montessori Prep class will prepare your child for Kindergarten.
Limited Spaces Available!
