|
The Montessori curriculum offers
unique educational materials, which accommodate all
levels of ability. Children learn and progress at
their own pace, developing independence and
understanding of the world around them. Our program
is especially designed to promote the desirable
outcomes for all children in each of the six areas
of learning.
Children as young as 1 year of age attend 3 sessions
of 1 ½ hours three times a week, and children 2-6
years old attend a full day session from 7:45 am -
12:30 pm for five days a week.
Practical Life
The Practical Life activities lay the
foundation for all other work to be done in the
Montessori classroom. The activities are everyday
tasks that a child needs to learn to master the care
of self and care of the environment. Such activities
include pouring, sweeping and tying, as well as
grace and courtesy. The activities are presented to
the child in such a way that concentration,
coordination, independence and order are developed
on an individual basis.
Sensorial
The goal of the Montessori Sensorial section is to
educate the child's senses. This curriculum area
contains Montessori-specific materials that help the
child refine his or her experience of sight, sound,
touch, taste and smell. In addition, the materials
of this section are modeled on scientifically-based
concepts, such as metric system dimensions or
algebraic formulas. Sensory experience with
materials such as these are the child's first step
toward understanding the abstract concepts they
represent.
This education is not an exercise to
sharpen the senses, but to allow a child to use his
or her senses to understand what he or she sees.
Mathematics
The Mathematical concepts are offered to children
concretely. Hands on material create an enjoyable
approach to arithmetic and geometry.
"This system in which a child is
constantly moving objects with his hands and
actively exercising his senses, also takes into
account a child's special aptitude for mathematics.
When they leave the material, the children very
easily reach the point where they wish to write out
the operation. They thus carry out an abstract
mental operation and acquire a kind of natural and
spontaneous inclination for mental calculations."
Language
Writing is a key to a double gain. It enables the
hand to master a vital skill like that of speaking
and to create a second means of communication that
reflects the spoken word in all its details. Writing
is thus dependent upon mind and hand..
Montessori language curriculum is an
integrated approach that combines phonetics and
whole language. The child is first introduced to
letters and sounds. After several sounds are
mastered, he can begin to decode (read) and encode
(spell) words by linking these sounds together.
Words that do not follow the patterns or rules of
the English language are presented as sight words.
Once the child has gained confidence with his
language skills, he can use it to enhance his
studies in other areas of the classroom. He can read
to research science, geography and history. He can
write reports, sharing his learning with his peers.
He can follow written recipes and instructions, and
record his observations and results. The same
approach has been formulated to the teaching of the
Arabic Language.
Cultural
The Cultural materials provide children with
experience in geography, history, art and natural
science. As in other areas, the child first
experiences culture on a concrete level. Activities
include puzzle maps for geography, personal time
lines for history, simple science experiences such
as "sink & float" and a range of paints and
materials for art.
Extra-curricular activities
Children also enjoy extra-curricular activities in
their daily schedule, which include:
• Music & Movement
• Swimming
• Arts & Crafts
• Gymnastics
• Field Trips
• Cooking
• Quran & Islamic Studies
• Yoga
• Brain Gym
|