Programs

Our Programs

We strive to cultivate a child’s natural desire to learn and allow the child to be motivated by a natural curiosity and love for knowledge. Our students develop independence, self-confidence and pride in learning.

The Prepared Environment

To assist children in their natural development, our preschool and kindergarten programs offer well maintained, orderly “prepared environments” which invite them to move and investigate. Each child has free choice in the selection and length of tasks which are structured for independent and successful activity. The Montessori materials are designed to isolate a single new concept to be grasped by the child and are self-correcting. They also follow a sequential progression permitting the child to master one task and then proceed to a further challenge.

The core of our Montessori Preschool Program is to provide a foundation for learning and inspire our children to discover, learn, and grow. Our children learn “How to Learn” in order to build a long lasting foundation. Our Program includes the following key elements:

Reading – Our Reading Program is a phonetic based system teaching good decoding skills and word attack skills. Students leave our Kindergarten Program reading above their typical age reading level.

Mathematics – Students learn abstract concepts through concrete materials.  As our students learn addition and subtraction, they understand the process that underlies these skills. Students lead activities for counting quantities, developing one-to-one correspondence, recognizing numerical symbols, sequencing, place values, and mathematical operations. They use tools such as the Hundred Board, and Squaring and Cubing chains.

Sensorial – Sensorial materials allow our students to learn by refining the senses. Our students learn to classify and organize their environment, giving them the first steps to organizing their intelligence. The sensorial experiences support a foundation for learning and vocabulary development.

World Geography and Culture – Our students learn world geography and experience various aspects of different cultures through our materials and enrichment programs.

Practical Life – Our students learn and develop their fine motor skills, gaining independence and confidence in their ability to do daily tasks for caring for one’s self, others, and their surroundings. These activities foster independence, concentration, order and, coordination.

Prepared Environment – Our classrooms are a carefully planned, stimulating environment in which children discover materials especially designed for their readiness and maturity. The materials in the classroom offer a series of sequential, manipulative, and sensorial activities that bridge the gap between concrete and abstract learning.

The Montessori preschool classroom does not separate children by age. Three year olds enter the classroom as the youngest students, needing special guidance and assistance. By the time they are five, in their Kindergarten year, they have gained self-confidence and leadership skills which they practice and hone by taking on ever-increasing responsibilities for their classroom. Working on these skills is an important part of the third year program, and the skills the children acquire will help them throughout their lives. Our classroom provides educational material and equipment that encourages independent learning. This allows students to work on different stages of the same curriculum at different times, assuring that children progress at a pace suited to them. Our children learn on independent learning paths designed for each individual child’s development. This structure builds confidence and inspires children to learn more.

Our Classrooms

Developmentally, young children are curious about everything and need to explore and discover. Our Early Childhood 3-6 learning environment is designed to encourage each child to move, touch, and manipulate. Each child has the freedom to work independently, based on their own initiatives with respectful guidance from their teacher.  Country Hills Montessori 3-6 learning environments are inviting, attractive spaces with an intriguing array of learning materials, books, plants, animals, art, music material, and nature activities. The environment contains specially designed, hands-on materials that invite children to engage in learning activities of their own individual choice. Children in a Montessori classroom learn by making discoveries, a process that helps to cultivate concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.

Our Students

Our student develop valuable personal characteristics in our Montessori classroom – among them self-confidence, initiative, sense of order, ability to concentrate, persistence, increased curiosity, and pride in learning.

Our Philosophy

Respect
We treat children as competent individuals, and display the same respect to them as we do other the adults.

Diversity
We seek diversity to create a learning environment that includes and values differing perspectives.

Individuality
We respect individuality and balancing individual needs against those of the group.

Learning
We emphasize a lifelong commitment to learning how to learn.

Responsibility
We accept responsibility for our own learning and behavior.

Integrity
We value integrity; our word is important and we use it to accomplish positive goals.

Our Students develop valuable personal characteristics in our Montessori classroom – among them self-confidence, initiative, sense of order, ability to concentrate, persistence, increased curiosity, and pride in learning.