What do parents want for their children’s future?
Overwhelmingly, it is that they are happy (including job satisfaction) and successful (financial stability), according to a survey released in 2023 by Pew Research Center.
As parents, how do we give our children a strong foundation for life? What essential traits or skills are necessary for both success and happiness?
Although researchers and experts give a variety of answers, many agree on a few essentials. Research by one group identified five major skill domains as imperative for happiness, including social engagement, cooperation, self-management, emotional resilience, and innovation. (Source) Another expert confirms that interpersonal (social engagement) skills, and thinking (critical thinking, innovation) skills are essential to academic success, as well as other self-management skills like preparation, self-motivation, self-discipline, resilience and more. (Source.)
There are also academic skills developed early in life that “help establish the foundation for later competence and proficiency. Research suggests that early literacy and math skills are significant predictors of children’s subsequent academic achievement,” says a Hanover Research report (Source.)
We can cultivate these traits and skill sets at home but also by choosing quality early childhood programming.
The Montessori Children’s House classroom is designed for children ages 3-6 years old and is comparable to a traditional preschool and prekindergarten classroom. The Montessori philosophy of education is renowned around the world for being comprehensive and holistic. Our founder, Dr. Maria Montessori, said that the “essential thing is to arouse such an interest that in engages the child’s whole personality.” The American Montessori Society says that, “Montessori is an education philosophy and practice that fosters rigorous, self-motivated growth for children . . . in all areas of their development, with the goal of nurturing each child’s natural desire for knowledge, understanding, and respect.”
While Montessori deeply values the individual development of the child and avoids comparison and competition, it’s helpful to note that Montessori students overall have higher academic success (source) but also demonstrate better social skills, self-regulation, creativity and more. In fact, scientist and educator Dr. Angeline Lillard says, “Montessori education fosters social and academic skills that are equal or superior to those fostered by a pool of other types of schools.”
By the end of a child’s years in our Children’s House classrooms, most children will have been introduced to the following academic concepts:
- Numbers with quantities up to 1000
- Decimal systems
- Addition and subtraction with 1, 2 and 3 digit numbers
- Multiplication and division with 1, 2 and 3 digit numbers
- Phonetic sounds and names of the letters of the alphabet, upper and lower case
- Spelling
- Phonograms
- Sight words
- Reading and writing
- Explore culture and geography of the world, including art and music
- Science such as biology, botany, anatomy, zoology, engineering
Not only this, but when students finish their capstone kindergarten year at Sonnet, they have learned to work in a cooperative environment, understanding how their choices can positively or negatively impact their classroom community. They have found the satisfaction of leading younger classmates by example and the joy of being able to provide assistance. They are coached through peace-making and conflict-resolution, building a repertoire of essential skills. They are modeled respect through interactions between teachers and students, and from student to student.
What Makes Montessori Early Childhood Programming Unique?
The Montessori “curriculum” is typically far more advanced than the traditional curriculum.
- Traditional preschool students will learn letters. Most Montessori students are already in beginner readers when they complete their capstone year in our program.
- Traditional preschool students will learn basic shapes (circles, squares and rectangles). Montessori students have learned these and other 2-D and 3-d shapes in addition to learning land and water forms (lakes, islands, isthmuses, straits, capes, archipelago, peninsulas)
- Traditional preschooler students learn basic colors. Montessori students learn these while also studying great artists and learning a variety of art methods
- Montessori students continuing progressing at his or her own pace, with one-on-one and small group lessons – in a traditional program, he will need to rotate through preset activities with a large group of children. If students find themselves repeating and relearning concepts, they may become bored and their enthusiasm for school itself may be dampened.
- In a traditional classroom, the child’s learning is teacher directed. In the Montessori classroom, the child’s learning is self-directed, and he can work with a material for as long or for as little time as it takes for him to complete.
- Montessori engages different learning styles and is hands-on, investigative and research based.
- Montessori students develop self-discipline and an internal sense of purpose and motivation and how to be life-long learners.
- Montessori students incorporate global citizenship and peace learning throughout their days and learn how to work peacefully as a community of students. Collaboration rather than competition and comparison.
To explore our classrooms and materials (curriculum), contact us today!
