Primary
The Primary Program is based on 5 basic areas of learning:
1. Personal Independence and Care of the Environment (Practical Life
Exercises)
a. Children have an Innate desire to gain independence and take care of their own personal
needs. The Montessori curriculum supports this inner drive by providing an environment and the
necessary materials to support the path to independence.
b. Activities to support the many skills young children
need to accomplish on the way towards
independence are all taught as specific lessons,
with their own set of materials such as, dressing
frames, hand-washing exercises,polishing, table
washing and flower arranging. In order to work
independently in a mixed age group, children
are taught the rules of the classroom and how to
move and work successfully within it.
c. Exercises in grace and courtesy are presented
daily during "circle time" and in small informal group
lessons. The children learn how to behave in
certain situations and acquire the social skills
essential for everyday living in society.
The children develop a sense of personal dignity,
an understanding of their own culture, and an
awareness and respect for people of all ages,
cultures and traditions. Having the appropriate social
and language skills enables a child to engage
positively in the classroom, community and beyond. Early conflict resolution skills
are taught and attention is given to making good choices.
Through the social interaction involved in carrying out these exercises, the children
develop the ability to work harmoniously in a carefully prepared environment.
d. Exercises for the development
of fine and gross motor skills are
carefully developed as part of the
Practical Life curriculum.
These activities and many others
develop dexterity and coordination,
and are closely linked to other areas
of the curriculum. The Practical
Life component of a Montessori
early childhood curriculum is the
underlying foundation for success in
the other four areas of the curriculum.
Each task allows the child to gain
independence and to develop a
sense of order, concentration,
responsibility, and coordination of movement. Children gain enormous freedom and
confidence to work successfully, both independently and cooperatively.
2. Education of the Senses (Sensorial)
The Montessori Sensorial curriculum allows the child
to discriminate and order the impressions that have
entered through each of his senses.
Scientifically designed materials that isolate each
sense, facilitate in the development of the intellect
through hands-on exploration.
The child learns to separate and classify forms,
colors, textures, tastes and smells.
Exercises in this area refine the senses and develop
skills in thinking,judging, concentrating, comparing
and sequencing. The materials offer unlimited
opportunities for the development of vocabulary and
the essential development of dexterity that will lead to
writing and reading.
The Sensorial exercises are designed to prepare the
child for more complex learning in Language and Math.
3. Oral and Written Language Curriculum
Language in the Montessori early
childhood curriculum focuses on
the following areas:
a. The oral language curriculum is
designed to meet the young child's
innate need to acquire language.
Significant emphasis is placed on
building vocabulary and oral
competency. Through the use of the
Montessori materials, children
acquire a rich vocabulary for
labeling, describing, comparing and
contrasting their environment and
the people in it. Precise terminology
is used.
After the children's speech becomes acute and
they have been introduced to and understand the
preliminary activities, the children learn to
recognize letters, and to read, using a very
successful Montessori method.
b. Written language is introduced to the children at
about 4 years of age. Skills are taught separately
by careful use of specially designed materials.
Literacy skills develop rapidly as the child's own
inner drive to learn is supported by a carefully
prepared program designed to meet this natural
stage of heightened awareness.
4. Mathematics
The Montessori Early Childhood Math curriculum
is firmly based on learning through experience.
Children use a wide variety of carefully
constructed materials to lead them to an
understanding of the value and sequence of the
numbers 1 to 10. From there they are introduced
to larger amounts and learn the concept of making groups of tens, hundreds and thousands (the
decimal system).
Four and five year olds are introduced to the basic
operations: addition, multiplication, subtraction
and division, at a concrete level so that they
experience what these activities really mean.
5. Cultural Studies- Geography
The Montessori program is based on an integrated study of Science, the Social Sciences
and the Arts.
In keeping with the Montessori philosophy of education, the children first experience
general rules of the universe, such as, the division of land and water. These are
gradually broken down into smaller parts: continents/ oceans, countries, etc.
Stories of animals and children from other lands help the children to understand
fundamental needs and how these are influenced by climate, environment and lifestyle.
Science experiments that demonstrate the qualities of matter: sink/ float, magnetic/
non-magnetic, solid/ liquid and living/ non-living, etc are made by the children as part of
the study of their environment.
.
The Primary Program is based on 5 basic areas of learning:
1. Personal Independence and Care of the Environment (Practical Life
Exercises)
a. Children have an Innate desire to gain independence and take care of their own personal
needs. The Montessori curriculum supports this inner drive by providing an environment and the
necessary materials to support the path to independence.
b. Activities to support the many skills young children
need to accomplish on the way towards
independence are all taught as specific lessons,
with their own set of materials such as, dressing
frames, hand-washing exercises,polishing, table
washing and flower arranging. In order to work
independently in a mixed age group, children
are taught the rules of the classroom and how to
move and work successfully within it.
c. Exercises in grace and courtesy are presented
daily during "circle time" and in small informal group
lessons. The children learn how to behave in
certain situations and acquire the social skills
essential for everyday living in society.
The children develop a sense of personal dignity,
an understanding of their own culture, and an
awareness and respect for people of all ages,
cultures and traditions. Having the appropriate social
and language skills enables a child to engage
positively in the classroom, community and beyond. Early conflict resolution skills
are taught and attention is given to making good choices.
Through the social interaction involved in carrying out these exercises, the children
develop the ability to work harmoniously in a carefully prepared environment.
d. Exercises for the development
of fine and gross motor skills are
carefully developed as part of the
Practical Life curriculum.
These activities and many others
develop dexterity and coordination,
and are closely linked to other areas
of the curriculum. The Practical
Life component of a Montessori
early childhood curriculum is the
underlying foundation for success in
the other four areas of the curriculum.
Each task allows the child to gain
independence and to develop a
sense of order, concentration,
responsibility, and coordination of movement. Children gain enormous freedom and
confidence to work successfully, both independently and cooperatively.
2. Education of the Senses (Sensorial)
The Montessori Sensorial curriculum allows the child
to discriminate and order the impressions that have
entered through each of his senses.
Scientifically designed materials that isolate each
sense, facilitate in the development of the intellect
through hands-on exploration.
The child learns to separate and classify forms,
colors, textures, tastes and smells.
Exercises in this area refine the senses and develop
skills in thinking,judging, concentrating, comparing
and sequencing. The materials offer unlimited
opportunities for the development of vocabulary and
the essential development of dexterity that will lead to
writing and reading.
The Sensorial exercises are designed to prepare the
child for more complex learning in Language and Math.
3. Oral and Written Language Curriculum
Language in the Montessori early
childhood curriculum focuses on
the following areas:
a. The oral language curriculum is
designed to meet the young child's
innate need to acquire language.
Significant emphasis is placed on
building vocabulary and oral
competency. Through the use of the
Montessori materials, children
acquire a rich vocabulary for
labeling, describing, comparing and
contrasting their environment and
the people in it. Precise terminology
is used.
After the children's speech becomes acute and
they have been introduced to and understand the
preliminary activities, the children learn to
recognize letters, and to read, using a very
successful Montessori method.
b. Written language is introduced to the children at
about 4 years of age. Skills are taught separately
by careful use of specially designed materials.
Literacy skills develop rapidly as the child's own
inner drive to learn is supported by a carefully
prepared program designed to meet this natural
stage of heightened awareness.
4. Mathematics
The Montessori Early Childhood Math curriculum
is firmly based on learning through experience.
Children use a wide variety of carefully
constructed materials to lead them to an
understanding of the value and sequence of the
numbers 1 to 10. From there they are introduced
to larger amounts and learn the concept of making groups of tens, hundreds and thousands (the
decimal system).
Four and five year olds are introduced to the basic
operations: addition, multiplication, subtraction
and division, at a concrete level so that they
experience what these activities really mean.
5. Cultural Studies- Geography
The Montessori program is based on an integrated study of Science, the Social Sciences
and the Arts.
In keeping with the Montessori philosophy of education, the children first experience
general rules of the universe, such as, the division of land and water. These are
gradually broken down into smaller parts: continents/ oceans, countries, etc.
Stories of animals and children from other lands help the children to understand
fundamental needs and how these are influenced by climate, environment and lifestyle.
Science experiments that demonstrate the qualities of matter: sink/ float, magnetic/
non-magnetic, solid/ liquid and living/ non-living, etc are made by the children as part of
the study of their environment.
.
| All rights reserved. |
| The Montessori School of Chevy Chase "Where children love to learn!" |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| 5312 Connecticut Ave, NW Washington, DC 20015 202-362-6212 |
