Our aim therefore, is not merely to make the child understand and still less to force him to memorize,

but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inner most core.

-Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential

The primary child is introduced to all aspects of the world in a classroom that is organized into distinct areas where the  child works freely with different materials at different levels throughout the day:

· Practical Life – Learning to care for self,  the environment, and to act with grace and courtesy toward others.

· Sensorial – Discovering the world through the senses with materials to help the child isolate and experience qualities, like color, temperature, or geometric shapes.

· Language – Speaking and listening, then writing and reading, first phonetically, gradually moving toward convention. The child learns cursive as is natural for his/her own hand and is consistent with Association Montessori Internationale's training.

· Mathematics – Manipulating quantities from concrete to abstract and working with number from value to the decimal system and number operations.

· Cultural Studies – Experiencing History, Geography, Biology, Botany, Music, Art, and Physics in an integrated and concrete fashion allows the child to connect their learning to all other areas.

Children range in age in this multiage setting from 3 years to 6 years of age and they work side-by-side at their appropriate level. The environment serves the child for three years to allow the child to reach their full potential. The younger children yearn to do what they see the older children learning. The older children take on the responsibility of respecting the younger children and modeling what they have learned for them.

The Montessori Primary Program is designed to be three years in length. It is in this three year period that the child has the optimum opportunity to build him/ herself and to practice and master the material with confidence.

The Primary Class meets five days a week, Monday through Friday.

Children may attend Half Day Primary, (HOURS TO COME SOON). Children who are in their last Primary year must enroll for the full day session and attend regularly.

There is one AMI trained Directress and one certified assistant in the Primary Classroom.

For Tuition and Admission information, go the Admissions page.

*Ages are approximate as placement depends on the child's development as a whole human being.

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To enroll your child in Summer VPK, see Summer 2011 for more information.

For Wrap-Around Tuition Fees and Admission information, go the Admissions page.

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Attendance is required for VPK and it is intended to prepare children for entering the public sector kindergarten. Tuition is paid by the State. There are limited spots available, so call now to register -  386.843.2210.

· Language – The Toddler program accommodates the sensitive period for language acquisition by offering creative methods to expand the vocabulary by means of joining conversations, listening to stories, classifying and naming objects, matching objects and cards and learning songs and poems.

· Creative Activities – The child can choose to glue, sew, paint, hammer or cut.  Precise presentations are given with scaled down equipment.  Activities are set up to ensure the child has a positive experience and give her the message that she is capable of doing things by herself!

· Concrete Activities – Montessori said the hands are the tools of the mind. Hence many realistic and concrete experiences are provided for the child to engage in.

· Practical Life – Activities the child has seen adults do, the child is now encouraged to try out by himself.  These activities help refine gross and fine motor skills, assist in building up concentration, and aid in becoming independent.

· Motor – Every activity the child does is designed to help the development of motor movement, gross or fine, into a well coordinated body.

The Toddler Community meets five mornings a week, Monday through Friday. Two and three morning schedules are available for one month only, to allow the child a smooth transition from home to the Montessori environment.

Children attend Half Day,(HOURS TO COME SOON) Other times and or flexible days may be added based on availablity and interest. Please contact us for more details.

There is one certified teacher and one assistant in the Toddler Community to maintain a ratio of 1: 6.

For Tuition and Admission information, go the Admissions page.

    *Ages are approximate as placement depends on the child's development as a whole human being.

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