The Children's House
Children's House Program
Teachers design a rhythmic schedule that supports the child’s natural internal rhythms; this provides the child a sense of peace and security in the group. This approach to early education influences teachers’ one-on-one moments throughout the day developing strong bonds of trust between the teacher and child. The curriculum allows for the child’s personal creative initiative to blossom as they bring their own ideas into the creative play environment.
The Children's House (3 to 6 years old)
For our students the Children’s House Program is designed to:
- Help draw on their own intelligence and imagination
- Develop language skills through personalized instruction and self-expression
- Develop math skills using concrete materials to explain abstract principles
- Develop ability to function in small groups
- Increase responsibility for their own behavior and work
- Increase awareness of time in relation to their work
MULTI-AGE CURRICULUM
Educational theory and research indicate that learning is an individual process in time frame, style and interests, and that children learn from each other.
Though most schools are organized by homogenous, single-age grouping, research has not found this to be beneficial. Conversely, multi-age grouping by ability and age improves relationships between students and facilitates the use of common learning objectives and expectations. It improves peer culture, resulting in peer modeling and peer reinforcing.
Each group of children remains together in the same environment and with the same teaching team for three years. Ideally, only one-third of the group is new each year, enabling children and teachers to know each other very well. Children avoid the yearly stress of new teachers, new rules, and new expectations. Teachers are provided with the opportunity to ascertain each child’s development over time, which allows for personalized instruction.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
The directors and the faculty formulate the curriculum scope and sequence in the form of requirements for education, as well as ongoing curriculum continuity in accordance with the Montessori School of John’s Island Mission Statement.
Annually, the directors, teachers, and staff review the school’s curriculum and may compare it to other Montessori schools, leading curriculum standards, and educational trends from around the world.
The Montessori School of John’s Island continually evaluates programs informally through self-assessments and formally through a professional developmental process.