Programs

Education Programs

The Montessori School of Golden offers these major education programs:

  • Toddler Education - Montessori education in a toddler environment is specifically created to meet the physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs of the young child from the ages of twelve months to three years. It is a specially prepared environment designed to introduce the child to the Montessori experience in a smaller and more intimate context. This type of environment is particularly suitable for the young child. Learning to socialize and communicate with others is a key facet of Montessori toddler education, as is establishing self-control and responsibility, both individually and within the group setting. The ultimate goal of toddler education in a Montessori environment is to develop self-esteem and self-confidence, both in and out of school.
     
  • Pre-Primary Education -The prepared environment for this age group is orderly, precise, and attractive. It invites learning without being over stimulating. The classrooms operate in a manner which allows the children to experience success, while also allowing for creative extensions within the exercises. Therefore, each exercises/lesson becomes truly meaningful to each child.

Dr. Montessori tells us that the only really important thing in education is to teach the student how to learn. The motivation for learning must come from within the child. Human beings are born with the desire to know, the urge to explore, and the need to master the environment - in short, to achieve. Thus this environment is carefully prepared to train the senses, to stimulate curiosity, to satisfy the child's need-to-know and protection from unnecessary failure.

  • Elementary School - The elementary child is beginning to question the relationship of things, and wonder about the objects within the environment. This child is advancing towards a new level of order which will lead him/her to abstraction.

In addition, the child is beginning to ask questions about him/herself, and the entire world. The children in the Montessori classroom are allowed to define subjects themselves. They are encouraged to research, explore and develop their own unique definitions. They are guided with the use of the Montessori materials and the direction of the Directress. The child will manipulate the materials to achieve the relationships of the parts and to solve the complexities of a given problem.

Our curriculum includes daily skills work, homework assignments, oral reports, testing, in addition, to the reading, math, science, social studies, and other academic areas of our environment.

We also offer these educational programs:

  • Practical Life Exercises - Practical Life exercises aid in the child's development of concentration, coordination, order and independence. These exercises relate to the care of self and the environment, and stress development in a step-by-step approach to work activities. These are essential for establishing the good work habits that are necessary for later academic success.
     
  • Sensorial Exercises - These exercises aid in the child's development of perception and sensory awareness. The sensorial materials isolate all the different senses and are developmental, leading to finer and finer distinctions. These perceptual skills provide the child with the tools for all learning.
     
  • Language Program - The Language Program provides the child with the concrete foundation for all further language work. Games emphasizing auditory and visual perception skills are begun with children at three years of age. The basis for a phonetic approach to the sounds of our language leads directly to writing then reading. Learning usage and function of words with an emphasis on reading for meaning leads to greater creativity in expression, and enthusiasm for both writing and reading.
     
  • Math Program - Our Math Program introduces the child to the world of numbers in concrete form. The child not only learns numbers and counting, but is also introduced to all four operations, and to the function of the decimal system. The exploration of number concepts is exciting and intriguing to the child.