Our Classrooms
Programs | Ages | Class Size | Location
"What Montessori has done is this:
realizing the peculiarly absorbent nature of the child's mind, she has prepared
for him a special environment; and, then, placing the child within it, has given
him the freedom to live in it, absorbing what he finds there" (Standing, 1984).
The Montessori Philosophy stresses the importance of the interactions between
the child, the teacher, and the prepared environment. This prepared environment
has the aim of rendering the child independent of the adult. Through the use of
didactic apparatuses, and orderly and sequential materials, this is achieved.
The classrooms are designed to appeal aesthetically to the child. The shelving,
furniture, and activities are constructed in proportion to the children and
their needs.
The
walls are decorated with fine art, photographs of children, and the children's
own work.
Materials and activities abound on the shelves throughout the classrooms. Both
the Preschool and Kindergarten Classrooms contain the core areas of the
Montessori prepared environment: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, and
Science. The Kindergarten Class also utilizes monthly thematic units for the
study of Geography.
Practical Life
The activities of practical life have
the primary purpose of aiding the child in their development of order,
concentration, coordination, and
 independence.
Activities in this area can be categorized as either: (a) activities relating to
the care of the person; or (b) activities relating to care of the environment.
Pouring, scooping, spooning, hand washing, zipping, snapping, buttoning, and
tying would all be examples of activities relating to care of the person. Care
of the environment activities may include dusting, sweeping, washing, scrubbing,
polishing, table setting, food preparation, and planting.
Sensorial
"There is nothing in the intellect which was not first in the
senses..." Aristotle
The materials found in the Sensorial area of the Montessori
classroom are designed to aid in the development of the senses. Through the use
of didactic, or self-correcting materials, the children's' abilities to
discriminate by sight, touch, smell, taste, and sound are refined. Activities
such as the Pink Tower, Broad Prisms, Knobbed and Knobless Cylinders, Red Rods,
Constructive Triangles, Color Boxes, Smelling Bottles, and Mystery Bags can be
found in this area.
Science
In the science area of the classrooms, the children will
be exposed to an in depth study of the plant and animal sciences. The materials
used in this area will consist of various teacher made, and store bought
activities which will provide concrete and realistic examples of the concepts
being covered. Attempts are made to provide the children with factual
information made available through a variety of mediums. Activities found in
this area may include: books for looking up information, coloring pictures,
matching pictures and/or objects, art/craft activities, and books, songs, and
poems shared at circle time.
Large photographs and posters relating to the topics will hang on the wall near
the science shelf for the children to view.
Geography
The geography area of the Kindergarten classroom utilizes the Montessori
wooden maps and various teacher made materials to expose the children to the
world around us.
Monthly thematic units lead the class through studies of
geography, which includes a concentration on the whole world and then each of
the seven continents. The children examine the people, places, and animals that
may be found on each of the continents.
Occasionally, a more in depth look at a certain country or region of a
particular
continent is taken.
Programs | Ages | Class Size | Location |
1015 South Pugh Street, State
College, PA 16801 814-234-1464