PRIMARY CURRICULUM

The Montessori Curriculum At The Children’s House
The Montessori curriculum is presented through materials that were designed by Maria Montessori who was inspired by her observation of how children go about acquiring knowledge. Children move from one lesson and material to the next as each is mastered. Montessori materials can be used over and over again, each time presenting greater challenge and deeper understanding. Montessori materials cover the following five areas of study:

Practical Life
A child's introduction to the Montessori curriculum and materials begins in practical life. This area of study most intrigues the younger students who want to acquire life skills which they observe in the adult world. Children prepare food, dust furniture or cut and arrange flowers. They master personal care, learning to button, tie, zip and snap. The children choose their work and complete the sequential steps of a task. This appeals to the young child’s innate sense of order. Practical life work cultivates independence, building students’ self esteem as they become confident in their abilities. Children learn to concentrate and focus on the materials, laying the foundation for all other classroom work. Their excitement for new-found abilities encourages a desire for more challenges

Sensorial
Children discover the physical world around them through their senses. The sensorial materials help students develop powers of focus and observation. Children learn to order, classify and describe sensory impressions of length, width, height, temperature, mass, color, scent, taste, touch and pitch. The materials create an awareness of variations, such as the wide spectrum of color in nature, the broad range of sound, the feel of rough and smooth, heavy and light, warm and cold. Children come to distinguish, to categorize, and to relate new information to information they already have, skills critical to the development of judgment and decision making. This area of study results in the acquisition of new vocabulary as well as expanding the language of labeling (color, size, texture, sound, etc.) and comparative language (such as, small, smaller, smallest).

Math
The use of manipulative materials in the math curriculum enables the child to internalize concepts of numbers, symbols, sequence, operations and basic facts. The colorful and inviting Montessori math materials offer a concrete representation of abstract mathematical concepts. While the children are learning simple addition and subtraction, the materials are subliminally introducing rudimentary understanding of the decimal system. Through manipulating math materials, The Children’s House student begins to develop a mathematical mind without the tedium and rote of table memorization.

Language
The language curriculum is designed for acquisition of listening, reading, speaking and writing skills. Using the “sandpaper letters”, children learn to recognize the shape and phonetic sounds of the alphabet. They learn the construction of words with the “moveable alphabet.” Children work with a variety of materials designed to help them gain control of the hand in preparation for writing. By tracing letters in a tray of sand, then by writing on a small chalk-board and finally, with a pencil and paper, children acquire and practice their handwriting skills. Children are encouraged to select books that match their development. In doing so, they learn the joy of reading and the power of the written word to answer their questions.

Culture
The study of history, science and geography within the cultural curriculum is designed to inspire a sense of awe in the child. It helps students answer such questions as “Who am I?”, “Where did I come from?” and “Why am I here?” In The Children’s House, the study of physical geography begins with the use of materials such as sandpaper globes and puzzle maps, which teach children the continents of the world, the countries of Europe, North and South America, as well as the states of the United States. Through age appropriate activities, students learn about the history and culture of people throughout the world. Children approach the sciences through hands-on activities. In our cultural curriculum, Children’s House students enjoy music, art and movement. The children begin to learn Spanish through songs, games, and activities.