| Independent
Thinking
To
prepare children to succeed in the real
world, Montessori teachers teach children
how to learn. They serve as guides to
each child by presenting them with opportunities
to research, analyze, and evaluate.
To foster
independent thinking, our classrooms
offer:
Productive
thinking
The application
and association of learning to other
areas
The learning
of processes, not rote learning
Complex
thinking
Student
determined readiness
Information
being interrelated
Application
and evaluation of information
Creative
problem solving techniques
Brainstorming
of new ideas
Stimulating,
challenging work
Opportunities
to find answers to their questions
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Mastery
of Basic Skills:
Parker
Montessori offers a rigorous curriculum
where children are given opportunities
to explore and question in a child-centered,
enriched environment. They acquire skills
that enable them to gain knowledge of
the universe through exploration of
literature, science, history and culture,
and the mysteries of math.
The staff
members of Parker Montessori recognize
and encourage the uniqueness of each
child that enters our doors. In that
spirit, each child engages in activities
and learning processes that are determined
by his/her own readiness and learning
style. To meet each child’s needs,
teachers use a multitude of strategies
such as curriculum compacting, tiered
assignments, and flexible grouping of
students, as well as one to one instruction.
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The
Integrated Montessori Curriculum:
The Integrated
Montessori Curriculum is one of the
major advantages of a Montessori education.
Students discover how concepts and real
world experiences are interrelated through
literature, the arts, history, science
and the study of technology and math.
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The
Great Lessons:
“The
child should love everything that he
learns, for his mental and emotional
growths are linked. Whatever is presented
to him must be made beautiful and clear,
striking his imagination.
Since
it has been seen to be necessary to
give so much to the child, let us give
him a vision of the whole universe.
The universe is an imposing reality,
and an answer to all questions.”
--Maria
Montessori
Dr. Montessori
called upon a need to give children
the “whole” and the ability
to see how the parts of the whole are
interconnected. The five Great Lessons
are grand stories told with much drama
to help children gain this knowledge
of interconnectedness.
The five
Great Lessons are:
The
Coming of the Universe and the Earth
Coming
of Life
Coming
of Human Beings
Communication
in Signs
The
Story of Numbers
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Individually
Chosen Research:
Dr. Montessori
describes the elementary aged student
as “the child who asks endless
questions.” To satisfy this need,
children get many opportunities to explore
topics that capture their imagination.
They learn how to find answers to their
questions through research and how to
organize this information into a format
that can be shared with others. Each
year the students participate in either
a cultural fair or a science fair. This
is a great celebration that is shared
with their parents, teachers, and peers.
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The
Montessori Materials:
At the
elementary level, children learn through
trial and error and discovery. The hands-on
Montessori materials are visual representations
of abstract concepts that encourage
the child to learn and explore. As the
child advances, the materials move to
more complex and abstract concepts such
as geometry and pre-algebra. Through
this approach, the child comprehends
the process, versus arriving at the
final answer through memorization of
the process.
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Multi-age
Classroom:
To accommodate
the needs of individual students, children
are placed in multi-age classrooms.
The benefits of this placement are many.
Children are able to progress through
the curriculum at their own pace as
there is no need to group them according
to grade level. They are able to find
peers who are working at their level.
Younger children are constantly stimulated
and challenged by the work of the older
students. Older students can serve as
mentors and role models to younger students,
thus reinforcing mastery of their own
learning. Finally, this helps build
a sense of community since the majority
of the students return to the same classroom
the following year.
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Character
and Ethics:
Montessori
education is a true preparation for
life and as such it should reflect the
process of human development. PMEI’s
character education curriculum entitled,
“True Colors” serves to
add purpose to our lives. “True
Colors” is integrated throughout
all areas of the school and the concepts
are taught and practiced by the entire
school community.
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