Our Curriculum
Longmeadow Montessori is a licensed, NAEYC accredited, mixed age group program for children 2 years 9 months to 6 years of age. Our curriculum includes:
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PRACTICAL LIFE ​
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Just as the name suggests, this foundational element of the Montessori curriculum has its roots in the practical dealings of our everyday lives. As adults, we may no longer find satisfaction in dusting our shelves or folding laundry, but to children these tasks are exciting to master. Learning how to fold our classroom napkins or button their shirt teaches children how to care for themselves and others, as well as the environment around them. At the same time they are building their independence, they are also strengthening basic skills that they will use in all curriculum areas, such as their concentration as they learn to attend to first simple and then more complex multistep tasks and coordination of large and small movements by using their hands and fingers, which aides in future writing.
SENSORIAL
The Sensorial materials help children build and refine their senses. As children compare and classify sounds, smells, tastes, textures, colors, shapes, and objects of different sizes, they strengthen their attention to detail and learn how to differentiate between sensorial characteristics. These skills will help children to later differentiate between the phonetic sounds of letters in language, as well as gain a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
LANGUAGE
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The Montessori Language materials help children to first build their speaking and listening skills and then their writing and reading skills. Children take part in fun activities, such as storytelling, songs, and poetry to develop their oral language abilities. Children use sandpaper letters to learn both the phonetic sounds of letters and the formation of letters. When they are ready, the movable alphabet allows children to begin building words and sentences. We also incorporate the curricula of the “Lively Letters” and “Handwriting Without Tears” programs, which are often used in area public school classrooms.
MATH
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In the Montessori classroom, children are encouraged to learn through hands-on concrete experiences and the Math curriculum is no exception. Children gain an understanding of number quantity through sorting and counting many different types of objects and the sandpaper numerals provide a tactile experience to learn numeral formation. As they progress through the various hands-on materials, children explore the mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
SCIENCE
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Children are encouraged to observe and interact with the world around them. We explore scientific concepts, such as sink/float, magnetic/non-magnetic, and children learn how to make predictions and record the results of their experiments. In our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) curriculum, children investigate with engineering tools, such as simple machines and learn how science and the arts are connected.
GEOGRAPHY
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In the Geography curriculum, children learn about the people, land, and animals from our seven continents. Children find excitement in exploring the landforms, such as islands, lakes, bays, and peninsulas and then discovering them on maps, globes, and in their own travels. The Montessori philosophy also places a strong emphasis on developing knowledge and respect for the customs and traditions of people around the world. We do this through the exploration of clothing, food, housing, and celebrations of different cultures. We invite families to share their own cultural heritage throughout the year and together as a school at our annual “International Night”.
SNACK AND FOOD PREPARATION
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In the Snack area, children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own needs, including preparing their own snack. With close supervision, children take pride in slicing their own bananas, pouring their own milk and helping to measure and mix ingredients for special baking activities. We also use snack as an opportunity for children to sample foods from around the world!
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
As research shows, a young child’s brain is wired to learn language effortlessly. Early exposure to foreign language enables children to connect with multiple cultures and prepares their brains for future learning. Children are introduced to a foreign language through the use of songs, movement games, cooking.
CREATIVE ARTS
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In a Montessori classroom, children explore the beauty of Art and Music and build a foundation for cultural awareness.
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Art
Children are exposed to a wide variety of materials, media, and art history. The children explore and experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, and print making techniques. Unrestricted creativity focused on process vs product is the main thrust, with enough guidance to ensure safety, proper use of tools, and a feeling of success at the end of each project.
Music
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In our classrooms, we celebrate that children have an innate capacity to appreciate music of all types and an uninhibited inclination to move, dance, and create music. Children are encouraged to try musical instruments and create rhythms from around the globe in correlation with the many festivals and celebrations we take part in throughout the year.
