Montessori - Gilmour Academy Lower School

MONTESSORI FINAL

10/6/09

8:57 AM

Page 1

GILMOUR ACADEMY LOWER SCHOOL

THIRD-YEAR CURRICULUM • KINDERGARTEN

C U R R I C U L U M S P E C T RU M M O N T E S S O R I P RO G R A M

PRACTICAL LIFE The third-year child occasionally returns to the practical life exercises as one would return to an old friend.

Characteristically, the third-year child will gravitate to practical life activities after a prolonged period of intense concentration in the academic area. Children regenerate themselves in these soothing daily living activities.

Educating the Mind and Heart

SENSORIAL

Gilmour Academy 34001 Cedar Road Gates Mills, Ohio 44040 (440) 473-8160 PHONE (440) 473-8157 FAX www.gilmour.org

The third-year child commonly identifies greater and greater distinctions and relationships within the basic sensorial materials as corresponding advanced language is introduced. These accomplishments provide positive modeling for the third-year child and reinforce the child’s self-confidence.

LANGUAGE GEOGRAPHY According to the child’s readiness, composition of words, phrases, sentences, and stories continues. Exceptions to the phonetic rules called phonograms are introduced.

Sight words called puzzle words are memorized to round out the three-part Montessori approach to reading that consists of phonics, phonograms, and puzzle words. Dr. Montessori explained that the child explodes into reading after some months of composing words with the movable alphabet. Reading aloud is encouraged. The goal of the Montessori language curriculum is for the child to achieve “total reading” or true comprehension of what is being shared in terms of the meaning and the feelings of the writer. Mechanical writing continues to be practiced to master proper letter and number formation.

MATHEMATICS Work with sensorial material and repeated activities build basic math concepts at the child’s own pace. In a parallel way, through activity with the material, the child learns the technique of calculation.

A continuation of cultural studies takes place in the child’s final year of Montessori. Repetition with the puzzle maps, cultural folders, flags, and fine arts of other countries deepens the child’s sense of being a citizen of the world.

SCIENCE The sensorial material has provided the background for the third-year child to recognize classification, contrasts, similarities, and gradations. The refined abilities to see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and feel are most important to the emergent scientist.

ART After two years of practice of basic art skills (cutting, crayoning, pasting, etc.), the child is prepared to create his/her own pieces of art using a variety of media. Many art ideas and techniques are generated by study of the masters throughout history.

MUSIC During the third year, the children continue to experience music, movement, and rhythm. Through use of the bells, the child can begin to discover the language of music.

Third-year children become leaders and teachers of music and movement, which solidifies their knowledge of the musical world.

T

Brother Robert Lavelle, C.S.C. Headmaster Dr. Monica M. Veto Director of Lower School and Montessori Preschool Program

he Gilmour Academy Montessori Program reflects the philosophy and teaching methods first established by Dr. Maria Montessori throughout Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Having withstood the scrutiny of researchers worldwide and the test of time, the Montessori Method is a proven educational approach. In the context of Gilmour’s educational practices for grades K through 12, Gilmour’s affiliation with the Coalition for Essential Schools, and its Holy Cross mission, the Montessori classroom is a natural beginning for a young child entering the Academy.

Children enter our Montessori program at the age of three. A certified Montessori teacher guides the child for the next three years (including kindergarten) in emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development. The teacher uses her training in observation to both teach the child directly and guide the child to areas of exploration and discovery through use of the Montessori materials.

These materials are aesthetic, self-correcting, child-sized, and authentic – preserving the natural dignity of the child.

Many Montessori students excel academically at the start, but early accomplishments are not the only goal.

A central goal of a Montessori education at Gilmour Academy is cultivating children as peacemakers who become self-directed students with the inner discipline and skills to achieve the knowledge they desire. A confident learner with well-rounded skills is the natural byproduct of an environment that respects and serves many personalities and fosters different learning styles.

The Montessori materials are designed to produce coordination, concentration, order, and independence within the child. The curriculum is broad and areas of knowledge overlap just as they do in life. For example,

Megan Marrie Director of Lower School Admissions (440) 473-8165

the study of world cultures begins with the teacher showing and describing the solar system, then highlighting the earth as one of the planets. The teacher then makes distinctions between the seven continents, followed by smaller and smaller distinctions. All studies are done with manipulative, age-appropriate equipment and language.

The Gilmour Academy Montessori Program curriculum is balanced and enriching. It reflects the mission statement of the Academy in developing the intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social aspects of each student. The curriculum includes the following: • PRACTICAL LIFE: care of self and environment, courtesy, independence, concentration; • SENSORIAL: refinement of the senses as foundation for intellectual growth; • MATHEMATICS: enhancing the mathematical mind through sensorial math exercises; • LANGUAGE: writing preparation and phonetic reading preparation; • SCIENCE: foundation for botany, zoology, and life science; • GEOGRAPHY: maps, world cultures, and land and water formations; • ART: developing skills with various media, studies of fine art; • MUSIC: daily singing, Montessori bells, and a dance and movement class; • COMPUTER: basic skills and Montessori-designed software.

MONTESSORI FINAL

10/6/09

8:57 AM

Page 3

FIRST-YEAR CURRICULUM • THREE-YEAR-OLD PRE-KINDERGARTEN

PRACTICAL LIFE Practical life exercises are the foundation of the development of the child physically, psychologically, and socially for all they will do in the Montessori classroom.

Children trained in practical life exercises experience a nobler conception of work – even a love of work – as something essential to the dignity of every human being.

This area is a replica of home life.

It puts the child in touch with reality, culture, order, sequence, and completion of activity. The exercises teach the child how to adapt to the Montessori environment and how to live in harmony with oneself and others. Through work with the practical life materials, the child builds the study skills necessary for achieving the long-term goals of the Montessori curriculum.

SENSORIAL The sensorial materials isolate each sense in order to aid in the refining of the senses. Many games are presented in which the child is provided with the opportunity to strengthen memory, develop social skills, and work toward the ability to abstract. With the sensorial materials, the children are introduced to words that can be used to express their impressions.

Characteristics of the materials include isolation of quality, isolation of senses, aesthetics, activity/movement, limits, experimentation, social interaction, and advancement from concrete to abstract, simple to complex, familiar to unfamiliar.

The movements, activities, and concepts of the sensorial materials, coupled with the practical life exercises, prepare the child for later academics including, reading, writing, and mathematics.

LANGUAGE The language area explores aspects of culture, geography, history, physical science, and the arts. The child develops eagerness and confidence toward ways to communicate.

In response to a sensitive period for language, this area provides the child with a sensorial approach to study the basics of language. Specific exercises for direct and

indirect introduction to writing prepare the child mentally and physically for handwriting and reading. Sound games coupled with sandpaper letters further prepare the child.

Reading to the children is a cornerstone of the program.

SECOND-YEAR CURRICULUM • FOUR-YEAR-OLD PRE-KINDERGARTEN

PRACTICAL LIFE

The math area provides the child with the basic tools to grasp mathematics with ease and excitement. The sequence and sensorial attributes of the materials enable children to reach a level of abstraction at their own rate.

The child in the second year will continue to choose practical life materials with which he/she worked in the first year of Montessori. A deepening occurs within the child in the areas of concentration, coordination, order, and development of the will. The second-year child now takes pleasure in completion of tasks done with greater attention to details than in previous practice. An inward sense of accomplishment and confidence carries over into the beginning academic exercises of reading and math.

GEOGRAPHY

SENSORIAL

The geography materials and exercises cultivate a sense of animals, people, music, and costumes from all parts of the globe. Puzzle maps and familiarity with flags, pictures, and objects from various countries prepare children for the multicultural world that awaits them.

Using the sensorial equipment presented in the first year, the child attains greater mastery in the second year through exercises of greater difficulty such as grading, classifying, and sorting. Discovering finer distinctions of classification and sorting awakens within children an attention to their inner and outer worlds. An observant child emerges.

This is the foundation for the acquisition of greater skills.

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE In 1912, Dr. Montessori wrote that we still belong to nature and that, especially during childhood, we must draw from it the forces necessary for the development of the body and spirit. Nature studies, therefore, are a logical starting point. A beginning awareness of basic concepts and vocabulary regarding plants and animals and several simple physical science explorations sets the foundation for botany and zoology.

ART Activities in art prepare the child’s mind for aesthetic appreciation.

Materials focus on basic skills such as cutting, pasting, and drawing.

MUSIC Activities in music prepare the child’s mind for aesthetic appreciation of multicultural and classical music.

Basic exercises explain the musical scale. Movement and singing facilitate coordination and free expression.

understanding the group, the community, the world, and the universe. Now the child is more conscious of cultural studies.

A curiosity about the music, art, food, clothing, and lifestyle of other world communities is apparent in the child at this time.

The in-depth studies of various cultures foster an openmindedness necessary for the peacemaking attitudes so required for our global future.

LANGUAGE SCIENCE Preparation for writing through increased exercises with metal insets occurs in the second year. Sandpaper letters help teach the phonics alphabet as well as the correct formation of each letter. Students practice formation of letters with chalkboards and later with paper and pencil.

According to individual readiness, the child uses the movable alphabet to compose words.

MATHEMATICS The relationships the child sees through use of the sensorial and practical life material naturally foster the mathematical mind. The second-year child associates quantities and symbols while the golden beads introduce the child to the decimal system and mathematical operations. According to the readiness of the child, steps are taken toward more abstraction. Using colored bead material, the child progresses in counting past 100 as well as discovering number relationships.

GEOGRAPHY The second-year child advances to tracing, coloring, and labeling continents. Through repetition of these exercises, the child absorbs and memorizes the names and placement of the continents. Starting with the child, we advance to

Children are sensorial explorers and are fascinated with things that move and grow. Before the children come to school, they’ve had much experience with nature. Our goal is to help them organize these impressions, classify the world of nature, and provide the language to label these impressions. An ecological point of view means to see everything in an interrelated way. We keep this in mind as we slowly go about building a science environment.

ART The child in the second year attains greater skill in the basics of cutting, pasting, and modeling images in clay.

Painting and sewing exercises of greater difficulty encourage advanced skills and self-expression. A continued study of the masters generates further ideas for the child.

MUSIC Advanced movement and singing games promote cooperation as well as music skills. Rhythm games increase the child’s sense of musical timing. More complicated musical exercises increase the child’s concentration and development. The prominent composers are introduced.

The children listen to quality classical and multicultural music.

MONTESSORI FINAL

10/6/09

8:57 AM

Page 3

FIRST-YEAR CURRICULUM • THREE-YEAR-OLD PRE-KINDERGARTEN

PRACTICAL LIFE Practical life exercises are the foundation of the development of the child physically, psychologically, and socially for all they will do in the Montessori classroom.

Children trained in practical life exercises experience a nobler conception of work – even a love of work – as something essential to the dignity of every human being.

This area is a replica of home life.

It puts the child in touch with reality, culture, order, sequence, and completion of activity. The exercises teach the child how to adapt to the Montessori environment and how to live in harmony with oneself and others. Through work with the practical life materials, the child builds the study skills necessary for achieving the long-term goals of the Montessori curriculum.

SENSORIAL The sensorial materials isolate each sense in order to aid in the refining of the senses. Many games are presented in which the child is provided with the opportunity to strengthen memory, develop social skills, and work toward the ability to abstract. With the sensorial materials, the children are introduced to words that can be used to express their impressions.

Characteristics of the materials include isolation of quality, isolation of senses, aesthetics, activity/movement, limits, experimentation, social interaction, and advancement from concrete to abstract, simple to complex, familiar to unfamiliar.

The movements, activities, and concepts of the sensorial materials, coupled with the practical life exercises, prepare the child for later academics including, reading, writing, and mathematics.

LANGUAGE The language area explores aspects of culture, geography, history, physical science, and the arts. The child develops eagerness and confidence toward ways to communicate.

In response to a sensitive period for language, this area provides the child with a sensorial approach to study the basics of language. Specific exercises for direct and

indirect introduction to writing prepare the child mentally and physically for handwriting and reading. Sound games coupled with sandpaper letters further prepare the child.

Reading to the children is a cornerstone of the program.

SECOND-YEAR CURRICULUM • FOUR-YEAR-OLD PRE-KINDERGARTEN

PRACTICAL LIFE

The math area provides the child with the basic tools to grasp mathematics with ease and excitement. The sequence and sensorial attributes of the materials enable children to reach a level of abstraction at their own rate.

The child in the second year will continue to choose practical life materials with which he/she worked in the first year of Montessori. A deepening occurs within the child in the areas of concentration, coordination, order, and development of the will. The second-year child now takes pleasure in completion of tasks done with greater attention to details than in previous practice. An inward sense of accomplishment and confidence carries over into the beginning academic exercises of reading and math.

GEOGRAPHY

SENSORIAL

The geography materials and exercises cultivate a sense of animals, people, music, and costumes from all parts of the globe. Puzzle maps and familiarity with flags, pictures, and objects from various countries prepare children for the multicultural world that awaits them.

Using the sensorial equipment presented in the first year, the child attains greater mastery in the second year through exercises of greater difficulty such as grading, classifying, and sorting. Discovering finer distinctions of classification and sorting awakens within children an attention to their inner and outer worlds. An observant child emerges.

This is the foundation for the acquisition of greater skills.

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE In 1912, Dr. Montessori wrote that we still belong to nature and that, especially during childhood, we must draw from it the forces necessary for the development of the body and spirit. Nature studies, therefore, are a logical starting point. A beginning awareness of basic concepts and vocabulary regarding plants and animals and several simple physical science explorations sets the foundation for botany and zoology.

ART Activities in art prepare the child’s mind for aesthetic appreciation.

Materials focus on basic skills such as cutting, pasting, and drawing.

MUSIC Activities in music prepare the child’s mind for aesthetic appreciation of multicultural and classical music.

Basic exercises explain the musical scale. Movement and singing facilitate coordination and free expression.

understanding the group, the community, the world, and the universe. Now the child is more conscious of cultural studies.

A curiosity about the music, art, food, clothing, and lifestyle of other world communities is apparent in the child at this time.

The in-depth studies of various cultures foster an openmindedness necessary for the peacemaking attitudes so required for our global future.

LANGUAGE SCIENCE Preparation for writing through increased exercises with metal insets occurs in the second year. Sandpaper letters help teach the phonics alphabet as well as the correct formation of each letter. Students practice formation of letters with chalkboards and later with paper and pencil.

According to individual readiness, the child uses the movable alphabet to compose words.

MATHEMATICS The relationships the child sees through use of the sensorial and practical life material naturally foster the mathematical mind. The second-year child associates quantities and symbols while the golden beads introduce the child to the decimal system and mathematical operations. According to the readiness of the child, steps are taken toward more abstraction. Using colored bead material, the child progresses in counting past 100 as well as discovering number relationships.

GEOGRAPHY The second-year child advances to tracing, coloring, and labeling continents. Through repetition of these exercises, the child absorbs and memorizes the names and placement of the continents. Starting with the child, we advance to

Children are sensorial explorers and are fascinated with things that move and grow. Before the children come to school, they’ve had much experience with nature. Our goal is to help them organize these impressions, classify the world of nature, and provide the language to label these impressions. An ecological point of view means to see everything in an interrelated way. We keep this in mind as we slowly go about building a science environment.

ART The child in the second year attains greater skill in the basics of cutting, pasting, and modeling images in clay.

Painting and sewing exercises of greater difficulty encourage advanced skills and self-expression. A continued study of the masters generates further ideas for the child.

MUSIC Advanced movement and singing games promote cooperation as well as music skills. Rhythm games increase the child’s sense of musical timing. More complicated musical exercises increase the child’s concentration and development. The prominent composers are introduced.

The children listen to quality classical and multicultural music.

MONTESSORI FINAL

10/6/09

8:57 AM

Page 1

GILMOUR ACADEMY LOWER SCHOOL

THIRD-YEAR CURRICULUM • KINDERGARTEN

C U R R I C U L U M S P E C T RU M M O N T E S S O R I P RO G R A M

PRACTICAL LIFE The third-year child occasionally returns to the practical life exercises as one would return to an old friend.

Characteristically, the third-year child will gravitate to practical life activities after a prolonged period of intense concentration in the academic area. Children regenerate themselves in these soothing daily living activities.

Educating the Mind and Heart

SENSORIAL

Gilmour Academy 34001 Cedar Road Gates Mills, Ohio 44040 (440) 473-8160 PHONE (440) 473-8157 FAX www.gilmour.org

The third-year child commonly identifies greater and greater distinctions and relationships within the basic sensorial materials as corresponding advanced language is introduced. These accomplishments provide positive modeling for the third-year child and reinforce the child’s self-confidence.

LANGUAGE GEOGRAPHY According to the child’s readiness, composition of words, phrases, sentences, and stories continues. Exceptions to the phonetic rules called phonograms are introduced.

Sight words called puzzle words are memorized to round out the three-part Montessori approach to reading that consists of phonics, phonograms, and puzzle words. Dr. Montessori explained that the child explodes into reading after some months of composing words with the movable alphabet. Reading aloud is encouraged. The goal of the Montessori language curriculum is for the child to achieve “total reading” or true comprehension of what is being shared in terms of the meaning and the feelings of the writer. Mechanical writing continues to be practiced to master proper letter and number formation.

MATHEMATICS Work with sensorial material and repeated activities build basic math concepts at the child’s own pace. In a parallel way, through activity with the material, the child learns the technique of calculation.

A continuation of cultural studies takes place in the child’s final year of Montessori. Repetition with the puzzle maps, cultural folders, flags, and fine arts of other countries deepens the child’s sense of being a citizen of the world.

SCIENCE The sensorial material has provided the background for the third-year child to recognize classification, contrasts, similarities, and gradations. The refined abilities to see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and feel are most important to the emergent scientist.

ART After two years of practice of basic art skills (cutting, crayoning, pasting, etc.), the child is prepared to create his/her own pieces of art using a variety of media. Many art ideas and techniques are generated by study of the masters throughout history.

MUSIC During the third year, the children continue to experience music, movement, and rhythm. Through use of the bells, the child can begin to discover the language of music.

Third-year children become leaders and teachers of music and movement, which solidifies their knowledge of the musical world.

T

Brother Robert Lavelle, C.S.C. Headmaster Dr. Monica M. Veto Director of Lower School and Montessori Preschool Program

he Gilmour Academy Montessori Program reflects the philosophy and teaching methods first established by Dr. Maria Montessori throughout Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Having withstood the scrutiny of researchers worldwide and the test of time, the Montessori Method is a proven educational approach. In the context of Gilmour’s educational practices for grades K through 12, Gilmour’s affiliation with the Coalition for Essential Schools, and its Holy Cross mission, the Montessori classroom is a natural beginning for a young child entering the Academy.

Children enter our Montessori program at the age of three. A certified Montessori teacher guides the child for the next three years (including kindergarten) in emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development. The teacher uses her training in observation to both teach the child directly and guide the child to areas of exploration and discovery through use of the Montessori materials.

These materials are aesthetic, self-correcting, child-sized, and authentic – preserving the natural dignity of the child.

Many Montessori students excel academically at the start, but early accomplishments are not the only goal.

A central goal of a Montessori education at Gilmour Academy is cultivating children as peacemakers who become self-directed students with the inner discipline and skills to achieve the knowledge they desire. A confident learner with well-rounded skills is the natural byproduct of an environment that respects and serves many personalities and fosters different learning styles.

The Montessori materials are designed to produce coordination, concentration, order, and independence within the child. The curriculum is broad and areas of knowledge overlap just as they do in life. For example,

Megan Marrie Director of Lower School Admissions (440) 473-8165

the study of world cultures begins with the teacher showing and describing the solar system, then highlighting the earth as one of the planets. The teacher then makes distinctions between the seven continents, followed by smaller and smaller distinctions. All studies are done with manipulative, age-appropriate equipment and language.

The Gilmour Academy Montessori Program curriculum is balanced and enriching. It reflects the mission statement of the Academy in developing the intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social aspects of each student. The curriculum includes the following: • PRACTICAL LIFE: care of self and environment, courtesy, independence, concentration; • SENSORIAL: refinement of the senses as foundation for intellectual growth; • MATHEMATICS: enhancing the mathematical mind through sensorial math exercises; • LANGUAGE: writing preparation and phonetic reading preparation; • SCIENCE: foundation for botany, zoology, and life science; • GEOGRAPHY: maps, world cultures, and land and water formations; • ART: developing skills with various media, studies of fine art; • MUSIC: daily singing, Montessori bells, and a dance and movement class; • COMPUTER: basic skills and Montessori-designed software.