Stepping Stones Academy Montessori Learning Mornings program is designed to give children ages 18 months to 36 months a warm, nurturing ‘home away from home,’ where they are supported in taking their first steps toward independence, developing their powers of speech and communication, strengthening fine and large motor skills, and learning to work and play in a beautiful, cooperative community setting.
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Schedule Options
Children aged 18-36 months have the following schedule options:
— 5 days a week from Part-time- 4 hours a day
— 5 days a week from 6:30 am until 10:30 am or 8:00am-12:00pm
— 5 days a week from Full-time 6:30am, pick up before the center closes 6pm
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The Morning Work Cycle: Time in a Toddler classroom follows the natural rhythms of home. During the morning work cycle, children may explore the many beautiful Montessori materials in the classroom or garden, receive individual or group lessons from the teacher, or participate in small group activities such as singing, dancing, story-telling, gardening, and food preparation.
Oral language development is emphasized throughout the morning as the Guide and her Assistant offer each child new vocabulary, encourage conversation, model good syntax, and share stories, songs, and poems.
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Motor and Coordination Skills: Large motor skills, fine motor skills, and coordination are enhanced by the child’s work with specially designed Montessori materials, while activities such as dancing, gardening, washing, sweeping, and sing-alongs provide opportunities for further refinement of movement.
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Independence is consciously nurtured in myriad ways: children work with increasing independence as they master classroom materials; learn to put on their jackets and shoes; and take care of the classroom by sweeping, preparing food, washing, folding, gardening, scrubbing, and more. The children are also supported in toilet training and feel great pride as they learn how to take care of themselves.
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Toileting: We work closely with the child and family to help foster independence in the restroom. The morning work cycle includes regular reminders to visit the restroom. It incorporates time for the child to be successful as they learn through experience.
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Snack: The Montessori classroom recognizes the importance of this daily activity. Children help prepare the food, set and clear the table, and wash up the dishes – all the while acquiring new vocabulary, honing motor skills, absorbing social norms, and taking great satisfaction in their contribution to the life of the classroom.
Lunch: All children stay for lunch.
The Toddler Guide determines when the child is ready to move into the Primary program.
This is typically 3 years old and once the child is mostly independent in the bathroom.
Primary education is a three to four-year program, in which children enter between 3 - 3½ years old and stay through age 5.
Montessori education is a sensorially-based, concrete, “hands-on” approach to learning that leads the child to self-discovery. The Prepared Environment of the Primary program is designed and laid out in a logical, sequential order. The class offers a calm atmosphere, where children’s individual choices are respected and protected. The balance of freedom (to choose) and responsibility (to oneself, to others, and to class rules designed to promote and protect learning) is achieved by careful observation, lesson giving, and intervention, when necessary, by teachers.
The Primary curriculum is interdisciplinary and interactive. It includes five broad areas.
Practical Life
includes tasks of daily living, such as dressing oneself, caring for plants, washing clothes, preparing snacks, and polishing materials in the class. It is here that a child learns to work in an orderly, systematic way. The child develops concentration and strengthens the hand in preparation for cursive writing. Exercises of Grace and Courtesy show children how to be part of polite society: how to shake hands with a visitor, how to get someone’s attention, etc.
Sensorial:
Children are bombarded by a cacophony of sensory stimulation from birth. During the Primary stage, children are shown precise, beautiful materials, which are designed to isolate one quality, such as size, for an example. The Pink Tower is made up of ten pink cubes varying in size. The three-year-old builds the tower with the largest cube on the bottom up to the smallest cube on top. The cubes are all the same texture, shape and color. They only vary in size. These exercises allow the child success in organizing the many sense impressions he or she has been exposed to already. All senses are represented in this area. Successive lessons are given to the child as they show mastery of the first, gradations and comparisons and precise language are given to enhance their budding discriminatory skills.
Language
Spoken language, vocabulary enrichment is developed through everyday opportunities including language lessons (names of materials in classroom, furniture, etc.) storytelling, discussions, poetry and singing. A phonetic approach to reading and development of cursive handwriting skills are hallmarks of the Montessori educational approach. Aural development precedes an introduction to symbols, following the progression throughout the curriculum.
Mathematics
Children are introduced to mathematical, algebraic and geometric concepts within the Sensorial area. By age four they are then ready to work with numbers 1 to 10, by way of an introduction to the decimal system. Through manipulation of three-dimensional materials and in small group lessons, the young five year olds add, subtract, multiply and divide. Eventually they work alone, with paper and pencil, memorizing tables and moving towards an abstract understanding of the processes first met concretely.
Geography, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Art, Music, and Movement
are integrated into the everyday curriculum. With beautiful wooden puzzle maps of all the continents the child begins to learn of physical geography. Studies and celebrations of cultures and peoples around the world, often presented by parents and outside visitors, are on going throughout the school year. Creative and nature based art studies enhance children’s native thirst to express themselves. Music and movement are explored through exposure to great musicians, creative movement, story telling, acting, and self-expression. Opportunity for outdoor play and gardening, nature observation are everyday experiences.
Math Skills
Through manipulation of three-dimensional materials and in small group lessons, the young five year olds add, subtract, multiply and divide.
We have three mixed-age Primary classrooms at Stepping Stones Academy Montessori Learning.
Children begin between 3 - 3½ years old and remain in the same class through 5 years old
(or what would traditionally be their kindergarten school year). Young kindergarteners will also often stay in Primary for a final semester.
You may choose full-time or Part-time
ENRICHMENT
Beyond the classroom, we provide opportunities for primary and elementary students to learn through a mix of faculty- and partner-lead elective activities.
In addition and complementary to our core Montessori curriculums, children ages 3 and up are encouraged to participate in dance, music, martial arts, and other physical and educational programs. A variety of options are available depending on the child’s age and areas of interest, running throughout the school year.