Our academic program
employs the Montessori Method as developed by Dr.
Maria Montessori in all our classrooms including
our Infant Center. We currently have 3 infant groups,
2 toddler/twos classrooms and 6 preschool classrooms.
There are 3 Kindergarten/ 1st grade combination classrooms
and 5 upper classes. We also provide daycare for
working parents with busy schedules, and an extensive "Summer
Adventures" Program open to all elementary age
children between mid-June and the end of August.
Our preschool, infant and toddler programs are year
round.
Infant
Program
The youngest children accepted into
our program are 3 – 24 months. The Infant Center
is designed for working parents and only offers 5 days
per week tuition plans. The Center is divided into
3 age groups. The youngest is 3 months to 12 months.
The next class is 12 – 18 months and the oldest
group is 18 – 24 months. The groups are only
loosely based on the child’s chronological age,
as in other areas the Montessori Method “ follows
the child” so the child’s transition from
one group to the next is determined by each individual
child’s readiness. There is a Montessori-trained
teacher in each group who works with loving and devoted
assistants. We maintain a 3 to 1 ratio for infants
under 12 months and a 4 to 1 ratio for 12 – 24
months. Our program focuses on the interaction between
student and caregiver and allows free movement about
the classrooms. The Infant Center has their own play
area behind the classrooms with a serene lakeside view.
We also take them for walks about the plaza and utilize
strollers for the infants.
Toddler/Twos
Children who have passed their second
birthday are accepted to the Twos program. Though these
students are not yet completely verbal or potty trained,
we feel that they benefit from the prepared environment
(specially modified to insure their safety). Our two
year oIds work with a Montessori credentialed teacher
who prefers this very special age group. The ratio
of 6 to 1 assures plenty of verbal interaction with
adult caregivers during this critical stage of language
development. Also, the needed assistance with diapers,
potty training, hugs, and meals is readily available.
The slow pace of a Twos class is developmentally appropriate
as the child grows into the maturity required to join
the traditional Children's House classroom. The time
to graduate to Preschool is determined by the child’s
readiness. Normally it is before they turn three, generally
around 2 years and 9 or 10 months. We work with parents
to choose a class for preschool for their child, since
the child will then stay in that class for a two year
period.
Children's
House (Preschool)
Most of our students in this program
enter between 2 1/2 and 3 when they are potty trained
(although we do make exceptions if a child is ready
for the preschool in every other aspect). Each Lead
Teacher is responsible for preparing the environment
in her classroom and is encouraged to use her creativity
and the creativity of· her students to make
their environment reflect their current studies and
interests. A great deal of flexibility is allowed to
the teachers and their assistants as they choose colors,
fabrics and classroom materials to prepare the environment.
Each classroom starts out with the same walls, flooring,
shelving and furniture but ends up having a unique
and individual style. In addition to the traditional
Montessori curriculum, the teachers include thematic
units as part of their classroom activities.
Many excellent
units such as dinosaurs, oceanography, volcanoes, insects,
birds, Australia, safety, and health have been created
by our teachers over the years and are available on
rotation.
Each student generally remains with
the same class until he or she is 5 and either goes
on to enroll in our elementary program or to traditional
public or other private school. This way the child
first observes and learns from the older children in
the class and later becomes one of the older students
with the confidence and knowledge to be a leader in
the class.
Kindergarten
Although under the original Italian
Montessori model children from 3 through 6 years of
age are placed in the same group, our children move
up at the traditional time to start American elementary
school. The environment is prepared in much the same
way as a Children's House, except some of the basic
practical life/sensorial materials may not be displayed
on the shelves and the students are exposed to more
challenging Montessori materials with an academic focus.
The
kindergarten is a mixed age group with students from
ages 4.9 to 6.5. The elementary level practical life
choices such as woodshop, music, computer lab, dance,
and cooking class are introduced at this level. It
also helps the kids to become comfortable working with
other staff members in addition to their primary teachers.
The kindergartners also begin sign language, drawing
class, and Spanish as subjects taught in addition to
the traditional work time or “core” as
it is referred to in the elementary program. Botany,
physical and cultural geography, zoology and history
are also important subjects that are included in the
curriculum. The students begin going to P. E. at the
park and enjoy various field trips in the school van
to community resources, parks, and special events.
Elementary Program
The goal of the elementary
program is to continue to encourage the love of learning,
critical thinking skills and independence developed
in the Children's House classes. Our elementary program
is based on Montessori's cosmic curriculum, yet our
expression of the curriculum differs in many ways from
smaller Montessori programs with one or two classrooms.
The children are grouped in mixed age classes with
a maximum of 20 children to a class. Typically our
classrooms include a two grade age range. For example
we will combine, Kindergarten and First grade, First
and Second grade, Third and Fourth grade, Fifth and
Sixth grade and Seventh and Eighth grade. Classroom
age ranges do vary from year to year. Each school year
the class lists are meticulously handpicked to accommodate
each individual student’s needs and parent requests.
The
students spend half of their day (8:30-11: 45 or 1:15-3:30)
on Core studies. Each student works individually on
reading, writing, grammar, and math, choosing new work
from the Montessori materials on the shelves or continuing
a project from a previous day. The teachers give individual
or small group lessons, introduce the group to new
projects, and observe and direct the progress of the
individual students. Between 11: 45 and 1:15, the students
eat lunch and then enjoy recess on one of the playgrounds.
During
the other half of the day the students have small or
large group lessons in what we refer to as "cultural
subjects". These
include Botany, Zoology, Physical Geography, Cultural
Geography, History, Science, Spanish, Art, Art History,
Cooking, and Drama. Curriculum specialists teach Spanish,
Computers, Music, Woodshop, Physical Education, and
Health. During the two terms of our school year, the
staff rotates through a three-year cycle encompassing
the traditional Montessori Elementary curriculum. The
students genuinely enjoy all the integrated information
and easily absorb a great deal.
Our excellent elementary/middle
school staff are proud to be constantly fine tuning
this model of Montessori’s brilliant educational
philosophy, most of our elementary/middle school teachers
began working together in the 90’s and continuously
work together to enhance our materials, methodology
and training of younger staff. Studies may include
off-sight activities chosen to enhance the student’s
experience of specific subject matter. Field trips
include museums, performances, community related projects,
exploration of different occupations, ecology and environmental
studies. Fourth through Sixth grades participate in
the Catalina Island Marine Institute Marine Biology
Camp for either a 3-day or 5-day overnight field trip.
Our
elementary students receive progress reports each term
indicating their completion of various material rather
than numerical or letter grade reports. Each spring
the students take the California Achievement Test to
benchmark their achievements against a national standard.
Singapore Math Program
A study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) comparing the teaching of elementary school mathematics in the United States and Singapore has found that Singapore’s textbooks and assessment examinations are more demanding and their teachers more skilled mathematically but that U.S. approaches often put more emphasis on certain important 21st century math skills.
Research findings show the following strengths of Singapore math:
- Framework: The study indicates there is a correlation between focused frameworks such as those used in Singapore and good test performance. Singapore offers an alternative mathematics framework for lower-performing students that covers all the mathematics topics in the regular framework, but at a slower pace and with greater repetition, and with support from expert teachers.
- Textbooks: Singapore’s textbooks build deep understanding of mathematical concepts while traditional U.S. textbooks rarely get beyond definitions and formulas.
- Teaching: Singaporean elementary school teachers are required to demonstrate mathematics skills superior to those of their U.S. counterparts before they begin paid college training to become a teacher. They receive a high level of professional development training (100 hours) each year.
- Assessment: Singapore uses more challenging tests and utilizes a value-added approach that rewards schools for individual student progress over time.
Montessori on the Lake elementary students learn math using Singapore math materials and instructional methods. To learn more about the benefits of Singapore math, read "New AIR Study Compares the Quality of U.S. Math Instruction with Singapore, a Recognized World Leader."
Middle School Program
Students in 7th and
8th grade are enrolled in our upper class group. Social
and academic needs change at the adolescent level and
our program reflects these changes. As we developed
the program, we reflected on the practical and philosophical
aspects of Montessori’s Erdkinder. We considered
the future of today's student entering the world of
high school and college in addition to entering the "working
world". Our goals for the students include preparing
them to excel in the public or traditional school system,
when they leave our school. At this time we introduce
the use of textbooks and teach the students efficient
study methods. The students learn how to be accountable
for their work, and are graded on their progress.
The
language arts curriculum emphasizes creative, analytical,
and technical writing skills, research methods, and
debating. Reading and literary analysis of all forms
of literature is our emphasis. Grammar and language
mechanics are reviewed and discussed frequently in
writing critique.
With a strong didactic
foundation in math, the students move on to Pre-algebra
and Algebra using hands-on materials whenever possible.
They generally work in small groups using a math textbook
and additional aides and materials.
Over a three-year period
our curriculum in History moves forward from an examination
of the archeological record in ancient times to the
modern history of the United States. Our history studies
focus on the integration of the achievements of man
throughout the ages rather than the dates of events
and study of wars and conquests. Much emphasis is placed
on the sharpening of thinking skills. The discussions
and debates, which regularly take place in class, insure
that these students will study history objectively.
Progress
reports giving details of the student's current curriculum
are prepared each semester and "grades" are
given at this level to prepare the students for high
school and allow students to transfer into appropriate
honors classes. All students take an annual California
Achievement Test. Many of our middle school students
have participated in the Montessori Curriculum for
all or most of their academic life, which gives them
a refreshingly enthusiastic and optimistic approach
to learning.
After-School Program
With more than half
of our students staying at school until 5 or 6 PM,
we have developed an extensive daycare program incorporating
indoor and outdoor activities, music, creative play,
stories, and craft activities. In addition, students
can be enrolled in a variety of extracurricular activities
at an additional charge paid to the instructors. For
Preschoolers, extra curricular choices include gymnastics,
ballet, music, and art. At the elementary level, students
can join classes in computer, woodwork, ballet, chess
club, Spanish, and French. These classes are held at
our facility. There is also Tai Kwon Do available from
the Family Martial Arts Center in our shopping center.
Montessori Teacher Academy
Our facility was originally
home to the Montessori Teacher Academy, which trains
new Montessori Teachers and supervises these staff
members during their internship period. The training
involves four weeks of full-time coursework during
the beginning of the summer, followed up with biweekly
evening meetings and monthly Saturday workshops throughout
the academic year. Training continues with a yearlong
internship under one or more Montessori Master teachers,
and concludes with testing and final examinations.
The Montessori Teacher’s Academy is now located
in Dana Point, Ca and is fully certified by AMS (American
Montessori Society) and MACTE (Montessori Accrediting
for Continuing Teacher Education). We assist developing
faculty members with continuing education, which provides
a fertile ground for aspiring teachers. Many of our
assistant teachers are Montessori trainees fulfilling
their internship phase of their training program and
will graduate to being certified within a year or so. |
