The Montessori Method
The following four insights are universal truths about children. They neatly sum up what we believe as Montessori teachers and together they are the basis of the Montessori Method.
1. All children have absorbent minds. Children (especially children from birth to the age of six) have a phenomenal inborn ability to learn with ease, but to reach their full potential their environment must be rich with learning opportunities. A Montessori classroom is full of equipment and materials which help children learn.
2. Children are born with the drive to learn. Our Montessori teachers don’t impose learning on children but harness their desire to learn, guiding them within a carefully structured classroom designed to help him or her reach their full potential.
3. Children learn through being active. Few young children are good at sitting and listening. They learn in an active, concrete way. From their earliest days in nursery, children are introduced in a fun and practical way to a far-reaching curriculum that includes numeracy, literacy, science, history, geography, music, art, games and dance, languages and social skills.
4. Children pass through intensive periods of learning. There are phases in a child’s life when he or she becomes particularly interested in certain skills and when learning is therefore especially fast and acute. In our classroom children are given the freedom to choose the activities and therefore can focus on the skill which they are most enthusiastic about mastering at any one time.
How we use the Montessori Method
Whatever their age, children enjoy their day at The Old School House Nursery. It is a place where they feel safe and happy, an environment in which they can explore the world around them and develop at their own pace.
Each child’s intellectual, emotional and social needs are assessed by our experienced Montessori teachers. Individual plans are written to support development in each area.
Self-confidence grows as the children are encouraged to use their natural curiosity to develop new skills. Their language, motor co-ordination and positive self-image all leap forward. To the children, achieving their full potential in this way seems natural and fun.
The children’s days are full of variety. They enjoy music, art, story time, singing and baking. Phonics and numbers are taught to those who show that they are keen and ready to learn. On Fridays there is a French class. Outdoor play is actively encouraged – every day whatever the weather – and an enclosed, safe, outdoor classroom is almost always open.
Your child’s progress is carefully recorded by the teachers and shared with you on a regular basis, both verbally and in writing. Appointments can be made for longer discussions at any time. More informal opportunities to discuss your child come at the Christmas nativity play, the Teddy Bears’ picnic, sports day, and parents’ social evenings.
We are proud of our focus on the child and our Montessori-inspired belief that careful nurturing can help all boys and girls reach their full potential. In our latest Ofsted assessment the nursery was rated outstanding in every category. If you’d like to see why, please contact the nursery and arrange a viewing. We’d be delighted to show you around.
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