Our lives today seem to be a whirlwind as we get back to work and the kids get back to in-person learning. Once again, we find ourselves consulting our calendars to check and double check where we are supposed to be and at what time we need to be there. After spending so much time at home,… Continue Reading »
“The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” — Dr. Maria Montessori You may already know that Montessori educators value and encourage independence even at the youngest of ages. Why do we believe that independence is so important? It’s simple really – the development of independence leads… Continue Reading »
The article below was first published in Tomorrow’s Child online magazine and is a perfect explanation of how discipline is handled in a Montessori environment. Villa Montessori Leesburg provides our students with an authentic Montessori experience that follows the teachings and observations of Dr. Maria Montessori, which are brilliantly described here. Enjoy the article! Montessori Discipline: Developing Inner Discipline Through Freedom… Continue Reading »
Let’s face it, parenting is hard and can be challenging at times. Whether your child is already enrolled as a student at Villa Montessori Preschool, or you are thinking about joining our community, we want to help you bring Montessori home by offering you some helpful parenting tips. At Villa Montessori Preschool, we strive to… Continue Reading »
For the past several months, we have taken an in-depth look at the areas that comprise the Montessori classroom. Our final area to discuss is Cultural Studies. The Montessori cultural studies curriculum provides opportunities for children to explore the larger world. Students learn about the people, terrain and animals of each continent as part of a rich exploration of… Continue Reading »
According to Dr. Maria Montessori, the absorbent mind occurs from birth until approximately the age of six. During this time period, a child experiences a period of intense mental activity that allows him or her to “absorb” learning from their environment on an unconscious level with very little effort. Learning during this absorbent mind period is natural and… Continue Reading »
Understanding the Montessori Method: Learning Through Senses Dr. Maria Montessori believed that children have “sensitive periods” for learning. She observed that the first six years of children’s lives are directed by their absorbent minds. Learning is never-ending and begins at birth. As newborns, we immediately start to explore our environment through our senses and begin to learn about our… Continue Reading »
The Montessori Method is often a mystery to a lot of parents. They may have heard of Montessori, but have no understanding of its ideology. Over the next several months, we will dive more deeply into the Five Key Learning Areas of Montessori and how children develop academically and socially. These five areas include: Practical Life Sensorial Language Mathematics Culture… Continue Reading »
Montessori & Reggio are very free flowing curriculums in that the children’s day moves based on their interests. Outside of meal, recess and rest times, the day moves based on children’s selections of materials.
The children come in and are greeted by the teacher. Children wash their hands. They begin their three-hour work cycle that focuses on the five main areas of the classroom: Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Science/Geography. During that three-hour work cycle, the child will pick a work that has already been presented to them by… Continue Reading »
