Harvest Green Montessori

When the child begins to think and to make use of the written language to express his rudimentary thinking, he is ready for elementary work; and this fitness is a question not of age or other incidental circumstance but of mental maturity.

- Maria Montessori

At HGM, we encourage the children to work at their own pace in a non-competitive environment to learn abstract principles. In the process, the child will gain deeper understanding of themselves and develop a sensitivity to others using language to express empathy. Kindergarteners act as positive peer models for their younger classmates, assuming positions of responsibility that further strengthen their own capabilities and self-esteem. Everything that children have learned in previous years comes together in Kindergarten, giving children a readiness to meet new challenges. Students are taught in a wider area that includes practical life, Sensorial, Language, Math, Social studies, Geography, Art and Music. Our children are equipped with a strong all-rounded foundation, to be able to out-perform their peers at the elementary school of their choice. Our teachers act as guides for students, facilitating their learning in the classroom based on their developmental levels. Individual attention is provided in developing their lesson plans. The Kindergarten curriculum at HGM is carefully structured according to the Kindergarten Common Core Standards and is integrated to demonstrate the connections between the different areas of a Montessori classroom.

Some Highlights Of Our Kindergarten Program Are:

The Montessori curriculum allows us to continually challenge each child at his/her own pace.

We highly value our close working relationships with our families. This partnership is fostered through ongoing, personal communication as well as multiple conferences each year.

The multi-age classroom stimulates enthusiasm for learning and inspires independent thinking.

All of our teachers have Montessori certified with extensive experience in the classroom.

We provide a large outdoor, as well as an indoor space, specifically designed to meet the young child's need for gross motor development.

Our program includes Montessori curriculum along with regularly scheduled enrichment activities which may include Spanish, Art and yoga. Each taught by teachers that are specifically trained in these disciplines.

Curriculum

Advanced Practical Life

When children enter the Montessori Kindergarten program, they are already familiar with the basic practical life activities. Now, they are presented with the opportunity to apply their acquired skill set to real world activities. They also learn basic etiquette and sewing, where they create projects using running stitch, cross stitch and blanket stitch. These Advanced Practical Life activities help children to develop a high level of concentration, patience, and improve their fine motor skills, while evoking a sense of respect for others and their environment.

Sensorial

Sensorial materials in the Montessori classroom are designed to help the child explore the world through their senses. Each of the sensorial materials isolates one defining quality such as color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound and smell. The materials help children to distinguish, to categorize, and to relate new information to what they already know. The Sensorial Materials are largely self- correcting, so the child can accomplish the exercise alone. Children find a sense of order in these materials and acquire a joy in learning that their environment has order.

Language

The development and sophistication of the child's oral and written language are critical to his/her success in school. An insatiable intellectual curiosity demands that knowledge not only is absorbed and retained but expressed and acknowledged by others in the learning environment. Careful attention is paid to the child's: Reading comprehension, Composition (descriptive, expository, persuasive), Language arts, Grammar, Sentence construction, Vocabulary, Study and use of different verbs and their tenses, Oral expression. These skills are taught in isolation and in direct association with writing and reading, which is where the child's true interests lie. Didactic materials, which are as precise, orderly, and appealing as those in mathematics and geometry, are the means for delivering instruction and enabling mastery.

Mathematics

All worldly functions are related to mathematics in one way or another. Thus, the ability to apply math skills in other areas of study such as art and sensory activities is most beneficial. The four basic mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are taught in detail, building on the skills learned in Pre-Kindergarten. Students work with the number categories of units, tens, hundreds and thousands, comprehend the concept of zero and learn to tell time. They also learn to count in 2's, 5's and 10's. A majority of the math curriculum in dedicated to Geometry and related lessons include the Geometry Cabinet, Geometric Solids, Constructive Triangles and the Binomial and Trinomial Cubes.

Physical and Cultural Geography

In our Geography curriculum, our students look at the earth, our home, study its weather, seasons, its various formations of land and water, and learn its place in the Solar System. A major portion of this curriculum consists of the study of world maps. Children explore the continents of the world, their culture and wild life, and learn about the states that form United States of America. History and geography begins with the study of maps and the two hemispheres of Earth and becomes more and more detailed as children will learn about countries and Continents. The very young child will use the wooden puzzle maps as puzzles, but the older child can use the pieces as a guide as he makes his own maps, labeled with his own handwriting when he is ready.

Science and Nature

Children are introduced many topics and learn to make predictions in their Science and Nature activities. The land and water work, introducing the concepts of Lake and Island, is closely connected to the Geography curriculum. Children learn about volcanoes, the layers of the Earth and the solar system. Children will go on nature walks and then research the leaves, seed they have found. Activities include Sink or Float, Living or Non-Living, Magnetic or Non-Magnetic, Land and Water Forms, the Structure of the Earth and Botany.

Fine Art

Our students are exposed to a number of famous artists and their works. Children are introduced to the art techniques used by these established artists and are provided with an opportunity to experiment with various art media to create their own unique works of art.

Spanish and Other Languages

Children are exposed to speak words and sentences and rhythms of the Spanish and other language through games, songs, and activities. Lessons initially include counting, colors, and basic vocabulary.