Fun with Letters: Teaching your Child the Alphabet

The Montessori School of Flagstaff takes pride in teaching children about letters because reading is the key to learning about everything else. We recommend that you begin teaching your children the alphabet early because that will give them a headstart at almost everything they will learn later. To help you get started, we came up with some great ideas that you can use at home.

Montessori Philosophy: Mixed-Age Classrooms

One of the hallmarks of Montessori schools are classrooms with mixed age groups. In most cases, the age range is a maximum of 3 years, with the exception of the youngest children who are typically kept to a range from birth to 18 months. There are excellent reasons for having mixed age groups in classrooms.

Prepared Environment: Difference Between Montessori and Traditional Education

At Montessori Children’s House, the prepared environment is a critical step in teaching children. One visit to our classrooms is all it takes to see the prepared environment in action and observe how it differs from traditional schools. Some of the key benefits of a prepared environment are listed here, but there is a lot more to it than we can relate briefly.

Child Centered Learning: Montessori Method

In many approaches to pedagogy, children are object of the learning process. The adult teacher or instructor is thought to be the source of knowledge, and the children are the empty vessels into which that knowledge is poured. The Montessori Method, however, takes a different approach. In the Montessori Method, children are seen as the directors of their learning, and the adult teachers as guides and supports. This shift puts children at the center of their education and allows teachers to meet them where they are. In order to foster child-centered learning, the Montessori Method outlines five principles that guide teachers in their primary, lower, and upper elementary Montessori programs: respect for the child, the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, the prepared environment, and self-education.

Montessori Philosophy: Creating Life-Long Learners

Montessori philosophy is a special way to educate children by immersing them in activities and experiences which teach fine motor control, self-expression, and encourages children to explore topics they are interested in. As Montessori educators, our goal is to prepare children for a lifetime of learning rather than a few hours of instruction.

Outdoor Winter Fun for Kids of All Ages

Don't let Winter keep your children locked inside. There are plenty of games and hands-on activities for the ice and snow, and those who are lucky enough to live where it doesn’t snow can play regular summer games...albeit in winter attire.

Halfway Through the School Year: Checking in with your Child's Teacher

Typically, parent-teacher conferences are held on a regular basis but you have the option of having more frequent meetings if you or the teacher deem them necessary. Midway through the school year is a perfect time to schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher to get an idea of how well your child is developing through the Montessori Method. When you meet with the teacher, be sure to inquire about observations regarding things like the following.