CURRICULUM
REGGIO CURRICULUM
EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD
At Heritage Montessori School, each child will benefit from a completely individualized, enriching curriculum that is designed to develop the whole child. We specialize in STEAM enrichment. The following important components are incorporated:
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
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Children make key decisions about their learning path
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Thoughts and opinions of children are respected
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Practice critical thinking skills through the process of hands-on inquiry
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Document and display the learning process to improve memory and allow for reflection
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Use imagination to solve problems and represent thinking in creative ways
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Encourage students to sort, compare, organize, classify and identify patterns
LANGUAGE & SPEECH
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Provide a litercy-rich environment
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Routinely engage in classroom and one-on-one discussions with teachers and peers
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Writing activities from tracing sandpaper letters to creating stories
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Multiple opportunities to sing songs and participate in imaginative play
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Build phonemic and phonological awareness through rhyming and word games
MATHEMATICS
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Develop the concept of numbers, size, shape, color, positional terms, patterns, and ratios using real world math tools and Montessori materials
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Use numbers in various ways in the context of daily routines and play
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Perform basic calculations and make reasonable estimates regarding size or amount
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Sort and arrange objects by one or more attribute (size, color, shape, texture)
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Develop the concept of time through everyday conversations and daily routines.
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Verbally and pictorially explain mathematical thinking
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Multiple daily opportunities to participate in the process of inquiry. Children:
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pose questions
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find resources
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conduct experiments
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interpret new information
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report their results
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Use appropriate tools to enhance their learning:
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iPad - look up information, interact with maps, type words and phrases
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digital cameras - document learning, record observations, make short films
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THE ARTS
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Create quality works that represent personal choices and ideas
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Create art in two and three dimensions with various materials
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Tell a story about what they have drawn, painted or constructed
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Sing and dance to familiar and child created songs
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Play a wide range of musical instruments (drums, ukulele, keyboard)
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Engage in dynamic dramatic play with and without props
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Act out familiar stories with imagination.
SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL
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Daily collaboration and relationship building with peers and teachers
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Exercise patience and perseverance
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Help the child to identify intense emotions, determine what caused them, and navigate through them
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Respectfully resolving disagreements and offering solutions
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How to help others and ask for help; how to decline help
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Yoga and relaxation techniques
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Participation in the care of the classroom, materials and pets
FINE & GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
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Children regularly practice cutting, pouring, tying, buttoning, writing and drawing, manipulating small materials, peeling and cutting food, and handling utensils
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Teachers provide daily opportunities to enhance kinesthetic sense through a variety of physical activities including throwing, climbing, jumping and balancing
MONTESSORI CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE LESSONS
The Primary Classroom (age 3-6) is divided into four main areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics and Language. However, subjects are not taught in isolation as the Montessori curriculum is interdisciplinary, interactive and interrelated. The academic growth of each child is very important to us and all the individual areas directly or indirectly support development of academic skills.
PRACTICAL LIFE
Practical Life exercises instill care for self, others, and the environment. These are real life activities that children may observe at home such as buttoning, tying, washing, sweeping, pouring, sewing, as well as exercises of grace and courtesy. Fine motor skills are refined, ordered steps are carried out and independence is developed. Through these tasks children develop muscular coordination, learn to work at a task from beginning to end and develop their powers of control and concentration.
SENSORIAL
Specially designed materials teach children concepts and vocabulary using their senses. Sensorial exercises allow children to build cognitive skills and learn to order and classify impressions by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting, listening and exploring the physical properties of their environment such as size, shape, color, weight and sound.
MATHEMATICS
Mathematic activities help children learn and understand the concepts of math by manipulating concrete materials that enable students to perform the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This work gives children a solid understanding of basic mathematical principles, prepares them for later abstract reasoning and helps to develop problem-solving skills.
LANGUAGE
Language development is vital to human development. Our environment fosters oral language opportunities, allowing the children to experience conversations, stories and poetry. Sandpaper letters help children link sounds and symbols effortlessly. Metal insets and movable alphabet encourage the development of written expression and reading skills.
MUSIC & ART
Comprehensive art and music programs give the children every opportunity to enjoy a variety of creative activities including songs, rhythm instruments, movement and finger plays. Art is available daily through collage, painting, drawing, and crafts.
GEOGRAPHY
Geography is presented through puzzle maps and land forms. It includes the study of people and cultures in our country and around the world with an attitude of respect and admiration.
BOTANY & BIOLOGY
In our outdoor environment children are able to garden, collect, study, identify and label leaves, flowers and plants. We also study insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and mammals. These lessons and experiences with nature inspire a reverence for all life.
THE THIRD TEACHER
The learning environment plays an integral role in fostering an emergent curriculum. Children thrive in environments that are stimulating, offer choices, provoke exploration, and are developmentally appropriate.
The nature-filled environment at Heritage Montessori School is aesthetic, inviting, organized with purposeful materials. It promotes relationship building, communication skills, collaboration, and hands-on exploration. Materials are thoughtfully selected to promote open-ended, meaningful play.
Everyday children and their teachers practice creative thinking and problem solving skills. They ask questions, experiment and use their imaginations. They demonstrate independence, mutual respect and care for their surroundings.
EXPLORING LOOSE PARTS
Building intellect and creativity by engaging all the senses
THE ATELIER
Art supplies are always readily available to all children
THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT
From seed to table, there are endless academic possibilities across all subject areas