childrenshouse

This classroom, traditionally referred to as the "Casa" (Italian for "house")
houses the children aged usually from 3 to 6. Children who have been in
a Montessori environment from a young age are usually able to move to
the CH by two and a half.

The following curriculum areas are present in the Children's houses:

Practical Life
As children work with activities such as spooning, scrubbing, pouring,
sewing, washing, they develop the following qualities:

Concentration
Fine and gross motor movements
Co-ordination
Orderly work habits
Independence - the child learns to care for self and others
Responsibility

Sensorial
All children at this age learn through their senses. This area of the
curriculum develops the mind (intellect) by refining(sharpening) the 5
senses. The child learns to organize and classify all information acquired
through the senses. In this way, the child is led to study and develop the
ability to discriminate such qualities as dimensions (length, size, thickness,
width), geometric forms, color, texture, weight, taste etc.

Language
Preliminary exercises help the child acquire the skills necessary for the
proper processing and use of language: the enrichment of vocabulary,
categorization, visual and auditory memory, the sounds of the alphabet,
sequencing, e.t.c. Writing, spelling and reading develop in the most
natural way. Children learn the use of the different parts of speech. They
also do word study, using objects and pictures to understand homonyms,
synonyms, singular/plural forms, e.t.c.

Mathematics
According to Piaget "Knowledge is not a copy of reality. To know an
object, to know an event, is not simply to look at it and make a mental
copy, or image of it. To know an object is to act on it. To know is to
modify, to transform the object, and to understand the process of this
transformation, and as a consequence to understand the way the object
is constructed." The Montessori Math curriculum is designed to help build
a love for math and an aptitude for reasoning. This is achieved as the
child works with concrete objects that prepare the mind for a deep
understanding of the principles of mathematics.

Cultural Subjects
Through a meticulously prepared environment, we integrate geography,
science, art, music and history. The child can:

Explore the world of geography through work with the globes,
puzzle maps of the continents, flags of different countries, land and
water formations, as well as the workings of the earth's elements.
The child is able to have a better understanding of the part of the
world in which he lives and gain awareness of the world around
them by exploring other countries, their customs, food, music,
climate, language and animals.

Explore the world through science. Children are introduced to
plants, water, the sun and how they affect their everyday life.
Zoology is studied in-depth and introduces the child to animals and
their needs, characteristics and habits. There are also explorations
in physical and chemical sciences. Sounds like a lot for a three to
six year old, but the joy they feel as they do their work in these
areas must be seen to be believed.

Develop an appreciation for music and individual expression
through art.

French lessons are given thrice weekly by a teacher whose 1st
language is French. Not only are they exposed to the vocabulary,
they are learning to converse in French.