AREAS OF LEARNING
The environment surrounding a child plays an important part in their learning experience. At Long Hill Montessori School we stimulate learning through environments that offer the following:
Developmentally appropriate physical activities
Opportunities for concrete, hands-on activities
Change and variety
Explore our various areas of learning, as well as, special activities that work together to help our children uncover their own passion for learning.
Practical Life: Children find comfort and learn independence in activities that resemble home. They learn lessons on personal hygiene and self help that they will incorporate into their lives at school and outside. These works boost fine motor control and hand and eye coordination, which are important prerequisites for writing. Multi step, purposeful activities train children to concentrate on the task at hand and work with mindfulness. This will be essential for them while working on advanced academic subjects, like Math and language.
Sensorial: Children learn best through sensory experiences. They have a natural tendency to touch, manipulate and respond to stimuli around them. The Sensorial area of our classroom helps children modulate their muscles and focus each of their senses in order to form relationships between the various concepts of shape, size, length, color, etc.. This refined perception of sensory stimuli through concrete materials allows them to form connections between more complex and abstract concepts. Sensorial lessons involving sequencing and categorizing help develop a mathematical mind.
Language: Children between 3 to 6 years of age are naturally predisposed to learn languages. Our lessons guide them through the various stages of language development. Sandpaper letters are used to help children develop a muscular memory of letter formations while attaching corresponding sounds to them. Subsequent lessons help them in composing words by connecting these sounds, decoding words, composing sentences and writing on paper! Parts of speech, like noun, verb, conjunction etc., and their functions, are introduced using ancient grammarsymoblism and practical exercises.
Math: Our math area is a constant source of joyful explorations for our children! Children at this age cannot grasp the existence of any concept or idea outside of what they can feel or perceive through their senses. Hence their mathematical training starts by putting objects representing solid quantities into their hands... a single bead for 1 unit, a 10 bead bar, a square made of 100 beads, and 1000 beads connected together to make a cube. All mathematical operations addition through division are experienced sensorially, first. They progress from these concrete materials through increasingly abstract lessons, finally leading to math problems on paper.
Culture: This rich curriculum refreshes the children's minds and keeps them motivated with enticing lessons from science, nature, geography and culture. Puzzle maps, flags of different countries and models of landforms are introduced. Hands on science experiments satisfy their natural curiosity and encourage critical thinking. Children are made aware of the composition of the entire universe, the world we live in and their own special place in it. They rise above political boundaries and learn to accept and appreciate the differences between on another.
Activities in the classroom
Art Enrichment with Mrs. Bitici - In The Oak Room, bi-monthly art enrichment help children build their artistic vocabulary, skills and confidence. Children are exposed to a wide variety of artists while providing direct art instruction in technique.
Music with Miss Jenn - Music classes build on your child's natural enthusiasm for music and movement. The program is based on the recognition that all children are musical.
Spanish with Señora Landoña & Mrs. Taylor - Children learn Spanish through Montessori lessons, everyday conversation and communication, songs and reading.
Yoga with Ms. Leanne - A children's yoga curriculum, modeled after effective classroom educational programs. The Pretzel Kids curriculum is full of innovative and original games, breathing techniques, warm-ups, and other teaching techniques.
Montessori Movement Matters® - This program is in support of Dr. Maria Montessori’s own notion that movement is an essential factor in the physical and intellectual growth of children. Scientific research shows that movement and cognition are closely related.
Afternoon Enrichment
Science with Mrs. Mathur
SuperKids Reading Program®with Mrs. Taylor
Special Story with Mrs. Raymond
Peace Ambassadors with Mrs. Legiec
Cooking/Mindful Eating with Mrs. Mathur
Special Celebrations Throughout the Year
Birthday: "The Earth Goes Round the Sun"
Chinese New Year
Spring Soiree
Thanksgiving
Holiday program, celebrating Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas
“As an educator, it was important to me that my children attend a school that embraced a rich curriculum. As a mom, I sought a nurturing environment that my children would flourish in. After evaluating several area schools, I discovered that Long Hill Montessori School offered these qualities and more. My son has grown tremendously over the past two years there and my daughter is excited to join her brother in September.
The LHMS community is more than a group of preschool parents. During our tenure at the school we have enjoyed participating in school, community service and social events. The network and friendships that our family has developed as a result of being part of the Montessori family have proven to be an invaluable bonus to establishing our roots in the area.
The leadership at the school is truly outstanding. The teachers are not only caring and compassionate; they are devoted to the growth and development my children. Directors Fiona Rouse and Kelly Legiec are not only owners but also compassionate educators and it has been such a pleasure to work with them. My husband and look forward to watching our children continue to grow both socially and academically at Long Hill Montessori School.”