The Montessori Method and Children's Manor
                    Montessori School:

Our philosophy here at Children’s Manor is based on
the educational precepts of Dr. Maria Montessori.  
The foundation of Dr. Montessori’s educational theory
was based on her observation that children possess
an innate desire to explore, discover, and learn about
their world.  She observed that children learn best
within a social environment that supports personal
development.  Dr. Maria Montessori’s method of
education focused on the development of the whole
child in all areas of life.  With this philosophy in mind,
we here at CMMS believe that:

1) The Montessori approach succeeds because it draws its principles from the
  natural development of the child.
2) Children have a natural urge to explore, discover, and learn about the world
 around them.
3) Children learn best when they are active participants in the learning
 process.
4) The inherent flexibility of the Montessori approach allows the method to
 adapt to the needs of the individual, regardless of the level of ability,         
 learning style, or social maturity.
5) The role of the teacher is to assist the child in developing physical and
  mental independence while fostering the “joy of learning.”
6) Active parent involvement through conferences, parent evenings, and
 participation in our Parent Advisory Committee (P.A.C.) is essential.  The
 more parents understand their child’s classroom experiences, the better
 able they are to reinforce at home what is taught in school.

Overview of the Montessori Philosophy for Primary,
Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten Students:

                                     The specially prepared Montessori environment meets
                                    the physical, cognitive, and social needs that are intrinsic
                                    in each child, allowing the child to not only learn but also
                                    to thrive.  The  Montessori classroom provides a prepared
                                    environment where children are free to respond to their
                                    natural drive to work and learn.  The child’s inherent
                                    joy of learning is encouraged by giving him/her the
                                    opportunities to engage in spontaneous, meaningful
                                    activities under the teacher’s guidance.  Each child
                                    develops concentration, motivation, persistence, and
                                    discipline through their work.  Within this framework of
                                    order, the child progresses at their own pace and rhythm,
                                    according to their own individual capabilities.  Discovering
                                    the joys of learning and developing social and intellectual
discipline lay the foundation of a happy, productive life.  The child develops an
appreciation for the world, while becoming a responsible human being.

The following areas of activity cultivate the child’s adaptation and ability to express
and think with clarity.  The exercises of practical life instill care for self, for others,
and for the environment.  Activities include many of the tasks a child sees as part of
the daily routine in their home such as preparing food and washing dishes, along
with exercises of grace and courtesy.  Each child learns to work at a task from
beginning to the end, and develops their powers of control and concentration.
Language development is vital to human development.  The Montessori
environment is rich in oral language opportunities, allowing the child to experience
conversations, stories, and poetry.

Overview of the Montessori Philosophy for
              Elementary Students:

At the elementary level, the Montessori method is noticeably different from the
Primary, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs.  This is primarily due to the
crucial differences in the personality of the elementary child.  Dr. Montessori
explained it this way:

“Education between the ages of six and twelve is not a direct continuation of that
which has gone before, although it is built upon that foundation.  Psychologically
there is a decided change in personality (within the child), and we recognize that
nature has made this a period for the was the absorption of the environment.  
The elementary child has reached a new level of development.  Before, the child
was interested in things: working with his hands, learning their names.  Now the
child is interested mainly in the how and
why…the problem of cause and effect.”

Consequently, at the elementary level,
the child’s own questions provide the
basis for exploration of the world.  The
elementary curriculum is interdisciplinary
where concepts of biology, geology, and
history converge on the study of life’s
evolution from the origin of the universe
to the emergence of man and civilization.  
Our curriculum does not merely emphasize
presentation of detail, but rather focuses on the association between different
areas of study.  The natural sciences lead to the social and physical sciences.  
Math and geometry concepts flow from basic number operations moving through to
geometry, always on a fully integrated basis.  Language becomes the final
synthesis of all experiences with creative writing and grammar analysis built on the
cultural content of the curriculum.

The CMMS elementary curriculum is highly enriched and challenging.  The
curriculum is organized into three integrated parts.  The first part focuses on the
mastery of fundamental skills and basic core knowledge.  The second part involves
“capturing the imagination” of the child.  This is done by introducing the disciplines
of science, mathematics, social studies, and language in the context of inspiring
stories and related experiences and research projects.  The third part encourages
the child to explore some of these topics that successfully captured his/her
imagination.  This approach allows the child to pursue library research, gather
information from web-based searches, assemble portfolios, teach what they have
learned to their peers, and assemble portfolios and handmade books on a subject
of their interest.
Children's Manor Montessori School