Ideally, the kindergarten program is designed for the child entering their third year of Montessori education and who is 5 years of age by September 30th. Occasionally we will accept children who have not had any previous Montessori education if there are openings and if they are ready. This is determined in an informal interview with teacher and student.
The kindergarten year is an important year where all the ground work over the past two years comes together. The kindergarten child is social and has learned how to use their problem solving skills effectively in the kindergarten classroom. They understand the decimal system and are moving towards abstraction. Usually they are reading, and level of skills range from beginner readers to fluent. Our goal for the kindergarten child is that they have a sense of self-confidence, , enthusiasm for learning, feel closely bonded to their teachers and classmates, and generally feel good about themselves.
The kindergarten child is the classroom with the three and four year olds in the morning from 8:30-11:30 each day. At 11:30 they come together as a kindergarten class and continue their day exclusively with their same age group. The week consists of journal writing, a formal handwriting program, a second Spanish class, a formalized art program, math, geography, language, and unit study lessons taught as a group and individually.
The kindergarten class has their Spring Art Show in March. Clay, paper mache’, self-portraits, masks, prints, sculptures, still life, wire art, silk paper, fabric wall hangings are just some of the art projects created by the children.