Learning is fun at Shoal Point Montessori

“The secret of good teaching is to regard the children's intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds are sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the children understand, and still less to force them to memorise, but so to touch their imagination as to enthuse them to their inmost core. We do not want complacent pupils but eager ones; we seek to sow life in children rather than theories, to help them in their growth, mental and emotional as well as physical.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

At Shoal Point Montessori, we believe that children develop inner discipline, confidence and independence when they are permitted the freedom to accomplish their goals. Our aim is for our children to possess self-motivation, initiative, self-respect and courtesy to others while experiencing the joyous opportunities of exploration and discovery.

Young children have an innate sensitivity towards their environment and a true love of learning. Maria Montessori saw that children did not in fact need to be 'taught,' but that learning was a natural process. What we often call play is actually a young child's work – something that is giving them a sense of excitement, meaning and purpose to their lives.

At Shoal Point Montessori, we recognize that there is a world of difference between being taught and eagerly wanting to learn, which is why we offer children the opportunity for self-development. We ensure that each child is nurtured and challenged as an individual.

In their early years, children soak up information; this is what Maria Montessori called the “Absorbent Mind.” They do so most effectively if they are given the freedom to follow their own desires to explore the environment. Our Montessori classroom is full of fascinating materials and activities that children will be drawn to, encouraging their 'hunger to learn.'

Montessori recognized that children were naturally social, and if given the liberty to develop according to their own individual needs, would also exhibit great love and care for each other. At Shoal Point Montessori, we encourage every child to become an individual, allowing a natural harmony to develop among the children.

Learning Needs Structure Too

The Montessori philosophy is unique in that it recognizes the vital importance of individual freedom, but that freedom itself also needs structure. Children need order in their world to feel secure. We give our children enormous freedom in the activities that they can choose, but the classrooms are very carefully laid out to provide secure, welcoming and exciting spaces within which they can rapidly feel at home.

Areas of Montessori Education

The Practical Life Area

Children are attracted to activities that give them a sense of independence and control of their own life. The objective in this area is for the children to develop concentration, independence and co-ordination of movement. These exercises are divided into four:

- Exercises for increasing mastery and co-ordination of movement, e.g. pouring, spooning, rolling and unrolling of a mat, and walking exercises

- Exercises for the care of the environment, e.g. dusting, sweeping and washing tables

- Exercises for the care of the person, e.g. polishing, tying, buttoning and other fastening devices

- Exercises of grace and courtesy, e.g. greeting people, lifting and moving chairs, and looking after others

The Sensorial Area

The objectives of this area are for the children to develop and refine their senses so that they become keen observers and more aware of themselves and the world. Many of the exercises in this area are also indirect preparations for work in math and language, as they enable children to order, classify, serialize and describe sensory expressions in relation to length, width, temperature, mass and colour.

The Maths Area

Hand and mind work together in this area. This area covers an understanding of the basic numbers to the more advanced mathematical operations. A mathematical concept is presented first in a very concrete form followed by an abstract written version.

The materials for mathematics introduce the concept of quantity and the symbols 1 through to 10. Then, using a variety of beads and cards, children become familiar with the numbers as a decimal system, and learn to add, subtract, multiply and divide. These operations not only teach children how to calculate, but they provide a deep understanding of how numbers actually function. Other areas covered are time, money and measurement.

Language

Through the practical life and sensorial materials our children have a great deal of indirect preparation for language work. When the children are ready, we begin to teach the phonetic sounds of the letters, then word building and recognition, and finally book reading.

Writing comes as part of the children's natural desire to express their new knowledge, and nearly always precedes reading. Shoal Point Montessori has a rich supply of books that the children are encouraged to both read for their own enjoyment, to listen, to share with others, and to explore for answers to their own questions.

The Cultural Area

The children and their contact with the world around them are further reflected in the Cultural Area. This helps the children to increase their knowledge and understanding of science, geography, botany, zoology and history. Children gain an awareness of the world around them by exploring countries, customs, foods, climates, language and animals.

The Montessori materials include wonderful puzzle maps, examples of land formations, botanical displays such as leaf cabinets, all sorts of simple scientific experiments and a concrete means of understanding history through use of the Montessori Time Lines that stretch along the walls of the classroom. There is much emphasis on the plant and animal kingdoms, encouraging children to foster a love and appreciation for all living things.