(630)553-4263
Programs
Peaceful Pathways Montessori will offer four different programs in the 2010 - 2011 school year.
Parent- Child Toddler Primary Elementary
Parent - Child
click here for more information
The Parent-Child Program is a unique, in-depth educational
experience for parents and their infant or toddler. Parents attend a morning
session with their child. They also attend several parent discussions during
each session.
The Parent-Child classroom is an appealing, comfortable Montessori environment
designed to meet the changing needs of infants and toddlers. Little ones are
learning all the time, learning to move and control their bodies, exploring and
experimenting, observing and making sense of the world around them.
Parent education is the most important job an adult can do - it is the creation
of a human being. We typically enter this work with no training or education
for it, having little experience with children, and often with no one to support
and guide us. We become so busy that there is little opportunity to contemplate
our role or long-term implications of our methods. The Parent-Child program was
designed to meet these needs.
Toddler Class (ages 15 months to 3 years old)
click here for curriculum description
The Toddler Program is designed to be a gentle transition from home to school. Through close cooperation between parents and the teacher, the children are gradually able to separate from their parents without anxiety.
In a respectful and gentle way, Peaceful Pathways' teachers support the child's natural development, with focus always on the encouragement of independence. Toddlers begin building the foundation for who they are to become. They are beginning to form their character, self esteem, purpose of life, social skills, and learning processes.
Activities are positioned around the room for toddlers to choose independently. The materials and activities help the toddlers begin to experience the concept of sequence, form, shape, movement, and sound. The activities change and evolve as the child grows physically, emotionally, and intellectually.
Primary Classes (ages 3-6 years old)
click here for curriculum description
These children are working on the "45 Layout" - experiencing and getting a picture in their mind of what numbers look like from 1 - 9999.
Prior to age six, the child learns more easily and efficiently than at any other period in life. Research has established the critical importance of the first six years of life for a child’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. Montessori education is both a philosophy of child development and a method for guiding such development.
The Montessori environment is a prepared one. It affords the child stimulation and exercises his senses in a controlled and orderly manner. The classroom is designed so that the materials available to the children are appropriate for their varying ages, interests, and levels of development. The materials lead children through the process of learning, while giving them specific information. This involvement with the learning materials lays the foundation for future cognitive growth.
As the child works independently in the classroom, he/she is “building the person he or she will become.” As the child becomes more confident and self-controlled, self-discipline is gradually developed. Because the Montessori environment s designed to encourage freedom of movement, there is ample opportunity for a child’s social development.
A good Montessori classroom is the world in a capsule. A single teacher or directress can bring her “world” into the environment. Therefore, parents are encouraged to participate in the life of the school.
The Montessori method is designed to promote the understanding of children and their needs. Children discover in their own way and in their own time. The most important contribution that Montessori makes is in the development of our children’s attitudes and approaches to learning.
Four Half Days - This program meets during the morning for three hours Monday - Thursday.
Five Half Days - This program meets Monday - Friday during the morning for three hours each day.
Five Full Days - This program meets Monday - Friday for a regular school day. Students bring a lunch to school each day.
Elementary Class (ages 6-12 years old)
click here for curriculum description
A Montessori classroom is an exciting place to be. There
are many interesting and beautiful resources with which the children can work.
There are many interesting books on a wide assortment of topics such as on
insects, plants, animals, different countries, history, etc.. However,
textbooks, workbooks, and ditto sheets are not used. Instead, children work with
many different concrete materials which help them to learn through an active
process. In using these materials the children may make their own books, draw
their own maps or time lines, and develop their own projects. As a result, the
classroom is a busy, happy place to be. Since the classroom is well organized,
with the intention of making all the materials visible and accessible for the
children, the children can find what they want and work without having to wait
for the teacher.
Some children may be reading while others are doing math. Some people may be
studying about ants while others are listening to classical music on headphones.
The children are all engaged in purposeful activity which leads and develops the
intelligence. The materials set out in the room have been carefully designed
with an educational purpose in mind. Because of this, the children are free to
move from activity to activity. They don't need to wait for assignments from the
teacher. Meanwhile, the teacher is free to help individuals or small groups. The
teacher is not tied to a routine of having to present a series of large group
lessons to the whole class. The classroom is activity-centered rather than
teacher-centered. The teacher's job is to prepare the classroom, set out the
materials, and then observe the children and determine how to help. The teacher
does not need to test the children because it is easy to see how the children
are doing by observing their activities. In this way, the teacher can have
immediate, up-to-date information about any child without time being taken way
from learning and without threat of failure being imposed upon the child.
Without the threat of failure, and with so many intriguing things to do,
discipline problems disappear and a friendly, cooperative social community
forms. Cooperation rather than competition becomes the tone of the room and
adversarial relationships disappear, becoming friendships.
Elementary students move beyond the classroom by planning regular going-outs when research needs merit the gathering of further information. While given freedom in the classroom environment, our elementary students exhibit responsibility. To facilitate this, our teacher holds weekly, one to one (or small group) meetings with each student to monitor projects and set goals. The freedom to pursue desired work in the classroom is dependent on the child's responsibility to these meetings. The approach encourages self-discipline while preserving each child's natural excitement about the process of learning.