Montessori Philosophy : Little Tamariki Montessori Preschool
Supposing I said there was a planet without schools or teachers, where study was unknown, and yet the inhabitants doing nothing but living and walking about came to know all things, to carry in their minds the whole of learning; would you not think I was romancing? Well, just this, which seems so fanciful
as to be nothing but the invention of a fertile imagination, is a reality. It is the child's way of learning. This is the path he follows. He learns everything without knowing he is learning it, and in doing so he passes little by little from the unconscious to the conscious, treading always in the paths of joy and love.
- Dr. Maria Montessori, MD
What is this thing called Montessori?
Montessori is a philosophy and teaching concept developed by Dr Maria Montessori, (1870 - 1952) in Europe during the early 1900's. Montessori's philosophy advocates independence and self-reliance; that a child's early education should be reality oriented and should aid the development of the child's physical, mental, social and emotional being. All children pass through a sensitive period for sensory- motor activities; a time in which they experience a keen interest in touching, tasting, smelling, seeing, hearing and exploring everything they come in contact with.
Montessori philosophy allows the child to acquire a love for, and joy in work; and the satisfaction of a task that is completed and well done. But, mostly, the child acquires the realization of who he/she is and develops into a secure individual. Dr. Montessori discovered children possess amazing mental concentration and a love for repetition and order. If allowed to choose their own activities, they preferred work to play and needed no reward or punishment.
Most of all, Montessori's philosophy stresses the innate potential of the child to develop in where there are environmental conditions of freedom and love.
The practical application of the Montessori Method is based on human tendencies to explore, move, share with a group, to be independent and make decisions, create order, develop self-control, abstract ideas from experience, use the creative imagination, work hard, repeat, concentrate and perfect one's effort.
The discoveries made by Maria Montessori can help parents and teachers in many situations. Her advice has always been to:
Follow the Child.
Help me to help myself Dr Maria Montessori.
The age range for each classroom does overlap as we have found we have had changing patterns in the ages of children.
Penguins: Our Under 2 Years and 6 months Classroom
The room for our youngest children is a warm, inviting and intimate environment which caters for a maximum of 9 children. We aim for a relaxed and friendly atmosphere while still providing the routines and order young children can feel comfortable with.
Our main aim in this room is to build a warm relationship with you and your child. We start by taking the time to settle you and your child, starting with short visits which allow the child to get to know us without the stress. This process is tailored to each family and is as flexible as needed. We know that once you and your child are comfortable with us, exploration, discovery and the enjoyment really begins! The learning environment is set up to offer all the skills and experiences young children are developmentally capable of and prepare them for their learning journey in the Dolphins, Albatrosses and beyond.
Our vision for these young children is to assist them in gaining the competencies needed to move into independence and forward in life from physical developments such as walking, to the confidence and ability to express their emotional needs.
Dolphins and Albatrosses (children aged from 2 years and 6 months - 5/6 years )
The Dolphin and Albatross classrooms are well-prepared environments carefully designed and laid out to capture the developmental stage of the child. They are rich in all learning areas; with Practical Life activities, Art and Literacy, Mathematics and Sensorial, Geography and Science, Books and Puzzles, Music and Movement, Drama, Physical Exercise and more. Our children have the time and space to investigate, be curious, revisit their learning, take risks, express themselves, and have fun.
As we discover, document and celebrate what our children know and can do, we extend and guide them into deeper learning experiences. We aim to help each child develop a love of learning, an ability to make responsible choices, to concentrate and focus, and to learn the joy of completing a task.
Their experiences gradually solve the mysteries of their today, tomorrow and yesterday, and they see themselves as confident competent learners.
Our Classroom
