LEARNING PHILOSOPHY

What makes the Montessori educational approach unique? In a word, its focus on fostering a habit of concentration. Dr. Montessori observed the peace and joy children experienced when they could choose their own work and focus on it for as long as they wanted. Adults know this state as flow—a feeling of well being that comes when the mind and body are deeply united in doing something creative. Our learning materials encourage your child to practice concentration daily, and our schedule allows them to direct their learning according to their own shifting interests. When children construct their growing brains around the habit of concentration, the long term benefits to their personal and academic life are profound. In a world where we are often over-scheduled and often-interrupted, Simple Gifts Montessori provides a peaceful haven where your child can learn to tune into what it is they need to challenge themselves effectively.

A Montessori classroom for 3-6 year olds is called a "Casa," which means a house, home or family in Italian. Our classroom is designed so your child feels as though they are at home. The shelves, furniture and materials are your child's size. The beauty of the materials attracts a child's curiosity and encourages them to take pride in caring for their space with their classmates. A Casa created with a child's needs in mind provides them a world where they can move, work, play and live with ease and confidence.

We love the experience of encouraging and supporting multilingual students. Our curriculum offers exposure to Spanish through vocabulary building, conversation and song. All our teachers speak Spanish, but we've also worked with students who speak other languages and enjoy the adventure of learning to communicate with them as well.

As musicians and former organic farmers, our program includes daily exposure to music and a deep appreciation for the natural world. Along with beginning lessons on piano and violin, our daily schedule includes singing and dancing as well as ear training. Violin, trombone or ukulele, played by one of our staff, will be heard on a regular basis.

Our outdoor classroom includes plants that the children can help cultivate, tend and harvest as the seasons allow. Daily walks in our neighborhood will expose the students to the changing seasons and natural world around us, and our classroom lessons will include units centered around some element of biology.

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We can't wait to meet your family!