Primary

A Montessori experience in the McGuffey tradition.

The Primary years are magical ones. It is the time when a child comes into their own and begins to explore the world beyond their home. We believe this critical time in a child’s life deserves unique experiences, an environment filled with opportunity, and a nurturing classroom culture.

At McGuffey we emphasize several components in our Montessori preschool curriculum:

Independence. We believe these little people are capable of huge things. We have carefully designed an environment in which each child can be responsible for themselves, their work, and their environment. Appropriately scaled furniture, sinks, tools, and supplies allow each child to get what they need when they need it. This independence builds confidence and self esteem, allowing the opportunity for countless, “I can do it myself!” moments.

Hands-on Learning. Virtually every experience in our classroom involves touching, manipulating, thinking, and doing. Children this age learn best by being actively engaged in sensory experiences, so we provide multiple channels through which a child can build a solid foundation of knowledge.

The Importance of Work. In the Montessori environment, what a child does each day is referred to as “work.” Unfortunately, this is often a misinterpreted term. We use this term out of respect. Whatever occupies a child’s time—learning her letters, building a tower of blocks, or digging in the sandbox—it is of critical importance to that child, and they take it quite seriously. Our intent is to honor a child’s work as long as it is productive and respectful of those around her.

A Prepared Environment. Each day a child is given the opportunity to choose their work. In a properly prepared environment, learning will inevitably take place. Every part of our environment is a knowledge-building experience. Each activity and manipulative lays the foundation for one or more of the core components: reading, writing, mathematics, science, geography, history, cultural awareness, physical fitness, and the arts.

A Community of Respect. There are few things quite as important as building a community in which each child feels safe to grow, learn, and explore. Because of this, learning the skills of respect, courtesy, cooperation, problem-solving, and negotiation are critical. This is true not only for the relationships between students, but also between teacher and student.

For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact us.

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