Class size: Varies from 24-35 (2 educators per class)
School day: 08h00 – 13h00; Extended day for 3rd cycle children until 14h00
The Montessori Pre-Primary classroom for this age group is a “living room” for children and is sometimes called the “casa” or “Children’s House”. The prepared environment contains a large variety of materials for the refinement of sensory perception and the development of literacy and mathematical understanding.
Children choose their activities from open shelves with self-correcting materials and work in distinct work areas – on tables or on rugs on the floor. This fosters the growth of functional independence, task persistence and self-regulation.
Opportunities are also offered for imaginative exploration leading to confident, creative self-expression. Over a period of time, the children develop into a “normalized community” working with high concentration and few interruptions. Social development is promoted through respectful, clear communication and safe, natural consequences.
The classroom includes practical life exercises which enhance the development of task organization and cognitive order through care of self, care of the environment, exercises of grace and courtesy, and refinement of physical movement and coordination.
The child is also presented with basic reading and writing, language, maths, geography, history, life sciences, music, and art and movement education.