Frequently Asked Questions
About our Montessori Early Childhood Program
What does early childhood (EC) mean?
Early childhood, or EC, refers to the ages of children from birth to 6 years old. Some programs refer to themselves as preschools, pre-Kindergartens, Kindergartens, daycares, schools, nurseries, primary schools or childcare centers.
What ages do you serve?
Our Early Childhood program serves ages 3 to 6 years old. Children need to be 36 months old and potty trained by the first day of school.
Depending on social needs and academic development, children in our program turning 6 years of age before September 30th will be recommended to join our lower elementary.
Children are referred to by the year they are in school. Depending on the child’s birthday, they may attend our Early Childhood program for up to three years. For example, a child who is 3 years old is would be considered a 1st year student, and a child who is 5 years old a 3rd year student.
Why do you have mixed age groups? How does this work?
Mixed age groups consist of children who are combined based on their common age-appropriate developmental needs. For our 3 to 6 year old group, these children are in a period of concrete development and learn through a combination of their senses using a hands-on approach.
As these children progress through their learning and get older, these concrete concepts will flow toward more abstract concepts.
Younger children in the Montessori classroom learn from their peers, while older students gain the opportunity for leadership in the classroom. Mixed aged classrooms also negate competition and comparison that can exist in same-age groups. The children work together and take ownership of their classroom community, finding joy in the diversity offered by the mixed age group.
What will my child learn?
Children will learn lessons from a variety of curriculum including Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, Science, Social and Cultural Studies, Geography, and Art. Children will also learn how to develop independence, confidence, self-direction, problem solving, creativity, collaboration, empathy, and a passion for lifelong learning.
Do you require uniforms?
Our navy, heather gray and white school dress code can be found on the Forms page.
What materials do families need to provide?
School supplies are provided for the Early Childhood class. A list of additional materials will be sent to the families of enrolled children. This will include outdoor gear, appropriate inside shoes, and a handout on packing your child’s lunch for school.
How do you handle discipline and conflicts?
We do not use any forms of punishment or time-outs. Teachers get on the level of the children to calmly direct them or safely remove them from the situation. When the children are calm, we will discuss what happened and offer suggestions to solve the conflict. Children will learn skills of self-awareness, empathy, mindfulness, conflict resolution, cooperation and collaboration as they experience real-life social-emotional interactions.
Why should we choose your program?
Our early childhood program offers a Montessori work period, enrichment period, rest period and an outdoor nature exploration program. We have a new, beautiful campus that has been designed with the needs of your young children in our minds. The classroom is all child-sized with developmentally-appropriate materials. The outdoor space will feature a natural playground to encourage open-ended play.
As our mission states, we are committed to the child’s whole development; to providing an enriched environment for each individual to grow to their full potential academically, emotionally, socially, and globally; and to cultivating independent learners through the teachings and curriculum of Maria Montessori.