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The Montessori classroom has intentional, attractive, and exciting hands-on materials. These materials are carefully designed so that concrete tasks and simple activities lead to more complex, abstract, and challenging ones. Children are encouraged to discover, take risks, and reach their fullest potential as they select their work and proceed at their own pace. This freedom within limits is the key to developing feelings of success and accomplishment. As a result, Montessori children develop intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally. Over time, the children develop into a "normalized community," working with high concentration and few interruptions. The classroom includes the following components:

   

• The practical life exercises enhance the sense of order, concentration, coordination, and independence. For young children, mastering everyday tasks is essential to building self-confidence. Simple jobs are necessary for young children to accomplish, and these tasks teach children to concentrate and refine their skills. In addition, students grow to care for themselves and others by learning the importance of completing a task, cleaning up, and returning materials to the appropriate place, ready for the next person to use. As a result, the children are motivated to learn and excel and, consequently, are empowered by satisfaction and self-confidence.

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• The lessons in grace and courtesy teach children how to play and work together in a peaceful and caring community. Everyday kindness and courtesy are vital practical life skills. Montessori children come to understand and accept that we all have responsibilities to other people. They learn to handle new situations and challenges as they become increasingly independent. They develop a clear sense of values and social conscience and absorb every day ethics and interpersonal skills from the earliest years.

 

• The sensorial materials enable the child to order, classify, discriminate, and describe sensory impressions in relation to length, width, temperature, mass, color, etc. 

 

• The Montessori math materials give the students a hands-on experience to make abstract concepts clear and concrete. One of the main principles of the Montessori program is that understanding is a matter of seeing and touching. Concrete manipulative materials allow the child to internalize the concepts of numbers, symbols, sequences, operations, and memorization of basic facts. In addition, specially designed Montessori materials enable children to understand mathematical principles better.

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• The Montessori language work includes oral language development, written expression, reading, grammar, creative dramatics, and children's literature. Basic writing and reading skills are developed through sandpaper letters (loose alphabet letters) and various presentations allowing children to link sounds and symbols effortlessly and express their thoughts in writing.

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• Cultural studies and geography allow children to explore the larger world. As part of a rich exploration of the world's different cultures, students learn about the people, terrain, and animals of each continent. Also, cultural studies are explored through history and geography materials such as maps, globes, land and water forms, presentations, and projects.

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• Life sciences introduce children to the physical world that surrounds them with the opportunity to explore real things and learn the scientific names of plants and animals. Areas studied include zoology, botany, and earth science.

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• Art is an essential component of learning. Children have access to different art materials for creative expression and the opportunity to learn about other artists and mediums of art. 

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• Music and movement play an essential role in the school curriculum. Children learn songs in English and Spanish, rhythm, chants, and dances. They also listen to different cultural themes and look at dances that coincide. On Fridays, a Montessori-trained music teacher comes to school and integrates music with storytelling and movement.

               

The classroom has an elliptical line on the rug. This is generally used for "walking on the line" activities that help children develop gracefulness and the "silence game," where children can practice sitting without sound. The line is also frequently used for a large group gathering area. It is here where the class meets as a whole. Our course will always have at least two large group gatherings each day. One will serve as an opening gathering and precede a more individualized work period. The other will serve as closing or transitional group time preceding the next activity (i.e., outdoors, lunch, dismissal, etc.). The group gatherings may also be used for large group presentations of materials, movement, music activities, group celebrations, games, and discussions.