Toddler & 3-6 Year Old Program

An adult stepping into one of our classrooms for toddlers or 3 to 6 year old children might feel a bit out of place because it has been very carefully and thoughtfully designed for meeting the needs of young children. From the materials placed low on the shelves to the child-sized classroom sinks, every aspect of the classroom environment has been prepared to help our students be comfortable with their surroundings and to be successful learners. Dr. Montessori believed that this “prepared environment” is the child’s teacher.

SPMS opened its doors to a new and exciting toddler program in August 2009. Children aged 1 1/2 to 3 years are taking their first steps into a Montessori classroom, exploring independence, respect for others and the environment, and social awareness. Each child can choose his or her own work or just observe from a quiet spot in the room. The teachers guide each child based on the individual child's needs, helping the child to feel nurtured, safe, and supported.

Our multi-age 3-6 year old classrooms are one of the most important aspects of the prepared environment. Often the older children become the caretakers of the younger ones, much like siblings in a family. As the older students teach the younger ones, they become more confident in their own abilities.

The Montessori curriculum revolves around the “classic” materials. These beautiful materials are specially designed learning tools that lend themselves to be manipulated by the children and are meant to build on the developmental aims of order, concentration, coordination, self-confidence, and independence. The four main categories of the materials are: practical life, sensorial, math, and language. These materials progress from simple to more abstract and complex. As each student matures and/or becomes ready, they are guided towards new activities. Realizing that children absorb knowledge from their environment makes it very important that we give our children every aspect of a carefully prepared classroom; we want our students to have every opportunity for success.

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." Maria Montessori

Spend a moment in a 3-6 classroom . . .
Excerpted from "Notes on Observation"
by Katey Schultz

"All at once there are a million things to say. I did not take notes . . .my eyes were simply too busy. The energy in the room was fantastic. The noise level was even greater with the Primary students and I am immediately impressed with (the teachers') calmness in the face of constant sleeve tugging, requests for help, assisting in lessons, and so forth. These two (teachers) are simply amazing.

When I close my eyes and think of what happened that morning I see a blur of bright colors, but there are several moments that stick out to me. One of my favorites was to observe a young boy named Gavin. He has a sense of humor and when he laughs his mouth opens wide and he throws his head back and gets lost in his own chuckle for a few breaths. He is a joy to watch. He busies himself with markers and paper for 15-20 minutes, a near eternity compared to the other tasks he attempts that morning.

While he is drawing he enters his own world. He is fully engaged with the markers when he holds them. He sings to them and talks to them as if they were alive. Then he transitions, becoming the marker: 'I'm breaking down walls, I'm breaking down walls,' he repeats as he moves the bright blue line across intersection after intersection on the page. Occasionally he changes colors but his focus is on the movement involved in the act of drawing. He is standing up, the small chair long forgotten behind him, and his arms and torso move along with the motion of his wrist as he draws. There is no way this experience can be replicated; if this picture makes it home to Gavin's refrigerator, there will be no way to explain the complexity and purity of the experience Gavin is having in the moment. This is flow. By the time he is finished he has two drawings that look like scribbles and spirals of no import, but he is satisfied with his work and picks up after himself before moving on to the next activity.

My second favorite part of the day is when we go on a 'hike.' This is the walk to the park along the river in Spruce Pine. It takes ages to get there because we are all holding on to a rope and taking tiny, careful steps. Outside, (the teacher) takes on the 'protector' role . . . the Montessori guide has many roles, and one of them involves making sure that the students are protected in the prepared environment. The intensity of this role increases . . . whenever you take your students 'out' into the 'real world.' I think it is a lot like carrying an egg on a spoon up eighty flights of stairs. It can be done successfully with practice, patience, total awareness, and focus-but it's not easy!

There is something about this whole experience that feels like coming home. The materials in this classroom seem endless. There are so many things to do; so many exciting choices. The classroom is brightly decorated and of course, the furniture is made just for the students. There are lots of art supplies, and a special place to go for each item that might be in need. There are aprons and mats and each student has a name card that he/she can place on a mat if they get up to tend to something else for a moment. What a profound impact the Montessori environment can have on us! After just ten hours of observation, I was left with lots to think about . . ."