The Pre-Primary Environment:
Ages 14 months to 3 years

“He does it with his hands, by experience, first in play and then through work. The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.”
Dr. Maria Montessori

A typical day in our pre-primary classroom will see students utilizing both the inside and outside prepared environments, using Montessori materials, and engaging in activities. Taking nature walks and playing on the large playground area allow the students to experience the outdoor environment. The Smart Start Montessori pre-primary (toddler) community serves children from ages 14 months to 3 years old. All children must be walking steadily without aid to join this community safely. The children spend their day in a carefully prepared environment that is designed to foster independence, practical life skills, sensorial exploration, and language development. The program also introduces the youngest children to ways to investigate the natural world through gardening and nature walks. The children work on fine and gross motor skills, learning to care for themselves, their classmates, and the classroom and outdoor environments. Children learn to appreciate art and music as well as engage in community experiences with songs, stories, and outdoor play.

The pre-primary (toddler) environments are designed for the youngest children to move freely between lessons and activities. Tables, chairs, benches, and cabinets are all designed to be low to the ground for better stability and access. Montessori materials are specifically designed for this age group to help develop the care of self, to increase vocabulary, and to help the child build knowledge about the world around them. Children have social interactions throughout the day, building on life skills centered around independent and group work.

The students gain confidence and independence with support from the guides and assistants. Toileting plays a big role in the work of children at this age as the guide partners with parents to provide a consistent approach both at home and at school. The child reconnects to their body through the use of cotton underpants and learns to use the toilet with the support of the guide and assistants. Children practice the coordination needed to dress themselves, gain skills through practical life lessons, and become independent in choosing work within the classroom environment.

Healthy snacks are available mid-morning for all pre-primary students, with a nutritious lunch and afternoon snack provided for children staying until 3:30 pm or 6:00 pm. Menu items include fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains to help promote proper nutrition. Hydrating with water throughout the day and milk for lunch are also encouraged. Children gain the ability to sit properly at the table and to ask for additional portions using grace and courtesy lessons from the Montessori curriculum.

The Primary Environment: Ages 3 to 6

” These very children reveal to us the most vital need of their development, saying : ‘Help me to do it alone!’ “
Dr. Maria Montessori

Students in the Primary program are introduced to a wide variety of activities designed to support and foster independence as they move toward mastery of themselves and their environment. — Carefully designed lessons in practical life, sensorial experiences, language, mathematics, and cultural subjects, including music and art, are presented by the trained Montessori guide.

The precision and beauty of the prepared environment are the perfect matches for the young child’s sensitive periods for language, movement, and order. The clear and consistent ground rules of the primary environment strengthen the child’s respect for others and their work.

Montessori materials allow the children to explore their work sensorially. Using the Montessori materials, the guide introduces new concepts in a concrete manner, thereby providing rich impressions and laying the groundwork for further study in all areas of the curriculum.

Children work in the gardens and play on the playground daily, weather permitting.

Child Centered (Not Teacher Centered) – Unlike conventional classrooms, where all children are expected to pay close attention to the teacher, our program does the opposite – the teacher is trained to closely observe your child’s interests, tendencies, and needs. You won’t see the teacher standing at the front of the classroom at a chalkboard, but rather will find them down at your child’s level, engaged with them or a small group.

Program Hours : Monday – Friday (8:15 am to 3.30 pm)
Before and Aftercare (BAC) is available :
6:30 am to 8.00 am.
3:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Elementary Environment: Ages 6 to 12

“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.”
Dr. Maria Montessori

Growing into an awareness of the world around them, the elementary student pursues knowledge in a community environment. As children transition into elementary, their worldview shifts to explore with genuine curiosity the thoughts, feelings, and actions of others. Elementary students are receptive to intense academics and show incredible ingenuity and imagination. Students in elementary classrooms build upon skills and concepts introduced in the primary environment.

Montessori materials, along with timelines and impressionistic charts, are used to introduce new concepts. As they age, students continue working to build knowledge and master academic skills in all subject areas of the curriculum as they progress on the path to independence and responsibility.

Mathematics, language, geography, history, and the cultural subjects are presented in such a manner that the reasoning mind and imagination of the elementary student are actively engaged.  Academics are supported throughout the week by specialists who teach Spanish, art, and music.

The students’ growing interest in society and their role in the bigger world are met through “Going Out” trips outside of the classroom environment and community service work both on-and off-campus. These trips and service projects become more frequent as students mature during the elementary program. As this growth occurs, Montessori materials and lessons related to the unity of the universe and the relationship of all things continue to play a key role, and students move in their education toward the abstraction of concepts.

The elementary environment is designed to meet the child’s growing social interest and provides opportunities for both individual and group work. The Smart Start Montessori Elementary Program is designed to encourage exploration, research, collaboration, and sharing. Developing independent, responsible, and capable young people, with an excitement about life and learning, is the primary goal of the elementary environments at Smart Start.

Program Hours : Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm