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Our Programme
Palmerston North’s early childhood education specialists
At Montessori Educare, we offer an innovative early childhood education programme based on the Montessori philosophy. Based on the work of Maria Montessori, our Palmerston North educators offer your child a unique and comfortable environment to stimulate learning and exploration. Children are given the freedom to learn at their own pace according to their own interests within a structured setting. We advocate independence while promoting social interaction and teamwork.
Practical Life
For young children there is something special about tasks which an adult considers ordinary – washing dishes, preparation of food, pouring liquids, tying shoe laces, and caring for plants etc. They are exciting to children because they allow them to imitate adults. Imitation is one of the strongest urges during children’s early years. In this area of the classroom children perfect their coordination and become absorbed in activity. They gradually lengthen their span of concentration. They also learn to pay attention to details as they follow a regular sequence of actions.
The child soon develops a perception of themselves as a capable and competent person, able to approach tasks with confidence. Finally, they learn good working habits as they finish each task and put away all the materials before beginning another activity.
The child soon develops a perception of themselves as a capable and competent person, able to approach tasks with confidence. Finally, they learn good working habits as they finish each task and put away all the materials before beginning another activity.
Sensorial
Children work with materials that encourage them to focus and refine their senses, to observe in greater detail, to hear, taste, smell or feel with more awareness.
These skills enable them to understand and appreciate the physical world more fully. Children learn to use precise vocabulary – from adjectives such as long, short, broad, narrow, deep, shallow, to naming the sphere, cube, cylinder, prism and pyramid.
These skills enable them to understand and appreciate the physical world more fully. Children learn to use precise vocabulary – from adjectives such as long, short, broad, narrow, deep, shallow, to naming the sphere, cube, cylinder, prism and pyramid.
Music
Music appreciation is cultivated and children are introduced to songs and styles from around the world. Music is used as subtle background noise during work and play, as a signal for a new activity, as an integral part of the cultural curriculum and as a form of celebration, expression and fun.
Art
Children have the freedom to explore their imaginations through a variety of mediums.
Each classroom has an allocated space for the arts where children can spend time painting, drawing and working with different creative materials.
Each classroom has an allocated space for the arts where children can spend time painting, drawing and working with different creative materials.
Science & Nature
Children are encouraged to observe, analyse, classify, predict and measure, using hands-on materials. The children’s natural curiosity is stimulated through discovery projects and experiments, helping the children draw their own conclusions.
They experiment with concepts such as magnetic fields, pulleys, plant growth and colour. The plan and animal kingdoms are studied in an orderly fashion to foster a love and appreciation for all living things.
They experiment with concepts such as magnetic fields, pulleys, plant growth and colour. The plan and animal kingdoms are studied in an orderly fashion to foster a love and appreciation for all living things.
Mathematics
Dr Montessori demonstrated that access to mathematical equipment in early years attributed to mathematic aptitude later in life. She designed materials to represent all quantities and found that children preferred to touch and move items as they enumerate them.
By interacting with these materials, children grasp the basic operations of maths. In our classrooms, children are offered a range of mathematical materials to stimulate curiosity and assist them in understanding the principles of mathematics.
By interacting with these materials, children grasp the basic operations of maths. In our classrooms, children are offered a range of mathematical materials to stimulate curiosity and assist them in understanding the principles of mathematics.
Language
In a Montessori classroom, children learn the phonetic sounds of the letters before they learn the alphabetical names in a sequence. The phonetic sounds are given first because these are the sounds they hear in words that they need to be able to read. The children first become aware of these phonetic sounds when the teacher introduces the consonants with Sandpaper Letters.
Reading instruction begins on the day when the children want to know what a word says or when they show interest in using the Sandpaper Letters. Writing, or the construction of words with the moveable alphabet letters, nearly always precedes reading in a Montessori environment. Children are encouraged to build words using the Moveable Alphabet, and then progress to decoding printed words.
Reading instruction begins on the day when the children want to know what a word says or when they show interest in using the Sandpaper Letters. Writing, or the construction of words with the moveable alphabet letters, nearly always precedes reading in a Montessori environment. Children are encouraged to build words using the Moveable Alphabet, and then progress to decoding printed words.
Cultural Studies
Children gain an awareness of the world around them by exploring other countries, their customs, food, music, climate, language and animals. This helps to raise their consciousness about other people, to gain an understanding and tolerance and, therefore, compassion for all people in the world.
This is done through the aid of materials such as globes, maps and flags and through learning the names of the continents, countries and oceans. The children study collections of pictures and objects from different parts of the world to gain an understanding of the different habitats, climates and geographical features to be found.
This is done through the aid of materials such as globes, maps and flags and through learning the names of the continents, countries and oceans. The children study collections of pictures and objects from different parts of the world to gain an understanding of the different habitats, climates and geographical features to be found.
Physical Education
Montessori Educare gives children many opportunities through free play and structured activities to develop their fine and gross motor skills. Our activities across the curriculum encourage movement and coordination to complete tasks and reach a desired outcome.
We give children the opportunity to explore sports materials and playing with other children to understand their own capabilities and how to move with others.
We give children the opportunity to explore sports materials and playing with other children to understand their own capabilities and how to move with others.
Grace and Courtesy
Learning to work and play alongside others is a vital practical life skill. Grace and courtesy lessons provide the foundation for creating an environment where children are able to move freely independently and happily.
Through lessons on concepts that promote socially accepted customs and manners (such as saying please, thank you and talking quietly indoors) the children are empowered to be self aware, responsible and competent/independent.
Through lessons on concepts that promote socially accepted customs and manners (such as saying please, thank you and talking quietly indoors) the children are empowered to be self aware, responsible and competent/independent.
Extra Curricular Activities
Montessori Educare children are involved in a number of extracurricular activities each week. We believe it is beneficial for children to be exposed to a variety of different experiences to help them reach their full potential.
