The Montessori classroom is a ‘child- size world.’ Whatever is in the world outside can be incorporated meaningfully in the Montessori classroom. To a preschool age child, the world can be a bit overwhelming – it is too big, too complex and too confusing. Here a special environment is set up. The Montessori materials, unlike other preschool equipment, are designed to lead the children to the discovery of specific information and for the development of certain basic learning skills. With this opportunity for exploration, the children can realize their fullest potential at each stage of their development. Because of this, Montessori children are often viewed by observers as exceptional children.
The materials and the activities in this environment are self-correcting and are designed to stimulate independent exploration on a level that the child can understand. The children can proceed at their own pace from simple activities to more complex ones. Through this process, the child’s natural curiosity is satisfied and he begins to experience the joy of discovering the world around him. Montessori develops a love of learning. Children leave Montessori with strong fundamental academic skills, and statistics show that Montessori children continue to excel through their academic years. Our school offers a Montessori experience from the ages of 18 months to 6 years old. VFKH is the only AMI-accredited Montessori school in eastern PA.
The video below gives a nice overview of what the Montessori method strives to achieve. If you’re considering enrolling your child in a Montessori program for the first time, we encourage you to watch this video and then contact us to schedule an in-classroom observation.