Children's House

Children’s House Toddlers – Ages 18 months-36 months

The toddler community at SVMS offers a unique beginning of self-development in a warm atmosphere of respect, understanding and support. Within a small group setting, our experienced teaching staff fulfills the social, physical, emotional, developmental and psychological needs of each child.

Our toddler program follows the Montessori philosophy that encourages vocabulary development, independence and self- confidence for each child. In this environment there is space for movement, individual work and room for group activities. The environment is designed to be safe and aesthetically pleasing. This freedom in a safe space is a key element of the toddler program. Through positive daily activities even the young child will gain an appreciation and respect for the environment and his peers.

The program serves toddlers with a ratio of 1:6 and serves children between the ages of 18 months to 36 months. The program operates five days a week Monday-Friday with options of half day and full day programs, partial and full week.

Children’s House Primary– Ages 2-6 years

The Montessori classroom is a prepared environment that allows children to work towards their own development, be part of a community and explore the environment around them. Children between the ages of 2 to 6 learn from direct contact with the environment by means of all the senses and through movement. The child literally absorbs everything in the environment.
At this age children are refining motor coordination, social skills, concentration, a sense of order, independence and reasoning. The teacher guides children in their whole development; physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Over a period of time, the children develop into a 'normalized community' working with high concentration and few interruptions.

The classroom is made-up of six areas: Practical Life/Art, Sensorial, Math, Language, Science and Culture. Practical Life is the foundation of a Montessori classroom and teaches the children to care for themselves and their environment. With activities such as pouring, sewing, apple cutting and polishing the children gain concentration, coordination and self-confidence. The Sensorial Area helps children to become aware of their surrounding world through refining their senses. This area also prepares the children for mathematics by teaching varying dimension and geometric shapes. Mathematics in a Montessori classroom is taught using concrete materials. Staring with the Number Rods the children learn the concept of base ten. At ages of four and five the Golden Beads are used to introduce mathematical equations. Language is part of all areas of the classroom. With a rich verbal environment the children develop vocabulary and self-expression. Through the sandpaper letters and realistic objects the children learn their letter sound and gradually begin to spell and read phonetic words. Science allows the children to explore their environment. Through books, objects, photographs and coloring the children learn about the animal kingdom, sink/float, living/non-living and magnets. Culture is an important part of the classroom. Each month is spent focusing on a different continent, including flags, celebrations, ethnic foods and the people of different nations.

Maria Montessori believed that the ultimate goal of Montessori education was world peace, for this reason culture and diversity is an essential part of the classroom.