Including:
- Mixed age classrooms, with classrooms for children aged 2½ to 5 years old
- Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options
- Uninterrupted blocks of work time
- A constructivist or "discovery" model, where students learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction
I believe that preschool aged children learn best through play, and open choice activities. The purpose of preschool is to develop social skills and foster a love for school. When young children are given the liberty to choose and act freely within an environment, they act more spontaneously, which is optimal for their development.
"Free a child's potential, and you will transform him into the world" -Maria Montessori
FAQs
Will my child be learning, or just playing?
In this program, the activities, both in centers and large group activities, are constructed to incorporate learning into play. For example a table may have legos on it, but the direction is to use five of each colored lego in your construction. This teaches children colors, counting, classification, and fine motor development.
What are the advantages to an at-home preschool versus a preschool operating in a private facility?
There are several advantage to at-home preschool. The first is that many children feel more comfortable in an at-home setting versus feeling intimidated or overwhelmed by larger preschool facilities. Also, because I am on the only teacher there is a maximum class size of six children in our program. Larger facilities can have ratios as large as two teachers and 20 preschoolers in one class!! Smaller class sizes meaning more individual attention for your child. At-home preschool also offers major savings because of the reduction of overhead for renting and maintaining a separate facility. I pass these savings directly on to the parents, meaning my program costs less than 50% of what other programs in the area are charging, and I believe is of equal or better quality.
What should my child bring/wear to preschool?
I recommend all children wear comfortable clothes that they can get dirty, as many of our projects involve some mess : ) Closed toe athletic shoes are recommended, but not required. All children need to bring with them to school is a water bottle or sippy cup with their name on it and a jacket if necessary. Children may bring backpacks if they would like, but they are not required.
Are parents allowed in the classroom?
Absolutely! Parents are allowed to stop by, unannounced, at any time while class is in session. I encourage parents who are interested in volunteering to do so as much as they would like! Some great examples of ways that parents can get involved include: reading a story to the class during circle time, preparing a large group activity such as a craft or a game, or volunteering to "float" around the classroom during open choice centers. I do recommend that parents wait a few weeks until their child is acclimated to the classroom and drop offs before volunteering, although feel free to contact me if you would like to be in the classroom sooner. There are no requirements to volunteer, and I understand that for many parents this is the only kid-free time they have, so please do not feel any pressure to volunteer either!