The goals of the Toddler/Prep class are to give the child a positive first experience at school and to help him/her gain independence and self-confidence.The Toddler/Prep class may be one of the child’s first opportunities to begin to learn the negotiations of socialization. Children and their families are helped through the separation process and invited into a warm Montessori environment.

Trained teachers provide practical life activities, sensorial exploration, art media exploration, and pre-reading/pre-math experiences. Language development is aided through songs, stories, and social interactions with peers and teachers. The Toddler/Prep class brings out the 18 month to three year olds’ capacity for fun and joy in learning.

These classes are held from 9 AM to noon and 1 PM to 4 PM , depending on location. The Primary class offers children a multi-age community in which to explore the Montessori prepared environment. This multi-age grouping (ages 3-5 years) is successful because the older child learns by being the leader in the classroom, and the younger child learns by observing the older child. This environment is intended to serve the child for three years.

The overall goals of this classroom are order, concentration, coordination, and independence. The children enjoy self-directed activities and experiences in the different areas of the classroom. Each area of the classroom — practical life, sensorial, language, math, cultural subjects (sciences), and art/music — is designed to invite the child to choose focused, purposeful work.

The children come together daily at circle for songs, poems, stories, demonstrations of work, games, and opportunities for expressive language and social development. The Preschool/Prekindergarten class supports the child’s sense of wonder and blossoming personhood.