Athena Montessori Academy

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Montessori Programs

Over eighty years of experience have proven Dr. Montessori’s theory that a young child can learn to read, write and calculate in the same natural way that he or she learns to walk and talk, by absorbing information from the environment like a sponge. Based on her extensive observations, Dr. Montessori identified the time from birth to six years as the “Absorbent Mind” period. She felt that the goal of early childhood education should not be to fill the child with facts from a pre-selected course of studies, but rather to cultivate the child’s own natural desire to learn. This process is directed by the Montessori teachers, called “guides”, whose job it is to direct the work of the child and model appropriate behavior. Materials in the prepared environment are designed to help the child to focus his or her attention through purposeful activity so as to develop consciousness, will and self-direction. The traditional Montessori curriculum includes study in the areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, and Geography. At Athena, we also incorporate Art and Art History, Music, Organic Gardening, Foreign Languages and Physical Education for all students.

Primary Program (8:30-12:30pm half day or 8:30-3:00pm full day)

(ages three to six years) allows each child to experience the excitement of learning by his or her own choice and to perfect his or her natural tools for learning. The Montessori-trained guides direct the child and give instruction in the materials, while modeling excellent manners, interpersonal communication, problem solving and mediation skills.

Pre Primary Program (8:30-12:30pm half day or 8:30-3:00pm full day)

(ages 24 months to three years) is simpler and slower paced than the Primary program with its fundamental goal being to offer these young children a unique year of self development in a tender atmosphere of special understanding, respect and support, while preparing them for the Primary environment.

Many Montessori schools have initiated toddler classes for children 24 months to three years.  We call this program at Athena Montessori Academy Pre-Primary.  The Pre-Primary classroom is simpler and slower paced than the classroom for three to six-year olds.  Tables and chairs are smaller and the teacher-child ratio is lower.

However, this program is not a watered down version of the three to six program but is designed to prepare the child for subsequent years of Montessori education.  The Pre-Primary program offers very young children a unique year of self development in a tender atmosphere of special understanding, respect and support, while always emphasizing and modeling courtesy and grace.

Of fundamental importance is fostering the independence of each child from his or her primary caretaker.  The Montessori Pre-Primary program protects this fragile stage of development by creating a very gentle and slow parting of each adult-child couple.  As the toddlers gradually become comfortable in their new environment they learn to trust the teachers and the other children around them.

Simple sensorial, manipulative and practical life activities in the classroom respond to the toddlers’ urge to use all their senses—indeed their whole bodies—to explore everything around them. 

The Pre-Primary program also appropriately accommodates the very young child’s sensitive period for language by offering creative and intriguing concepts to expand their growing vocabularies.  Joining conversations, listening to stories, classifying objects and learning songs and poems all nurture their budding language skills.  To help smooth their initial social interactions, the toddlers also learn to use words for the feelings they experience in themselves and others.  Our program also includes group instruction in Spanish and sign-language through games and songs.

Many of the activities in the Pre-Primary program highlight the self-help skills that lead to independence.  We incorporate potty training into the curriculum, gently urge children to hang up their own coats, put on their own shoes, and to problem-solve rather than say, “I can’t”.   Since this is an age of very strong imitation the teachers constantly model appropriate social skills, good manners and consideration of others.

Through song, dance, dress-up play, physical education and gardening, the toddlers have access to a variety of large muscle activities that offer them opportunities to jump, climb, balance, crawl, skip, run and explore.  These exercises as well as creative art activities, games and puzzles are offered for each child to choose.  The freedom to choose in a safe space is crucial to the Pre-Primary program.  Freedom to choose is always tempered by two important limits that will be beneficial for a lifetime—respect for others and respect for the environment.

Athena Montessori Academy also provides gymnastics lessons (www.jumpgymnastics.com) for every toddler, once a week during their P.E. class, in order to aid in the development of their core strength, body awareness, and flexibility.  

Creative Day Program

We have created a third program in the afternoons to serve those Full Day students who are no longer napping in the Nap Room and who are not quite ready for the Extended Montessori Day in the classroom.  The teachers determine which children go to Creative Day, throughout the year and their tenure at Athena, and they move through the three programs (Nap, Creative Day and Extended Day/Zen Time) based on individual need, readiness and development.  In the Creative Day Program, two teachers lead Circle time, and a structured art or gardening activity.  There is also time for individual work with manipulatives, blocks and puzzles.  The children are escorted back to their respective classrooms before pick-up time.

After School Program (3:00-6:00pm during school year or 3:00-5:30pm during summer camp)

To accommodate our working families, we provide an engaging program which provides diverse opportunities for indoor and outdoor creative play and continued exploration. It is during the hours of the After School program that the Extra Curricular classes are offered separately in the Community Resource Center auditorium.

The After School Program is available for Athena students only.