The Montessori classroom is comprised four major areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language and Math.  All the material was scientifically design by Dr. Montessori to meet the needs of children while they pass through this crucial period in their lives.

Practical Life

The purpose of Practical Life is to develop concentration, independence and control of movement.  The material found in this area is related to daily living skills which may be familiar to a child, therefore easing the transition from home to school.

Sensorial

The materials and activities in this area allow children refine their five senses as well as classify sensorial impressions and sort by size, shape, color, touch, sound, and weight. The Sensorial materials is designed so that only one quality is isolate therefore making it easier for the child to perceive it.  Abstract concepts such as volume, weight and length are materialized so that the child has the opportunity to manipulate them and experience them concretely.  It is also an indirect preparation for writing and understanding relationships in math as well as developing hand eye coordination.

Language

The purpose of the Language area is the enrichment of vocabulary, phonetic recognition of sounds and letters and the development of writing and reading. Our program is a phonetic based program.  Rather then teaching the children the names of the letters, we teach them the sounds they make.  Once a child enters the class, we introduce simple sound games so that he/she begins hearing the sounds that make up words.  An example is our ‘Eye Spy Game’.  We place different objects on a table and say:  ‘I spy with my little eyes, something that starts with the sounds fffff” and the child would have to identify the flower.

French and Spanish are some of the languages introduced as second languages to help children adapt to the multi-cultural society of Vancouver.

Mathematics

The purpose of Math is to introduce numbers 1 to 1000 and to create an understanding of the four different mathematical concepts.  This is done through the introduction of the decimal system: units, tens, hundreds and thousands.  Through hands-on activities, children understand the concepts from a concrete perspective, later moving to more abstract work such as the memorization of the tables.

Geography

Children are exposed to the different ways people live around the world.  Moving from general to specific concepts, children are introduced to the 7 continents of the worlds, the countries that make up the continents and the land masses and bodies of water that are found on planet earth.

Play
Our play experiences include nature walks, outdoor exploration, and sharing what we see and discover. Children are encouraged to apply their knowledge to the environment through activities like leaf hunts, insect hunts,  and identifying different plants in nature as well as planting fruits and vegetables. They also engage in creative experiences such as LEGO building and hands-on learning that foster curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Culture Learning
We celebrate diverse cultures by inviting children to share how they celebrate their holidays, reading cultural stories together, learning different languages and songs, and hosting potlucks where families bring dishes that reflect their cultural heritage and traditions. Through these shared experiences, children begin to appreciate the richness of Canada’s multicultural mosaic and grow up with a deep respect for diversity and inclusion.