THE MONTESSORI METHOD WAS DEVELOPED IN THE 1900’S BY DR. MARIA MONTESSORI.  SHE BASED HER METHOD ON THE PREMISE THAT EACH CHILD IS BORN WITH A NATURAL CURIOSITY FOR LIFE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS, AND A DRIVE TO DEVELOP HIMSELF.  A CHILD LEARNS BEST BY USING HIS SENSES AND HAVING THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE WITH MATERIALS THAT ARE A PART OF HIS PREPARED ENVIRONMENT.

DR. MONTESSORI DESIGNED VARIOUS MATERIALS FOR THE CHILDREN TO USE INDIVIDUALLY.  ALL MATERIALS/JOBS ARE CAREFULLY MADE TO SELF-TEACH THE CHILD BY HAVING A “CONTROL OF ERROR.”  THIS CONTROL OF ERROR IS WHAT ENABLES TEACHERS TO EVALUATE THE CHILD’S UNDERSTANDING AND TO CORRECT THE CHILD WITHOUT NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENTS, BUT WITH PRAISE AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO TRY IT AGAIN.  THE GOAL IS TO MOTIVATE AND STIMULATE A CHILD’S NATURAL DESIRE TO LEARN.

WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A “PREPARED ENVIRONMENT” HERE AT CHM AGOURA HILLS FOR ALL THE CHILDREN TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND EXCEED THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL.

THE MATERIALS ARE MONTESSORI-BASED AND INCLUDE SENSORIAL, PRELIMINARY PRACTICAL LIFE ACTIVITIES, PRELIMINARY MATH, LANGUAGE, AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES WHICH SATISFY YOUR CHILD’S NEED FOR IMITATION, WORK, AND ORDER. YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCES SATISFACTION IN LEARNING TO CARE FOR HIMSELF AS MORE AND MORE INDEPENDENCE BECOMES POSSIBLE FOR HIM. THE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR PRIMARY PROGRAM. THE CHILD WILL SORT, GRASP, MAKE COMPARISONS, AND WILL BE INTRODUCED TO PHONETIC SOUNDS AND QUANTITIES. THIS HELPS THEM DEVELOP THE SMALL MUSCLE SKILL THAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL WRITER AND THE COGNITIVE SKILL THAT HE NEEDS TO FEEL FULFILLED. DETAILS ON YOUR CHILD’S BEHAVIOR AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATED IN DURING THE DAY ARE PROVIDED TO YOU IN OUR DAILY REPORT.