Avon Montessori School

From the Director:

All Montessori curriculum is teacher taught, and led initially, then the child is encouraged to practice and repeat until a skill is mastered. In Montessori, we call the learning activities in the classroom "work". We like to describe it often as play with a purpose. Some examples of a child's "work" may be: washing a baby doll, building a castle, coloring the Animals of Asia, counting objects, working with additon, or multiplication, weighing and measuring, feeding the rabbit, or tortoise, etc. Children are free to explore their learning environment, but have guidance and direction when needed. If for example, a child is struggling with choosing a work, or completing a work, a teacher engages the child. Otherwise the teacher is observing the children closely, and taking mental and physical notes on their progress. It is the job of a Montessori teacher to know where each child is developmentally, so she/he can assist the child in appropriate choices.

All teachers are AMS certified Pre-primary. The Montessori curriculum follows the child, so it is not difficult to work with children on all levels. All children are "different" and unique.

Mission: Grounded by the lifelong works of Dr. Maria Montessori, our program supports the learning needs (intellectually, physically, and spiritually) of the whole child through the collaborative effort of our teachers and staff, parents, and the community.
Philosophy: Every child has the unconditional right to an early childhood education that:
1. Fosters a life-long love of learning.
2. Provides a safe, prepared and age appropriate environment which enables the child to reach his/her innate learning potential.
3. Supports the whole child.

We encourage active, self-directed learning. We begin and end our day with group time, where we communicate with one another, sing, read, and share about our experiences.
Our students are then guided in a sequential, yet flexible environment that allows for independence and creativity. Children work alone, and together.
Our classroom when weather permits, flows from indoors to outdoors. Our outdoor space is a working classroom with visiting farm animals.
We do not have formal playground equipment. We have stepping stones, balance beam trees, sanding logs, gardens, recycling and worm ranches. Our children have access to outdoor tools, shovels, rakes, balls, hoops, magnefying glasses, binoculars, nets, paints, chalk, etc.

We have formal and informal conferences with parents throughout the year. Each child entering Kindergarten has a formal screening to assess reading levels, and Kindergarten readiness.

Parents are always welcome at AMS. Children with separation anxiety are handles with gentleness are care. Each child is allowed to master his/her feelings of separation at their own pace.