Explore, Learn, Grow

Children have a natural curiosity which leads them to explore, manipulate, compare and discover things about their surroundings.  In the first plane of development childen want to know what things are and how they work but not necessarily why they work the way they do.  It is therefore important for us as adults to help children gain an awareness of the life forces behind the natural processes that govern how our world functions.  Children need to become aware, appreciate and understand that these natural forces react consistently and that these reactions are predicatble.  Montessori tells us this understanding is the basis for auto-education.  Early Science experimentation is one of the best ways for children to gain what Montessori considered the sensorial foundations of intellectual development or what Piaget called physical knowledge.

The aims for the children are:

• To learn what the natural processes or forces of nature are
• To learn facts to support what they see
• To apply what they learn to themselves
• To appreciate their relationship to nature
• To understand their dependence on the earth as their home

Our school recognizes these important elements in teaching students about the world around them.  Therefore, we have designed a learning environment which incorporates the outside elements of nature and inside forces of experimentation.  The students at the Montessori Academy learn about nature through tending to their self-planted garden and walks in our adjacent wooded area.  Many of students have an opportunity to research plant and animal life at the adjacent public library.  Our environment fosters the love of learning and the love of researching creating a healthy happy self-taught child.