Our Programs

During the first 3 years of life, the child´s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time in their life. Early and adequate stimulation is necessary for the connection between neurons to develop, allowing them to learn and thrive. In these first three years of life, children go through a "sensitive" period for developing sensory pathways related to hearing, language and higher cognitive function. This means that during this vital period, children create these neurological pathways with ease, absorbing everything from their environment naturally. In addition, positive interactions during these years play a crucial role in the social-emotional development of the child.

Our Toddler program is based around these scientifically proven facts, and uses the Montessori method to provide children with a stimulating environment designed to maximize their natural ability to develop communication, motor and social skills. This sensitive period of development is characterized by building physical and biological independence.

At the age of 3, our children move up to our "Casa", the name given by Maria Montessori to the classroom for children between the ages of 3 and 6 (Casa di Bambini). Just like the toddlers, children after the age of 3 start experiencing a new sensitive period. This new period is characterized by the child´s desire to participate (and mimic) in the adult world. Children begin to assert their independence by wanting to "do things for themselves". In our Casa classroom, we draw upon this natural desire to perfect fine motor skills with exercises in Practical Life, which lead into a proper pencil grip and allows them to begin experiencing the world of writing. As they express a curiosity for literacy, we being learning the sounds of letters, and introduce them to phonics, teaching them to put together sounds in order to spell (read) words. It is in this prepared environment that children also begin to wonder about numbers and mathematics, and as they show interest, we expose them to quantities, numerals and operations. In our Culture area, we explore geography, botany, history, animals, and the world around us. It is vital that during this period, children develop a sense of order and responsibility, and in the classroom, they are in charge of taking care of materials, and placing them back on the shelves. Within a framework of "freedom of choice and movement", our Casa students are exposed to all the areas of the Montessori curriculum, and their teachers plan and execute individualized learning plans for each one of them, giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence they will need in "big school".