Practical Life
The very first activities children do in a Montessori classroom
helps to develop their ability to look after themselves and
their surroundings. It is with this in mind that children are
introduced to practical life at around two years old. Our aim
is to introduce fundamental skills such as pouring, threading,
transferring and polishing as well as an appreciation of the
environment and a consideration of all things within. Our aim is
that these activities will help children develop their
co-ordination and concentration, and to gain confidence and
independence in preparation for future progress.
Sensorial
The sensorial equipment has been speciially designed to help
the child refine and develop the use of their senses. This will
help children understand concepts within the environment, e.g.
colour, temperature, size and dimensions. Due to the nature
of the equipment your child is also preparing for reading,
writing and arithmetic.
Language
This begins by first combining the sound, shape and visual
appearance of the letter. The child then starts to build 3 letter
phonic words followed by reading. The child progresses to
longer words with the common spelling patterns known as
phonograms. Writing skills are learned by colouring intricate
shapes drawn with insets, and sandpaper letters are
experienced by touch as well as by sight and sound. A wide
range of both story and reference books are always available
in the classroom.
Mathematics
We start by introducing numbers combining the sound,
shape and visual appearance of the symbol together with
the quantity. We work from simple to complex, reinforcing the
child’s existing knowledge and then moving onto new concepts
e.g. simple sums, sets and time.
Culture
We maintain a global outlook on these subjects, helping the
child to understand how they fit into their environmental
geographical, historical and cultural makeup of the world.
Projects are opportunities for group learning activities, and are
based on various themes planned carefully by our qualified and experienced staff.
We like parents to be very much involved in the nursery and
find that cultural subjects provide an excellent opportunity for
parents share your experiences and knowledge with
your child.
Creativity
These include arts and craft, enhancing the development
of the imaginative and expressive skills. Various media and
mark making activities are freely available for the child to use
throughout the day. We use both indoor and outdoor block
play with small groups of children, to foster their imagination,
problem solving skills and extend their language and thinking
skills. We also have a variety of extra-curricular visits, for
example ‘Jo-Jingles’ a music and rhythm session aimed at
helping children become confident and expressive.
If you would like a prospectus, please email stockport@holly-tree.uk