Our vision is to provide children with a head-start in life,
fostering a love for learning by providing positive
learning experiences that educate.
Growing Stars Montessori is – Education through experience.
Our Montessori Philosophy focuses on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. We deliver a blended curriculum that incorporates the Montessori Early Years Learning Programmes and the Early Years Learning Framework.
We develop each child’s innate desire to learn by planning our environment and learning experiences based on a child’s interests, natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
We value inclusion and access for all children. We believe that all children’s learning styles must be considered when planning the environment and the program. We support all children to have the freedom to learn at their own pace and achieve their potential.
We value the development of the whole child which includes physical, social, cognitive and emotional development. This is supported through the strong partnership we foster with families; we encourage them to participate in their child’s learning.
Our environment and program are planned and prepared to support spontaneous learning and intentional teaching. We guide activities and lessons through the presentation of materials. We empower children and boost their confidence as we carefully scaffold learning and gently stand back when children are making new discoveries and mastering new skills.
We believe that through investigation and discovery, children have the intelligence and ability to direct their own learning.
Give your child the gift of a love of learning in our Montessori Classroom.
Growing Stars Montessori preschool program is where young children first begin to experience and contribute to being part of a community.
The environment is light and colourful.
The bright materials and activities attract the children to explore and engage in all areas at their own pace.
There is freedom of movement in the classroom, outside and everywhere in-between.
The classes are structured in a traditional Montessori way, with children between 2 and 6 years of age interacting together, learning from and assisting each other.
They are developing physical independence, social skills and confidence in their increasing competence and knowledge.
The children’s day starts at 8:30 and finishes at 3:30. Group discussions, mid-morning snacks and outside play are part of the morning’s activities, with music and movement twice a week as well as physical exercises and games.
This routine provides the self-discipline necessary to nurture developing skills.
Qualifications:
Diploma in early childhood development – Montessori – Ages 2-9yrs
Who was Maria Montessori?
Our school adheres to the unique philosophy set out in the 19th century by Dr Maria Montessori.
Maria Montessori was a brilliant physician and educator born in Italy in the late 19th century. She is most famous for her studies and research on the development of children.
By 1920, she had become an advocate for children’s rights, with her work attracting global attention. Her books and papers were translated into many languages, and by 1950, more than 4000 schools were teaching her methodologies in dozens of countries.
Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for her work which has fundamentally changed how we view children as well as how they mentally and socially develop. Her philosophy and studies have inspired further research and refined our understanding of just how important education is for young minds.
Based on Maria Montessori’s time-tested approach to development, students are introduced to five different areas of instruction over the course of a three-year learning cycle.
Practical Life exercises help to instil care for self, for others, and the environment. Activities include tasks children see as part of the daily routine in their homes, such as pouring, scooping, buttoning and sorting. Through these tasks, children obtain muscular coordination, enabling movement and the exploration of their surroundings. They learn to work on something from beginning to end and develop their control, concentration, and observation powers.
Sensorial Materials serve as tools for development. Children build cognitive skills and learn to order and classify items by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting, listening, and exploring the physical properties of their environment. This helps stimulate their powers of deduction.
In Montessori classrooms, reading is taught with the ‘phonetic’ method. We help children learn the sounds of the letters in preparation for reading and word building. Once sounds are mastered, children learn to build words, starting with three letters, then on to four-letter terms, until they are ready to read more advanced materials. These are mastered through a series of games as well as carefully designed and structured materials.
Our culture curriculum explores the areas of art, science, botany, geography and history. Children are introduced to these areas by learning about cultures around the world. Working with these materials helps them become aware that they are part of a larger family of humanity and teaches them to nurture understanding and respect for others.
Early math activities help children learn and understand numbers by working with our Montessori materials. The idea of symbol vs. quantity is introduced quite early. Children are taught to understand the concept of tens throughout working with these activities. This work gives them a solid understanding of basic mathematical principles, prepares them for later abstract reasoning, and helps to develop problem-solving capabilities.
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Your goal? To give your child the best possible start in life. Ours? To provide the best possible early education to nurture your child’s development. If you have any questions or would like to visit our childcare centre, please send us a message!
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For inquiries or registration, please call or email us.