703-481-2922Kindergarten
Extended Primary EducationThe Importance of the Kindergarten Year in a Montessori Classroom
Extended Learning
After spending the morning in their regular Montessori classrooms, the Kindergarten children gather together for more intense studies from 1 – 3 p.m. The afternoon begins with a group lesson on one of a variety of special topics. These topics are explored in several ways, including reading stories using the Great Books series, stem, French, music, sewing and craft projects, graphing, child-made books, and murals.
In zoology lessons, the children study the five classes of vertebrate animals, as well as insects, arachnids, and ocean invertebrates. In botany lessons, topics include trees and leaves, seeds, and flowers. An in-depth look at each of the seven continents is covered in our geography lessons. Several field trips to the National Zoo bring these subject areas together.
Public School challenges
Children in Montessori programs often have a deeper understanding of what they are learning and why they are learning it; they are not simply memorizing useless information. It’s not uncommon for Montessori graduates to read and understand math far better than their public school peers.
Advantage Kindergarten
Traditional kindergarten certainly has benefits and some children do better in that environment. However, there are numerous advantages to keeping your child in a Montessori program for their third year.
01. First Two Years Lessons
In the kindergarten year, concepts that children have been learning for the past two years start to become internalized and solidified. Montessori education is cumulative; it slowly builds a solid, meaningful foundation on which further and more abstract learning can take place. In the kindergarten year, the seeds that were planted over the course of the first two years are harvested. All the preparation they had (such as practical life and sensorial) now guides them in academic subjects.
02. Support from a familiar teacher and classmates
Your child has spent two years with his teachers and they know him very well; they know his strengths and what challenges him. He has grown comfortable in his environment and knows what to expect. Your child also knows most of his classmates. He’s surrounded by a warm and supportive community
03. Becoming a leader for the younger students
By the third year of their Montessori cycle, children have been waiting two years to become one of the older students in the class—the leaders. The five-year-olds in the classroom often help the younger children do their work, even teaching them lessons. Time and time again, research has shown that when one child is teaching another, the “teacher” often learns just as much, if not more, than the other student. Teaching reinforces learning.
Not only does teaching younger children facilitate learning but it helps the five-year-old develop independence, leadership, and self-confidence skills.
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Curriculum
Learning Focus
The obvious of education and future depends on how the child identify their true interest. Here the child is introduced to the basics of every academic subject.
Geography
Geography Children are introduced physical and cultural geography through the use of wooden puzzle maps, activities with objects from other countries, and international celebrations and snacks throughout the year. Songs, stories and games are incorporated into daily routines as we “travel” the globe visiting a different continent each month.
Art Painting, color mixing, collage, and printmaking are just some of the activities provided to show the care and use of art materials, to encourage creativity, and just to have fun!
Mathematics
Math is a concrete experience in the Montessori classroom. The children are constantly manipulating objects in their efforts to understand number concepts. The early materials are designed to teach the very basics, such as the quantity and symbols of the numbers one to ten. Spindle boxes allow the child to see what “nothing” or zero looks like. Moving toward the more advanced materials, bead bars teach concepts ranging from units, tens, hundreds, and thousands, to addition, multiplication, subtraction and division. These traditional materials are supplemented with teacher-made games and materials for learning a variety of simple concepts, such as time, money, and fractions.
Sciences
Science activities are nature-based, and include the study of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, a variety of plant types, and environments around the world that support this wide range of flora and fauna. Love and respect for all life are emphasized.
Music
In the primary program children participate in a music class once a week. The weekly lessons provide an opportunity for singing, movement, listening, exploring musical instruments, and exploring musical concepts. Each lesson concludes with a demonstration on a musical instrument. Kindergarten students are introduced to reading and “writing” musical notation and are taught to play several simple musical instruments.
Reston Montessori Kindergarten Class Gallery
Testimonials
What Parents are Saying
A review on greatschools.org
Our daughters have been attending Reston Montessori since September.Coming from a traditional education environment to Montessori learning transitioned them into a thoughtful learner. They questions processes and asks why, instead of adapting to doing the same thing over and over again the same way. Their kind teachers and adorable Director let you trust and believe that everything they are teaching will be carried with them in their future . I would recommend Reston Montessori to any parent who wants to provide their child the opportunity to grow outside the boundaries of traditional education and allow the child to find their hidden strengths and build on them.
A review on greatschools.org
I have been sending my toddler here and we absolutely love it! She’s thriving and learning so much. She had met every developmental milestone months early. The teachers are so caring, nurturing, and loving to all of the children. I can’t say enough good things about RMS.
A review on greatschools.org
My daughter is thriving beautifully at RMS – I couldn’t be more happy with her progress and we’ve only just begun. The teachers are kind, patient and incredibly supportive of her growth. I’m provided direct, specific and constructive feedback so I can echo the Montessori Method at home and help my baby girl continue to achieve the tasks she SO wants to master. The administrative staff is very helpful and they communicate consistently which is a nice change of pace from our last school. I know my daughter is learning and growing every day — she’s safe, happy, challenged and supported. So thrilled I made the move to RMS!!