An Italian educator and scientist known for developing the Montessori Method currently used all around the world for teaching children of all ages, Dr. Maria Montessori wrote that the period between birth to age 3 is when your child’s brain develops more rapidly than at any other time, and more learning takes place than at any other stage of development. 5 differences between the MSOSV Nido (Infant) and traditional Daycare/Home Daycare 1. The Environment – Calm and Orderly vs. Controlled Chaos The Montessori Nido Environment is designed with open spaces that incorporates high

When is it safe for my child to return to preschool? When talking with parents about their readiness to return their child to school, by far the most common response I hear is “we’re watching the numbers to decide when it’s safe to return…”. Being located in the Silicon Valley, the parents in our school community are well educated professionals so this comment confounds me. As an owner of multiple Montessori preschools I assure you that no one has been watching the numbers more closely since early March than our leadership team. What I have

Now Your 5 year-old is a Leader By the third year of their cycle, Montessori Kindergarten children have been waiting two years to become one the older, students in the class – they are now the “Leaders”. The Montessori Kinders naturally help the younger children do their work, even giving them lessons. Time and time again, research has shown that when one person is teaching another, the “teacher” often learns just as much, if not more, than the other student. Every day in the Montessori classroom we see it: Teaching reinforces learning. Beyond Academic Achievement Kinders

The Explosion into Reading in the Kindergarten Year “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela During their three years in the Primary classroom the children move from verbal language to the written word; first by expressing their own thoughts in writing and then by reading the thoughts of others.  Dr. Montessori called this The Explosion into Reading.  Their practice includes: Verbal activities provide the foundation for writing and reading Learning the sounds and the symbols of the letters through the Sandpaper Letters (associating the sound with the symbol) Building words with the

“History should not be taught as a collection of dates and places. But rather be approached to arouse gratitude and appreciation. This gratitude should be aroused first to the law and order of the universe and the preparation of the environment into which human beings came.” ~ Dr. Maria Montessori Appreciation for the Parents of Young Children Today I had the opportunity to be with a 2 ½ year old.  Her name is Aida.  What a truly remarkable little lady, Aida. It was the end of the day, I had met Aida before but

Now Your 5 year-old is a Leader By the third year of their cycle, Montessori Kindergarten children have been waiting two years to become one the older, students in the class – they are now the “Leaders”. The Montessori Kinders naturally help the younger children do their work, even giving them lessons. Time and time again, research has shown that when one person is teaching another, the “teacher” often learns just as much, if not more, than the other student. Every day in the Montessori classroom we see it: Teaching reinforces learning. Beyond Academic Achievement Kinders

Montessori Kindergarten: The value of the 3rd year Montessori Classroom Your family has been in a Montessori school for some time now.  Your child loves her teachers, the school is warm, friendly – everyone feels secure and at home. The Montessori school is purposely designed to provide this experience. Given that many children spend as much time in our classrooms as they do at home, this is so important. …for Kindergarten? Before you know it, your little one is turning 5 and the time has come to start thinking about “school” – without the “pre-“. You are

Montessori Kindergarten & Elementary The third year of the Montessori primary program (Kindergarten) is the culmination of the child’s social, emotional and academic experiences. By solidifying all the learning and experiences from the previous two years, the third year also prepares children for the next plane of educational development: the Elementary level. As the third year progresses and consideration regarding the next steps in their child’s educational journey begin, parents are faced with concerns and questions on multiple issues. Many things to consider The cost of tuition, school location, social impact, academic curriculum… these are amongst the

The Road to Writing and Reading in the Montessori Classroom The Montessori environment is rich in language.  Whether through conversation or language games, the young child is surrounded by vocabulary on their path to writing and reading in the Montessori classroom. At the Montessori School of Silicon Valley, we use a phonetic approach to writing and reading.   Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing by developing the ability to hear and identify sounds of the English language. Dr. Montessori believed that writing comes before reading.  Her position was that writing is

How to Select the Best Montessori School for Your Child With four campus locations, every day we have visitors at the Montessori School of Silicon Valley. Whether they are prospective families, teachers/administrators from Montessori schools observing our classrooms or grandma & grandpa picking up, our visitors frequently comment on a handful of things that stand out about our sites. Most frequently visitors notice the meticulously maintained environment that our Montessori Lead Guides have crafted specifically to put the needs of the children first (always!) as well as to be a place where children