Infant

Infant Program

Citing the child’s staggering capacity to learn, Maria Montessori said that “Education…should begin at birth”. In fact, current research on the baby brain concurs that the first year of a baby’s life provides a critical foundation for all future learning. This has profound implications for what we should be doing for our babies in both the home and at school.

Infant Program– 6 weeks to 24 months

Curriculum

  • Motor Skill Development– grasping, clutching, movement, tossing, catching, rolling, crawling, walking
  • Sensory Development– touching, feeling, listening
  • Language Development– reading time, speech development
  • Music and Movement– dancing, singing, outdoor play
  • Shapes and Colors– identifying and forming shapes
  • Artistic Development– art and construction projects
  • Play and Rest
infant

Toddlers

Toddler Program

“A child in his earliest years, when he is only two or a little more, is capable of tremendous achievements.” said by –Maria Montessori,

The Montessori Toddler classroom is a unique environment where children between the ages of two years and three years develop their intellect, movement, and language. Under the guidance of their teachers, children gain self-confidence as they work independently at their own pace with carefully designed materials that encourage logical thought, creativity, and responsibility. The environment abounds with opportunities to practice hand-eye coordination, appreciate music, and develop balance through artistic, musical, and kinesthetic activities.

Toddlers Program– 2 to 3 years of age

Curriculum

  • Motor Skill Development– hands on activities, outdoor play, tossing, catching
  • Cognitive Development– puzzles, games recognizing shapes, numbers, colors
  • Language Development– reading, recognizing and forming letters, storytelling, speech
  • Artistic Development– art projects, construction projects, dramatic play
  • Social Development– large and small group activities, sharing, politeness
  • Sensory Development– textures, understanding the senses, descriptive activities

Preschool

Preschool Program

From birth to three years old, the young child unknowingly or unconsciously acquires his basic abilities. He learns to speak, to walk, to gain control of his hands and to master his bodily functions. Once these basic skills are incorporated into his schema, by about three years old, he moves into the next phase of the absorbent mind, which Dr. Montessori called the Conscious Absorbent Mind. During this phase, the child is concerned with self-construction and forming a basis for the human personality. This is a self-centered time of development. This is the most active time for brain development; dendrites in the brain continue to form. The child’s mathematical mind compels him to perfect in himself that which is now there. His fundamental task during this phase is freedom; freedom to move purposefully, freedom to choose and freedom to concentrate. His mantra is “Let Me Do It Myself!”

The classroom is a child-centered model for individualized, active learning within the framework of an integrated curriculum. It is called “the prepared environment.” The “prepared environment” is carefully planned so that the “materials for development” are scientifically arranged and the child can spontaneously explore and progress at his or her own individual pace.

Preschool Program– 3 to 5 years of age

Curriculum

  • Motor Skill Development– outdoor games, dancing, movement
  • Language Development– recognizing and forming letters, story time, speech and introduction to phonics. Specific exercises build skills in discriminating and analyzing sounds, laying a foundation in phonetic skills that prepare a child for reading.
  • Imaginative Development– arts & crafts, dramatic play story telling
  • Social Development– large and small group activities, sharing, cooperation
  • Mathematical Development– Introduction to mathematical concepts. Mathematics is taught with materials that introduce children to the concept of quantity and number symbols. Children are introduced to geometric shapes and relationships.
  • Geography/Social Studies– To help the child become aware, understand and appreciate the history and diversity of world cultures, the reality of human interdependence, and the need for world cooperation by understanding the basic Needs of Man. To examine and explore the physical (geographical) and political (cultural) context by:
    • Providing identifying language
    • Sensorial input of shapes
    • Comparing and contrasting cultures
  • Science– To examine and explore the plant and animal world through awareness and exposure to the life that surrounds the child by:
    • Providing identifying language
    • Asking questions
    • Providing explanations
    • Demonstrating simple experiments
    • Drawing and writing
    • Enabling the child to care for his/her environment

Kindergarten / elementary

Kindergarten/Elementary

Our Elementary classroom is a dynamic learning environment where a child’s education doesn’t just stop at the basics. Our program goes well beyond, nurturing an elementary child’s natural curiosity about the world. Critical thinking, independent research, and problem solving are regular, integral parts of our daily curriculum.

Montessori methods are very hands-on. Our students can take a physical square of 5 and see how it can be repeated 5 times, until they hold an actual cube of 5 (53) in their hands. They can roll out the Timeline of Life on Earth and see the vast spans of time that passed before our human ancestors evolved. From learning basic arithmetic functions to understanding more complex concepts like the passage of time, we explore a subject from many different angles.

This also means taking the time with each student to make sure they understand a concept before they go on to a more complex one. Our instruction is highly individualized. Children move on in a subject based on their actual understanding and mastery of it, not an arbitrary time table.

Afterschool

Afterschool for Elementary

Lake Forest Montessori allows you to have peace of mind that your child will be experiencing more than just daycare after school.

Snack and help with homework

The after school and enrichment program includes homework assistance, silent reading, academic enrichment in Math and Language Arts, arts and crafts, organized sports activities, recreational activities and afternoon snacks. There is an option of signing up for the 3-, 4-, or 5-day program. A great way to maximize your child’s afternoon time is to sign them up for after school programs provided by the Lake Forest Montessori.

Language classes

Language Classes

Dr. Montessori identified the period from 0-6yrs as the critical period for acquiring language. The best time for a child to learn another language is in the first six years of life. Studies show that speaking a second language boosts cognitive, memory, and listening skills. Language learning is a natural process when children are young.

At Lake Forest Montessori we offer Spanish, Hindi and Mandarin classes for children enrolled in our preschool programs. Our language classes are weekly.

Languages are taught through simple words, music, games and other activities designed for the pre-school child. We introduce through them different colors, number, poems, objects, body parts and relationships.

Extra Curriculum
Children may also enroll in dance, outdoor sports, Robotics and Sewing for an additional fee. These extra programs are offered after the academic day (3:00 pm and later).

Outdoor Sports
At LFMS we offer structured, beneficial physical activity as extra curriculum activity to our children. We believe physical activity is an essential component of every child’s healthy development. Our goal is to make fitness fun and help kids build essential fitness skills. Children learn Basics fundamentals and Mechanics of Soccer, Basketball, Football Baseball, Golf and Tennis.

Dance Classes
Dancing helps even the youngest child express herself with music and movement. Children love to perform and express themselves with music and movement as they gain a great sense of accomplishment while doing so.

At LFMS we offer these different dance classes

    • Ballet/creative Dance
    • Bollywood Dance
    • Classical Indian Dance

Sewing Class
Sewing is a wonderful Montessori practical life activity. Not only is it great for developing skills such as fine-motor coordination and concentration, but many sewing projects have added value as “real work” projects children can complete. Children learn to cut fabric pieces, pin, sew in the Sewing Class.

Summer camps

Summer Camp

Lake Forest Montessori offers a Summer Program from the Months of June through August. The program is designed with a refreshing blend of recreation and academics. The School offers field trips that are a blend of enjoyment and fun and also a learning experience for the children.

Please contact the school for more information.
Please call us at 949-951-2862 to get more details on our summer program.