At the Brooksfield School, we understand that our responsibility as educators extends to aspects of our students’ lives that take place outside of our classrooms. We do all we can to make sure our methodology is flexible for both parents and students. After all, as Montessori educators, we know that education is more than just imparting knowledge; it’s growing a person. Therefore, it’s our responsibility as early childhood educators to be aware of the many different choices, concerns, and issues that parents face during their young student’s early education journey. Ensuring our young students have access to quality after-school care is as important to us as it is for our parents.   Due to the difficulty of synching weekday work and school schedules, managing pickup and dropoff times for students can be a rather imposing responsibility for parents. As an assist in this regard, we assembled an after-school care program, known as...

The Montessori philosophy focuses on improving children’s’ hands-on experiences, academic skills, ethics, and social skills, creativity, and independence. To help further these abilities for your child, use the Montessori method at home! Your home should be consistent with the learning environment they have at school! Below are some quick and easy ways to incorporate the unique child-centered Montessori philosophy. 1. Educational Games Letter matching involves letter identification. This can be your child’s first step to reading! To play this game, start with 52 squares of cardboard. Split these squares up into 2 piles (26 in each) and make sure to paint each letter on 2 squares. Your child can then try to match each letter by grouping the identical pairs together! As they do this, make sure to remind your child of each letter’s name and sound. Sorting is also an important skill that can be taught using a game! It...

Every year, parents of five year old Montessori preschool children are faced with the decision of sending their children to kindergarten or to the third year of Montessori education.  Many send them back, but a few opt for kindergarten.  The latter decision may work out well on the face of it for a number of reasons.  After two years in a Montessori school a child is generally well-adjusted, alert, broadly stimulated intellectually, muscularly coordinated and has refined sensory perception.  Such a child is adaptable and, thus, performs well wherever he finds himself. This is, of course, quite pleasing to teachers and parents, and makes the child feel good. What is completely overlooked is that the child misses the fulfilling completion of the three-year cycle in a Montessori program.  During the third year everything he has been doing for the past two years comes to maturity, resulting in exciting leaps in reading, writing and...

Kindergarten is an important milestone in every child's life. Not only is it where they learn many of the basic skills that will provide a foundation for the rest of their educations, they'll also begin to develop their attitude about school, their view of learning, and their desire to perform well in school. Montessori kindergarten schools will give your child a great start; but in order to ensure the best possible start, you need to give your child the rest of the foundation they need. There are several skills that your child should have before entering kindergarten--but they might not be what you think. Following Instructions Does your child refuse to respond when you issue simple instructions? Make a major production out of the smallest task? If this sounds like your child, you need to work on following multi-step instructions before kindergarten begins. Even in a Montessori classroom, it's necessary for your child...

Deciding where your children will receive their education is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent. As the school choice movement continues to gain momentum, parents have more options today than in years past. One of those options — a Montessori approach to education — is growing in popularity across the country. Yet, there are also many myths associated with Montessori schools. Let's consider six of the most persistent Montessori myths — and the truth behind the misconceptions. Montessori Myth 1: Montessori classrooms have no structure Montessori education is a child-centered approach to learning where independence and freedom within limits are emphasized. A casual observer who is accustomed to traditional schools might initially view a Montessori classroom as unstructured, but that's simply not the case. Montessori classrooms are thoughtfully prepared with developmentally appropriate learning materials. The belief is that when children are given the flexibility and independence to...

Preschool is an important developmental period for your child. It is a time that shapes who they are and who they will become. In preschool, children learn social and emotional development, school readiness, language skills, and cognitive skills. These years are imperative to your child’s growth, not only academically, but also personally. Clearly, preschool is important, but how does Montessori teaching fit into this? Maria Montessori created the Montessori private school system in the early 20th century. She opened up her own school in Rome in 1907 and decided that she wanted to create a classroom environment that encouraged self-discipline and responsibility. The teachers were not strict; they were merely guides. Instead of a teacher-centered learning environment, it was child-centered. This revolutionary idea is what created Montessori teaching. There are now 8,000 Montessori schools in the United States of America. These schools are considered progressive, and they are allowed to do...

Dr. Maria Montessori stressed the importance of outdoor time for children. She felt that connection with nature was a key part of childhood that should never be skipped or pushed aside. That's why students at Brooksfield School are always given plenty of time to explore their outdoor environment. Quiet times spent simply thinking and feeling in nature, rowdy times spent climbing rugged trees and rolling down soft, grassy hills, and curious times spent investigating, exploring, and discussing the plants and animals around them are all integral parts of a child's education. In a Montessori environment, students are allowed all of these special times outdoors and are encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity to spend time outside. When young people spend time outdoors and have a true and deep connection to nature, they gain a desire to protect what they discover to be so very wonderful and magical. Because of this...

If your child is in Montessori childcare, you clearly value their education. Most parents who sign their children up for a Montessori education do so very deliberately, and you are likely no exception. Good for you! The Montessori approach provides an amazing foundation for students to build upon, and you can rest assured your child will be getting an excellent start in life when they attend a Montessori based daycare. In order to ensure your child's Montessori education is as effective as possible, you can provide them with activities at home that are just perfect for expanding upon what they are learning in school. Here are a few simple ideas of activities you can do at home to help your child get the very most out of their Montessori childcare experience. Toddler Education: Letter Matching Letter identification is the first step to reading. You can help your child learn to identify numbers by...

You probably already know that there are quite a few good private schools in Virginia, but you might have never thought about sending your little one to any school other than a public school. Many of the public schools in Virginia are great, but this doesn't mean that public school isn't a good option for your child. These are a few reasons why you may want to consider private school for your little one. Private Schools Ensure Specialized Attention There are many great teachers in the public school system. Unfortunately, public school teachers are often overworked and underpaid, and they usually have large classrooms full of children to teach. A teacher who is responsible for teaching 25, 30 or more students each day obviously can't give each child the individualized attention that he or she deserves. It's not the teacher's fault, but ultimately, it's your child who has to suffer. In a...

You know that when you enroll your child in a Montessori school, you’re giving your child the gift of an education that they’ll love. But did you know that the benefits of Montessori school extend far beyond the school itself? Engaging in a Montessori education is associated with a wide variety of positive long-term outcomes, even for students as young as preschoolers. More than just an education that you and your child will love, we’re confident that the Montessori method will benefit your child for years to come. Benefit of Montessori School #1: Academics  Children who have participated in a Montessori education tend to have better academic outcomes than children who haven’t. In particular, researchers found in one study that students who had been enrolled in a Montessori preschool had better academic outcomes than their peers. In other words, students were still reaping the benefits of early immersion in Montessori education years...