INFANT PROGRAM (9-18 months)
The Montessori Infant program is a unique tool that aids in the development in little people. During this stage, children undergo a lot of spiritual, physical and intellectual growth and every day is a blessing just to be a part of their world. It is a critical time in a child’s life when they begin to explore and learn new skills. Children in the infant stage live in an egocentric world and the environment is designed to promote healthy interactions between the infants while allowing a safe space for playtime. Under this module, we help children develop independence, movement, concentration and confidence in the environment.
TODDLER MONTESSORI PROGRAM (18-30-months)
The purpose of our Toddler program is to encourage, assist and supervise the natural development of each child. Children will develop and foster the foundation for a strong independent personality under the gentle guidance of a Montessori-trained toddler teacher and through the carefully prepared toddler environment. Children will complete tasks in the prepared environment such as:
Practical Life Activities
Practical life activities give the child a meaningful degree of independence and self-discipline. We show them how to care for themselves and the environment, and they refine other skills such as eye-hand co-ordination, fine motor skills, gross motor skills and grace and courtesy.
The prepared environment will provide material for refining the auditory, visual and tactile senses.
Through object and picture classification materials the child will learn to develop his vocabulary. Storytelling will be an important part of the language component as well as pre-reading skills.
Art activities will help the child express his own creative ideas by using various materials along with sensory exploration of materials and media rather than product producing.
Toddlers love songs that require physical responses. Music classes will provide playing instruments, waving scarves and other props.
CASA (PRESCHOOL) (2 1/2 years to 6 years)
The Casa (preschool) classroom at Montessori Mantra is set up to help meet the needs of the preschool child. The classroom will help foster a social climate of mutual caring and respect with ample opportunities for cooperation, collaboration and social interaction. The Montessori environment invites the child to be an active sensorial explorer. The keys to knowledge are offered through scientifically designed materials. Activities are chosen freely and repeated frequently according to the child’s developmental needs in the preschool room. For example, you may have a three year old washing while a four year old is composing words and phrases with letters (known as the movable alphabet) and a five year old is performing multiplication using a specially designed set of beads. Through working in the prepared environment, the child develops the skills needed for lifelong learning, concentration, independent thinking, and problem solving. They also develop a solid understanding of their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs.
Practical Life Activities
Activities of this area of the curriculum help the child develop concentration, confidence and independence. The children are introduced to activities that will refine their fine motor skills and eye-hand co-ordination along with helping her to be competent in looking after their and the environment.
The main focus of sensorial activities is to help the child sort out the varied impressions given by the senses. These activities are designed to develop order, broaden and refine sense perception through scientifically developed sensorial apparatus.
Language exercises are introduced to the child using concrete materials. The child is able to manipulate and explore sounds.The phonetic material helps the child develop the ability to synthesize and analyze words which help in writing and reading skills.
Math exercises are hands-on with concrete materials. The child will develop an understanding of the relationship between symbols and quantities. The child will eventually be introduced to advanced exercises such as addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.
Culture activities encompasses the sciences and arts. Children will develop an understanding of concepts of history, geography, zoology, botany, technology and art.
Children are taught martial arts by a qualified sensei. They progress from becoming proficient in the basics to earning stripes and eventually a yellow belt. They can begin from as early as toddler class.
Deep breathing and meditation exercises can help focus a child and inculcate a sense of peace and happiness. Children are introduced to basic yoga postures, deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation.
Since good nutrition is essential for healthy growth and development, it is an important and intrinsic part of our program. We have food cooked by our in-house chef. We buy and serve fresh, local produce and halal meats and organic dairy. The food served to your children is customized to meet their dietary requirements and adheres to the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. We make sure children are not served processed food, or snacks or meals with excessive sugar or salt. Children are encouraged to eat everything that is served at each meal and may have several servings, if they wish.
In the Casa classroom, snacks are available to children on a self-serve basis. The teachers set out the food and children are encouraged to serve themselves when they are hungry. This allows the children to engage in uninterrupted work sessions, and allows for a more natural schedule, with the child’s personal needs at its core.Note: Infants and toddlers have teacher-assisted snacks at scheduled times throughout the day.
Before And After-School Programs
We have enriched before (7:00 – 8.30 AM) and after-school (4:00 – 6:00 PM) programs. These programs include outdoor gross-motor activities, storytelling, music, and art and craft activities.