Willow House
Maria Montessori School
Growing a love of learning
"Help me do it by myself"...
Children absorb information from the world in which they live through a sensorial exploration of their environment.
They are on a quest of knowledge and independence.
At Willow House we love exploring Science & Cultures. We love Baking, Arts and Crafts.
Below is some information on specific areas of the Montessori classroom curriculum.

Practical Life
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These activities in daily living help the children become independent in the environment, in personal care and in social skills.
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Many of the activities are familiar to the children at home and therefore bridge the gap between home and school.
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They help to develop independence and an ability to concentrate.
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They give a sense of enjoyment and achievement.

Math & Numercy
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Children are introduced to the numbers 1-10
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They are introduced to the decimal system and the operations in mathematics.
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Through use of concrete materials such as the Spindle Boxes above, the children are involved in activities that guide them in mathematical concepts.
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Working with concrete materials the children are led to abstract thinking.

Sensorial
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These materials develop and refine the senses.
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Exploration and discovery of the sensorial materials help the children to learn about the qualities of things in the world around them.
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Qualities of colour, size, shape, texture and sound.
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They give an introduction to and indirectly prepare the children for math materials

Language & Literacy
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Language development is fostered through continuous encouragement of self-expression and communication.
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The emphasis initially is on vocabulary enrichment.
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The phonetic alphabet sounds are learned individually by sight and touch
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and are then combined to make words
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leading to writing and total reading.
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Irish and other languages are introduced because of the young child's particular sensitivity to language.