Leaving preschool and entering a private kindergarten is a huge step for small children. The classroom looks different and has different activities, and children are expected to dedicate themselves more fully to learning and development. This is an important time for your daughter, and she will be honing a number of vital skills, including the ones listed here.
- Motor Skills
Children in Montessori kindergarten will physically develop in many ways, from learning how to hold a pencil and use scissors to developing the skills necessary to throw, climb, and run. Fine and gross motor skills are critical developmental traits that develop early in life and benefit the child for the rest of her life.
- Grace and Courtesy
Etiquette and courtesy are necessary traits that help children interact socially, control emotional outbursts, and participate equally. In Montessori kindergarten, grace and courtesy is presented as the normal course of events rather than a special subject to be studied, and it is done that way because the Montessori Method recognizes the importance of getting along with others as a critical aspect of development.
- Practical Experience
In the Montessori environment, it is just as important to learn how to perform mundane tasks in everyday life as it is to learn how to do math. In fact, math and practical experience are often tied together, such as learning how to measure and pour. The underlying concept is that academic education is necessary, but it doesn’t help children much unless it can be applied to concrete behaviors and actions. And since productive, responsible children are the goal of Montessori education, practical experience is seen as the groundwork for creating tomorrow’s leaders.
- Love of Learning
Montessori classrooms are more than places to learn. They are designed to be interesting and engaging, prompting children to use the activities and to love the process of absorbing new information. Instilling a love of learning can be more valuable than learning lessons because once a child wants to know things she is certain to search out new educational opportunities on her own.
Kindergarten is generally considered to be the bridge between preschool and “big kid” education. During her time in a Montessori classroom, your daughter will be presented with all of the concepts and challenges she needs to be successful when she enters first grade and becomes a big kid herself.