Location:
12585 3rd St.
P.O. Box 222
Eastlake, CO 80614
Phone number:
303-452-3835
E-mail: questions@eastlakemontessori.com
Our Environment:
We are a traditional Montessori school for children ages 2 ½ to 7. The children are grouped together in one learning environment. Our school building is actually housed in an old farm house and is divided into three main areas. The front room houses the language and geography materials, a computer and our aquarium. The kitchen area contains many of our practical life works and is where the children help to prepare snack. The back room contains materials for math, science and sensorial instruction. A Montessori trained teacher is located in each area. The children are free to move about the school and work with materials they have been presented throughout the work time.
Practical Life
This area in the classroom aids in the development of concentration, coordination, order and independence. Children learn self-confidence and refine their motor skills. Lessons include care of self and care of the environment. For example, dressing skills like buttoning and zipping, pouring of water, spooning and polishing. The children also assist with snack preparation and caring for the classroom pets. Grace and Courtesy lessons are given on how to handle situations socially like how to say "Excuse me", how to blow your nose and how to invite a friend to play with you.
Sensorial
In the sensorial area of the classroom, the child's senses are refined. Cognitive development is stimulated. The child is presented with exercises that isolate a quality to be sensed either by matching, grading, or constructing materials in a set of ordered steps. The child learns to observe, to classify, to sort and to organize his environment.
Language Area:
A child is encouraged to develop her oral and written communication skills. A young child's vocabulary is increased with picture cards. She is introduced to phonetic sounds instead of letter names. Many activities are given to help refine her pencil grip and letter formation. As she masters the phonetic sounds she starts to write and read with a variety of materials.
Math Area:
Mathematics is presented to the child in a concrete manner. A thorough understanding of numbers 1-10 is given. Then the child is introduced to teen numbers, linear counting to 100 and then to the decimal system. Mathematical processes of addition and subtraction are then introduced. Children are also taught how to tell time, coin value and measurement.
Outside Area:
Our outside environment includes a playground with a grassy area, sand box, swings, water table and play structure with dual slides and areas to climb.
Garden Area:
There is a large garden that the children help weed and water. We grow lots of vegetables that we harvest in the fall. This year our garden includes potatoes, corn, green beans, sunflowers, cucumbers, several types of melons, carrots, radishes, onion, peppers, tomatoes and pumpkins.
