Private Schools Santa Clara - Test Our Classrooms

Young children strive for independence. Our educational classroom environment supports this natural drive, enabling children to become competent and confident individuals. Each classroom is warm and inviting, offering beauty and order. Materials are arranged on low, open shelves, separated according to subject matter, and sequenced from simple to complex. The materials are specifically designed to capture interest, focus attention and touch the imagination. Children work individually, in pairs, or within small groups.

The basis for all classroom rules is respect for oneself, others, and the environment.

Teachers Act As Guides

Our teachers act as guides in the classroom. They encourage each child’s curiosity by carefully observing their development, recording their individual progress, and introducing new materials once a child shows their readiness. Our ultimate goal is the development of independent, confident, caring citizens and happy life-long learners.

Curriculum
There are five major curriculum areas in our program. These include Practical Life, Sensorial Discrimination, Mathematics, Language Arts, and Cultural, which consists of Geography, History, and the Sciences.

The purpose of the Practical Life curriculum is not only to teach the child necessary skills for everyday living, but to help him gain a sense of order and task completion, as well as to strengthen his fine motor skills. Some group time activities will focus on grace and courtesy.

The Sensorial area focuses on the refinement of the senses, which is acquired through the knowledge of colors, shapes, sizes, and the qualities of various objects. Both the Practical Life and Sensorial materials indirectly prepare the child for future academic work.

Our Language Arts curriculum includes reading, writing, penmanship and vocabulary development. Our reading program is phonics-based, although we do integrate whole language activities throughout the curriculum areas. The children will be introduced to a variety of literature in order to enhance creative writing and reading

Comprehension
The Mathematics area is divided into three strands: Linear Counting, Base 10 (decimal system) and memorization (number operations). Pattern recognition, fractions and problem solving are some other math concepts included in our curriculum.

Finally, the children will not only be exposed to Geography, but they will gain an understanding and respect for other cultures.

The Sciences include Astronomy, Botany, Zoology, Anatomy, and Geology. The children will gain an overall knowledge of the world, as well as develop a deep respect for the environment and those around them.

Morning Preschool Programs
Ages 2 to 5 years

During the work period, the children are free to work at their own pace with the materials they have chosen. They may work with the vast assortment of didactic materials alone or with others. Throughout this time, the teachers are either presenting lessons on an individual or small group basis or keenly observing how the children are making use of the environment in order to evaluate their development and academic needs.

Preschool and
Pre-Kindergarten
Afternoon Program
Ages 3 to 5 years

The afternoon preschool & pre-Kindergarten program is structured much like the morning half day program. Children begin with the opening circle and lesson, followed by the work period and end with the closing circle. The younger children will have the opportunity to freely explore the different areas of the classroom, working with the numerous, unique Montessori and didactic materials. The older pre-Kindergarten children will focus more on specific Language Arts and Math activities provided by the teacher, in addition to the Montessori materials available in the classroom.