Hagerstown Children's School

Montessori is a method of teaching children that was established by Maria Montessori around the turn of the century. Dr. Montessori spent years methodically studying the natural learning habits of children. She devoted the latter half of her life to developing a methodology and materials that address “the absorbent mind”.

Hagerstown Children’s School utilizes a wide array of Montessori learning materials to support our self-paced curriculum and enrichment areas. Our staff is encouraged to embrace the Montessori philosophy toward child development.

To learn some basics about Montessori and the advantages it may offer your child, please read “Montessori 101” by Tim Seldin, President of the Montessori Foundation as it appears in Tomorrows Child, a publication of The Montessori Foundation. We have a copy in the office or it can be found at the Washington County Library.

Children in a mixed age group are free to move about in a prepared environment of hands on learning activities. The teachers and assistants are keen observers who watch for the child’s readiness and facilitate their progress to the next level of conceptual development. Our curriculum includes:

Practical Life Skills: These materials provide the child an opportunity to practice everyday activities such as pouring, shoe tying, cleaning, etc. while increasing the child’s attention span and concentration. Fine motor skills are strengthened through activities such as tweezing and toning. The exercises move left to right in a reading sweep pattern. Sensory Development: these material refine the use of the senses, training the child to differentiate gradations of color, tone, texture, shape, size, etc. English Language Arts: Children are provided an opportunity to learn through the auditory, visual and tactile senses. These materials begin with phonetic sounds of letters and allow the child to progress at her own speed to word construction and eventually writing and reading. Mathematics: These material provide a visual and tactile introduction to numbers while preparing the child to progress to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Natural Science: The child uses scientific observation to study her world. Geography: Globes assist the children in distinguishing land and water areas, progressing to the continents and lands that make up our Earth. Studies of land forms provide an understanding of geographic features. Cultural Studies: Different cultures from around the world are introduced and celebrated throughout the school year. The studies include the music, language, food, clothing, habitat and lifestyles of various cultures around the world. Families are encouraged to contribute whenever possible. Spanish and American Sign Languages are introduced. Physical Education: Children are given the opportunity to practice various gross motor exercises that promote balance, coordination, and physical self discipline. Art and Music: These materials allow the child to expand his range of awareness and interest and to develop his creativity and self-expression. Children are introduced to various historic composers and artists and are given opportunity to explore the different artistic styles. Community Service: This teaches children to think about their surroundings and to go beyond themselves as they express empathy and compassion. It reinforces the idea that acts of kindness no matter how big or small can create an impact on our lives as well as affect other people’s lives for the better.