The children's day at Beautiful Sun Montessori is full of learning and discovery.  The school offers an integrated and rich curriculum as well as special activities throughout  the day. 

Honoring  the sensory learning style of children of this age group, all skills and concepts are  presented with a corresponding hands-on material. All classroom materials are part of the AMI Montessori learning apparatus. Subjects included are:

 

 Language

• Spoken language in English and Dutch:Children are exposed to both languages throughout the day with the help of an English and Dutch teacher.
  
• Reading and Writing (in both English and Dutch): Reading and writing are begun as soon as children enter the program. Children advance from pre-reading to advanced level reading, and writing is integrated into all curriculum subjects. 

Mathematics

•  With the aid of specially designed manipulatives, children explore mathematics at length including the Decimal System, memorization of facts, and explorations of all the operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). 

Sensorial Training

• Scientifically designed materials aid children in the refinement of their five senses. 

Practical Life Activities

• These activities are designed to develop gross and fine motor coordination, independence, self confidence, care of the self and of the environment, and include sensory training, language, and movement. 

Geography and Culture

• Lessons in culture and geography include learning the names and locations of continents, countries in each continen, flags, and information about different customs in various cultures. 

 

Science (Botany, Zoology)

• Science lessons are presented in a concrete hands-on manner. Lessons in geology, botany, zoology are meant to put the child in contact with the real world of nature around him. 

 

Art

• Individual and group lessons with different mediums and art techniques give children an open creative avenue with a variety of materials. Art history lessons are given to familiarize children with world masterpieces. 
  

 

Music

• Music education in the classroom involves both singing and using musical instruments. Music appreciation is taught to familiarize children with important composers and musicians of our time.

 

 

 

Additional Special Classes:

Yoga

• An internationally  trained Yoga teacher leads small group lessons twice a week to develop children's awareness about their bodies and their breath in a peaceful, non-competitive environment.

                                               Yoga class, Beautiful Sun Montessori 2008.

 

Spanish:

• Spanish is taught  twice a week to develop children's auditory and phonological awareness of a third language.

                                  One on one Spanish lesson, Beautiful Sun Montessori 2009.

 

 

Kitchen Classroom

• Children participate in the daily preparation of meals for the school in our child friendly kitchen. Menus are created with emphasis on whole foods, organic or sustainable produce, and foods are prepared from scratch each day.

                          Grating oranges to make orange jam, Beautiful Sun Montessori 2008.

• Inspired by the Slow Food Movement, and the Edible Schoolyard designed by Alice Waters, the kitchen classroom is a learning environment. All curricular subjects are interwoven into studies of food, its growth, origin and preparation.

• Children participate in the creation and maintenance of a small organic garden of herbs, fruits and vegetables which are added to the daily menu as an effort to
  locally grown produce                                                                                       

 

                                     Organic vegetable patch, Beautiful Sun Montessori 2008.