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Fostering Independence & Determination
The Primary Montessori classroom for children ages 3-6 is simple, beautiful, and ordered to meet children's needs. Montessori teachers create an environment that fosters independence, self-discipline, and concentration.
The classroom is organized into six different learning environments. Children are free to choose works from the various area after they have a received a lesson from their teacher.
Program Overview
Practical Life
Rooted in a child’s home experiences, the Practical Life area of the classroom introduces essential life skills that foster independence, confidence, and coordination. Children engage in meaningful activities such as carrying trays, pouring, folding, preparing food, and more. They also learn to care for themselves, their environment, and one another through lessons in grace, courtesy, and responsibility. These foundational skills extend far beyond the classroom—they are life-long tools that prepare the child for both daily living and their “Great Work.”
Sensorial
Children learn best through hands-on, sensory experiences. The Sensorial area of the classroom helps them explore the world using sight, touch, sound, and movement. Through materials that isolate qualities like length, height, weight, temperature, color, and texture, children refine their senses and deepen their understanding of the environment around them. These experiences also lay the groundwork for future math and logic skills.
Language
Language development is woven into every part of the classroom through songs, stories, games like I Spy and rhyming, and rich conversations. Children are first introduced to the sounds of the English language, building a strong phonetic foundation. From there, they begin writing using movable letters, “building” words before reading them. As their confidence grows, children are introduced to grammar, sentence structure, and a love for literature that supports lifelong language skills.
Math
Math in the Montessori classroom begins with hands-on exploration. Children first work with concrete materials to understand the concept of quantity, then connect those experiences to written numerals. Once they’ve mastered numbers 0–10, they’re introduced to the decimal system using tactile materials like the Golden Beads. This strong foundation allows them to grasp addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in a meaningful, visual, and joyful way.
Cultural
The Cultural area invites children to explore the beauty and diversity of God’s creation. Through hands-on lessons in geography, science, zoology, botany, art, and music, children develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. They also learn about different countries, cultures, and traditions, fostering a sense of respect and global citizenship. These experiences spark curiosity, expand vocabulary, and help children see themselves as part of a larger, interconnected world.
Religious Ed
At Sophia Montessori Academy, the spiritual life of the child is nurtured through daily prayer, joyful celebration, and deep encounters with Christ the Good Shepherd. Rooted in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, children learn about the life of Christ, the Saints, and the rhythms of the liturgical year. They regularly attend Divine Liturgy, celebrated by the pastor of Holy Protection of the Mother of God parish at St. Francis de Sales, and grow in love for God and one another through every aspect of daily life.