Montessori Approach

The Montessori method of teaching aims for the fullest possible development of the whole child, ultimately preparing him or her for life’s many rich experiences.

Malherbe International School’s nursery and pre-primary classes offer a perfect environment for children to explore a variety of different activities from the 5 Montessori classroom areas:

  • Practical life: skills to help develop independence, coordination, concentration, self-control, self-awareness, and confidence.
  • Sensorial: activities which allow the child to refine each of their senses
  • Mathematics: Hands-on materials are used such as number rods, sandpaper numbers, number boards, spindle box, number tiles, beads, and games. Each exercise builds upon another and the child gradually moves to from concrete to abstract areas such as place value, addition, and subtraction.
  • Language Arts: Language is based on phonetic awareness. Children work through specific hands-on and tactile language materials, such as the sandpaper letters to the moveable alphabet. The spoken language is the foundation for writing and then reading.
  • Cultural Studies: activities which allow the child to explore the natural world around them.

More information about the Montessori approach is available here: Montessori Society

The Montessori philosophy

According to Dr. Montessori, children are particularly receptive to certain external stimuli during the six first years of their life. It is during this stage that a child has a tremendous ability to learn and assimilate from the world around him, without conscious effort.

A Montessori teacher recognizes and takes advantage of these highly perceptive stages through the introduction of materials and activities which are specially designed to stimulate the intellect.

Encouraged to focus his or her attention on one particular quality, the child works at his/her own optimum. A spontaneous love of “work” is revealed as the child is given the freedom (within boundaries) to make his/her own choices.

Montessori’s teachers are trained facilitators in the classroom, always ready to assist and direct. Their purpose is to stimulate the child’s enthusiasm for learning and to guide it, without interfering with the child’s natural desire to teach himself and become independent. Each child works through his individual cycle of activities, and learns to truly understand according to his own unique needs and capabilities.

A quality Montessori classroom has a busy, productive atmosphere where joy and respect abound. Within such an enriched environment, freedom, responsibility, and social and intellectual development spontaneously flourish!

For more information and 2022-2023 admission!