Imagination Station Montessori
Preschool and Kindergarten
Licensed by: State of Florida Department of Children and Families (#C07VO0086) 
We are a Gold Seal Quality Care School, accredited by: National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs 
About Montessori Who is Maria Montessori?
Dr. Maria Montessori (August 31, 1870-May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician, educator, scientist, philosopher, and humanitarian. She was born in Chiaravale, in the Ancona province of Italy. Instead of growing to fulfill the traditional role expected of Italian women of her time, she decided to attend the University of Rome, and in 1896 became the first female physician in Italy.
Her first assignment was to the University's psychiatric clinic, working with children who were mentally retarded. In 1901 she joined the medical staff of the Orthophrenic School of Rome, which served as an asylum for mentally retarded children. During this time, she became interested in the work of French educators Jean Itard and Edouard Seguin. She employed many of their methods and recieved recognition for her successes with the children previously perceived as "unteachable".
Dr. Montessori began to feel that the methods she had developed to that point would be even more effective with children of "normal" intelligence. In 1907, the opportunity to test this belief became available, with her assignment to work with a group of children in San Lorenzo, a slum district of Rome. On January 6 of that year, she opened the first "Casa de Bambini", or Children's House. (See photo below)
Though she was given no materials or equipment, she was expected to educate approximately 50 children of preschool age. She quickly designed and built lessons, most of which are still in use today. Her almost immediate success with the children, and the profound progress they made within the first year drew international interest and acclaim. They were referred to as "miracle children" and people from all over the world came to see this little school for themselves.
Later, Dr. Montessori developed methods and materials for older children, and her success continued. Children of elementary school age were mastering subjects and concepts not usually presented until the middle or high school level. Eventually, educational methods and lessons were developed for children all the way through the high school years. She also developed an Assistance to Infancy Program, which allows children to begin achieving their highest potential even from birth.
From her humble beginning, her methods have spread around the world, and have become recognized as effective, efficient, and highly successful. However, resistance to her theories still exists today, driven by misunderstandings, misconceptions, and the fear of change, causing many educators to turn away from the Montessori method, which is unfortunate. Montessorians are hopeful that eventually, through education, patience, and advocacy, attitudes will change, and Montessori methods will become standard practice.
The Montessori Environment
Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.--Dr. Maria Montessori, Education For a New World
The primary goal of a Montessori program is to help each child reach his full potential in ALL areas of life. Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional maturation, physical coordination, academic progression, and independence. Under the direction of a specially trained and prepared Montessori Teacher, and using specially designed materials and lessons, this holistic curriculum allows the child to experience the joy of learning, as well as reach his goal of "functional independence".
The Montessori classroom operates on the principle of "Freedom Within Limits". The program has a set of basic age-appropriate rules that are always based on respect for living things and for the environment. The children are free to choose materials that interest them and work at their own pace. They may choose to work with others, or on their own. The teacher carefully observes the children as they work to determine what skills the child has mastered, what additional practice may be necessary, and when the child is ready for the next challenge. These presentations may be given by a teacher or an older child, and may be given individually, or in small or large groups.
The three-year age span in the classroom provides a family-like grouping where learning can take place naturally. More experienced children share what they have learned by assisting younger children. This offers the older child the opportunity to reinforce his skills, while helping his self-esteem. The younger child benefits from "Peer Encouragement" by witnessing another child's mastery of a desired skill. There is a connection between two children working for a common goal that is seldom found between an adult and a child. The age combination also allows children to progress at their own rate, providing for a much less stressful experience for everyone.
"Our aim is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core." Dr. Maria Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori (August 31, 1870-May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician, educator, scientist, philosopher, and humanitarian. She was born in Chiaravale, in the Ancona province of Italy. Instead of growing to fulfill the traditional role expected of Italian women of her time, she decided to attend the University of Rome, and in 1896 became the first female physician in Italy.Her first assignment was to the University's psychiatric clinic, working with children who were mentally retarded. In 1901 she joined the medical staff of the Orthophrenic School of Rome, which served as an asylum for mentally retarded children. During this time, she became interested in the work of French educators Jean Itard and Edouard Seguin. She employed many of their methods and recieved recognition for her successes with the children previously perceived as "unteachable".
Dr. Montessori began to feel that the methods she had developed to that point would be even more effective with children of "normal" intelligence. In 1907, the opportunity to test this belief became available, with her assignment to work with a group of children in San Lorenzo, a slum district of Rome. On January 6 of that year, she opened the first "Casa de Bambini", or Children's House. (See photo below)
Though she was given no materials or equipment, she was expected to educate approximately 50 children of preschool age. She quickly designed and built lessons, most of which are still in use today. Her almost immediate success with the children, and the profound progress they made within the first year drew international interest and acclaim. They were referred to as "miracle children" and people from all over the world came to see this little school for themselves.
Later, Dr. Montessori developed methods and materials for older children, and her success continued. Children of elementary school age were mastering subjects and concepts not usually presented until the middle or high school level. Eventually, educational methods and lessons were developed for children all the way through the high school years. She also developed an Assistance to Infancy Program, which allows children to begin achieving their highest potential even from birth.
From her humble beginning, her methods have spread around the world, and have become recognized as effective, efficient, and highly successful. However, resistance to her theories still exists today, driven by misunderstandings, misconceptions, and the fear of change, causing many educators to turn away from the Montessori method, which is unfortunate. Montessorians are hopeful that eventually, through education, patience, and advocacy, attitudes will change, and Montessori methods will become standard practice.
The Montessori Environment
Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.--Dr. Maria Montessori, Education For a New World
The primary goal of a Montessori program is to help each child reach his full potential in ALL areas of life. Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional maturation, physical coordination, academic progression, and independence. Under the direction of a specially trained and prepared Montessori Teacher, and using specially designed materials and lessons, this holistic curriculum allows the child to experience the joy of learning, as well as reach his goal of "functional independence".
The Montessori classroom operates on the principle of "Freedom Within Limits". The program has a set of basic age-appropriate rules that are always based on respect for living things and for the environment. The children are free to choose materials that interest them and work at their own pace. They may choose to work with others, or on their own. The teacher carefully observes the children as they work to determine what skills the child has mastered, what additional practice may be necessary, and when the child is ready for the next challenge. These presentations may be given by a teacher or an older child, and may be given individually, or in small or large groups.
The three-year age span in the classroom provides a family-like grouping where learning can take place naturally. More experienced children share what they have learned by assisting younger children. This offers the older child the opportunity to reinforce his skills, while helping his self-esteem. The younger child benefits from "Peer Encouragement" by witnessing another child's mastery of a desired skill. There is a connection between two children working for a common goal that is seldom found between an adult and a child. The age combination also allows children to progress at their own rate, providing for a much less stressful experience for everyone.
"Our aim is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core." Dr. Maria Montessori
Curriculum Areas
Practical Life
The practical life area of the classroom is one of the many aspects of the Montessori Method that make it unique from other, more "traditional" preschool programs. By working in this area, children learn coordination, concentration, control of movement, and order. To accomplish these goals, the children use real tools and equipment to practice skills useful in daily activities, like grasping, squeezing, pouring, spooning, and many others. The children learn how to safely and properly use kitchen tools (tongs, ladles, basters, etc.) as well as tools for fixing things, such as hammers, screwdrivers, and pliers. In addition, there are lessons that focus on other self-help skills, such as using buttons, snaps, and tying shoes, as well as sweeping and polishing. Time spent in this area lays a foundation important to success in every other area of development. Plus, it's FUN!
Sensorial
In the sensorial area, the children learn about different aspects of objects in our world. Working in this area offers practice in using the senses:
Language
In our language area, the children progress from the most basic, concrete of the pre-reading skills, matching identical objects, to the most complex, abstract one, which is actual reading. There are many steps in between these two skills, and mastery of each is critical before moving on to the next. When the children are ready, we first introduce the sound that corresponds with each letter. By doing so, the progression to reading is much quicker than if the letter names are learned first. As the child shows mastery of most of the letter sounds, the letter names are introduced, however this usually happens in the natural course of working with the language materials. As important as reading is to a child's language development, it is not the only skill on which our curriculum focuses. The children also work on lessons in writing, listening, and speaking. By forming a strong foundation in ALL language skills, the child will be more successful in later academics, and in all areas of life.
Mathematics
As in the other areas of the classroom, the mathematics lessons are presented in a specific, logical sequence that allows the child to build new knowledge based on prior mastery. The most basic lessons are in rote counting and one-to-one corespondence, "1, 2, 3, 4,..." etc. After the child can name the numbers in order, groups of objects can be manipulated to show an understanding of each quantity represented by the number. Once the child understands the meaning of the number, the symbol for that number is presented. In this way, each number is learned. First the numbers 1-10, then the teens are introduced, followed by numbers up to 100, and finally hundreds and thousands. At this point, the child will be offered lessons in higher math skills, such as greater-than, less-than, equal-to, and the mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplicatin, and division). Dr. Montessori discovered that children at this age are naturally mathematically-minded, and so taking advantage of this window of learning opportunity is very important. It is our goal to raise generations of adults who LOVE math!
Science
Our science curriculum is intended to awaken an interest, or, as Dr. Montessori put it, "plant the seed". The children are introduced to concepts in botany (plants), zoology (animals), geology (the Earth), physical science (how things interact), and other areas of science. In doing so, they are more prone to success in science classes later in their education. Another goal involved in the science lessons is the development of a respect for the natural world. We offer concrete opportunities for this by involving the children in the care of the plants and animals in our classroom, as well as our outdoor garden.
Geography
In the geography area, the children first learn about their place in the universe. They study space, the solar system, the continents, North America, the United States, Florida, and our local area. They then construct and label maps, plan routes for real or imaginary trips, and learn about terms used in geography.
Culture
The study of culture at Imagination Station is much more than looking at pictures of people from other countries. While we do offer numerous pictures and books for the children to look at to see what life is like in other lands, we incorporate our dramatic play in our cultural exploration. As much as possible, we provide clothing, props, and decor to enhance the imaginative play area. We also provide common objects for the children to compare with the multi-cultural items. For example, during our study of Asia, we have a low table with cushions on the floor for seating, and chopsticks along with spoons and forks. In this way, the children will "travel" to places all over the world, such as Africa, Greece and Italy, Ireland, Mexico, Australia, and even back in time to the days of the Pilgrims and Indians, and when dinosaurs lived. Periodically, we will have guests who come in and show the children the clothing, dancing, and music native to the area of study to enhance their understanding of other cultures. We also discuss the differences and similarities between other cultures and our own, in order to help the children develop respect for all people.
Creative Expression
There are many opportunities for the children to express their creativity in art, crafts, music, and movement. Our art area provides numerous materials to explore and experience. The children always have the choice to proudly display their creations or take them home to share with their family. Our music area features many instruments along with a CD or cassette tape player for them to use freely. Several times per day, the children participate in movement activities, dancing or exercising to various types of music. In addition, we sing about EVERYTHING!
Spiritual
Like practical life, the spiritual part of our curriculum is uniquely Montessori. It is NOT a religous education, although the children are exposed to basic information related to religions in different cultures, including our own. None of these religions is taught as "right" or "wrong", but merely as interesting facts about people and what they believe. During cultural holidays such as Hannukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Cinco de Mayo, and St. Patrick's Day, we explore the many customs and traditions involved in celebrating each holiday. The true goal for a child's spiritual development is the understanding that while people may be different, they are also similar. We teach the children tolerance, patience, compassion, and ultimately, peace. These lessons, unlike lessons in other areas of the curriculum, are intangible--they are not activities the children can "do". However, we have incorporated a Peace Area in each of our classrooms, where a child may go to think about a problem, resolve a conflict with another child, or just relax for a moment. Like adults, children need a space they can "get away from it all', to take a break from the business of learning and playing.
Practical Life
The practical life area of the classroom is one of the many aspects of the Montessori Method that make it unique from other, more "traditional" preschool programs. By working in this area, children learn coordination, concentration, control of movement, and order. To accomplish these goals, the children use real tools and equipment to practice skills useful in daily activities, like grasping, squeezing, pouring, spooning, and many others. The children learn how to safely and properly use kitchen tools (tongs, ladles, basters, etc.) as well as tools for fixing things, such as hammers, screwdrivers, and pliers. In addition, there are lessons that focus on other self-help skills, such as using buttons, snaps, and tying shoes, as well as sweeping and polishing. Time spent in this area lays a foundation important to success in every other area of development. Plus, it's FUN!Sensorial
In the sensorial area, the children learn about different aspects of objects in our world. Working in this area offers practice in using the senses:
- Vision: color, shape, size, length
- Touch: temperature, hardness, texture, weight
- Hearing: pitch, volume,
- Taste: sweet, salty, bitter, sour
- Smell: herbs, spices, common items
- Stereognostic: identifying an object by touch alone
Language
Mathematics
As in the other areas of the classroom, the mathematics lessons are presented in a specific, logical sequence that allows the child to build new knowledge based on prior mastery. The most basic lessons are in rote counting and one-to-one corespondence, "1, 2, 3, 4,..." etc. After the child can name the numbers in order, groups of objects can be manipulated to show an understanding of each quantity represented by the number. Once the child understands the meaning of the number, the symbol for that number is presented. In this way, each number is learned. First the numbers 1-10, then the teens are introduced, followed by numbers up to 100, and finally hundreds and thousands. At this point, the child will be offered lessons in higher math skills, such as greater-than, less-than, equal-to, and the mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplicatin, and division). Dr. Montessori discovered that children at this age are naturally mathematically-minded, and so taking advantage of this window of learning opportunity is very important. It is our goal to raise generations of adults who LOVE math!
Science
Our science curriculum is intended to awaken an interest, or, as Dr. Montessori put it, "plant the seed". The children are introduced to concepts in botany (plants), zoology (animals), geology (the Earth), physical science (how things interact), and other areas of science. In doing so, they are more prone to success in science classes later in their education. Another goal involved in the science lessons is the development of a respect for the natural world. We offer concrete opportunities for this by involving the children in the care of the plants and animals in our classroom, as well as our outdoor garden.Geography
In the geography area, the children first learn about their place in the universe. They study space, the solar system, the continents, North America, the United States, Florida, and our local area. They then construct and label maps, plan routes for real or imaginary trips, and learn about terms used in geography.
Culture
The study of culture at Imagination Station is much more than looking at pictures of people from other countries. While we do offer numerous pictures and books for the children to look at to see what life is like in other lands, we incorporate our dramatic play in our cultural exploration. As much as possible, we provide clothing, props, and decor to enhance the imaginative play area. We also provide common objects for the children to compare with the multi-cultural items. For example, during our study of Asia, we have a low table with cushions on the floor for seating, and chopsticks along with spoons and forks. In this way, the children will "travel" to places all over the world, such as Africa, Greece and Italy, Ireland, Mexico, Australia, and even back in time to the days of the Pilgrims and Indians, and when dinosaurs lived. Periodically, we will have guests who come in and show the children the clothing, dancing, and music native to the area of study to enhance their understanding of other cultures. We also discuss the differences and similarities between other cultures and our own, in order to help the children develop respect for all people.Creative Expression
There are many opportunities for the children to express their creativity in art, crafts, music, and movement. Our art area provides numerous materials to explore and experience. The children always have the choice to proudly display their creations or take them home to share with their family. Our music area features many instruments along with a CD or cassette tape player for them to use freely. Several times per day, the children participate in movement activities, dancing or exercising to various types of music. In addition, we sing about EVERYTHING!
Spiritual
Like practical life, the spiritual part of our curriculum is uniquely Montessori. It is NOT a religous education, although the children are exposed to basic information related to religions in different cultures, including our own. None of these religions is taught as "right" or "wrong", but merely as interesting facts about people and what they believe. During cultural holidays such as Hannukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Cinco de Mayo, and St. Patrick's Day, we explore the many customs and traditions involved in celebrating each holiday. The true goal for a child's spiritual development is the understanding that while people may be different, they are also similar. We teach the children tolerance, patience, compassion, and ultimately, peace. These lessons, unlike lessons in other areas of the curriculum, are intangible--they are not activities the children can "do". However, we have incorporated a Peace Area in each of our classrooms, where a child may go to think about a problem, resolve a conflict with another child, or just relax for a moment. Like adults, children need a space they can "get away from it all', to take a break from the business of learning and playing.
