Montessori preschool is very popular in Fremont, and we should know because we run no less than four of the best Montessori programs in the city. You have a choice of Niles, Peralta, or Maple, so you can send your child to whichever facility is nearest to you.
Dr Maria Montessori believed that the first six years of a child’s life are the most critical, rather than the high school and college years. Everything that follows those first six years is built on the foundations of what was learned then. Therefore, it is vital that a child should establish a firm footing on which to develop in the later years of childhood.
All Five Senses are Used in Montessori Programs
The Fremont Montessori method bears emphasis on learning using all five senses, not just the traditional method of listening, reading, and watching. All children in Fremont Montessori learn in groups that cover an age span of four years, so, for instance, there may be children of 4, 5, and 6 in the same class. All children learn at their own pace, and they quickly understand that if they are, say, 4, they will not know as much as those aged 6. Equally, the six-year-olds will act as role models and will often help the younger ones as teachers themselves.
Nobody in Fremont Montessori is regarded as dim-witted because they are slower to learn than others, and those who are quick learners are not held back but encouraged to go the extra mile. Rather than sitting listening to a teacher talking to them as a group, the children engage in group activities of their own with materials that have been introduced to them by their teacher who has followed their individual progress and knows what they are capable of doing next.
The children choose for themselves from the many materials available which have been designed so that they stimulate independent exploration. The older children in a group will share what they have learned, and this underlines their own learning. You will find that there is far more conversation in a Montessori classroom than a traditional one because of the peer group learning. Every Montessori classroom has its’ own set of ground rules based on the Montessori principles of respect for each other and for the environment.
The teacher follows each child as an individual and introduces new materials and activities when the child appears ready. Children are engaging in learning by making discoveries with the material they use, and this encourages self-discipline, motivation, and concentration. Ultimately, children in the Montessori classroom learn because they very quickly learn to love learning new things.