The Montessori method at VMS

The American Montessori Society (AMS) defines five core components of a quality Montessori education.

Child-Directed Work

At VMS, each child is provided with lessons on Montessori materials that are appropriate for their level of development. The children are encouraged to explore those materials as often and for as long as they like. Staff provide support to children who seem tentative or unsure of a given piece of work; repeated lessons and supporting activities are provided as needed. All areas of each classroom and the work within those areas are available to all children throughout the school day. 

While most work is individual, there are those which can be done with partners or in small groups. Children are encouraged to work out for themselves the logistics of partner and small group work. From a child’s first day at VMS, we guide and support them in creating healthy relationships with the other children and staff, as well as understanding that the classroom is their classroom, not just the teachers’. Because of this, we are all responsible for maintaining a calm, uncluttered, clean and beautiful environment. 

Properly Trained Montessori Teachers

Almost all lead teachers at VMS hold Montessori credentials for the age level at which they teach; the majority hold AMS credentials, as does the director. The training prepares the Montessori teacher to design a developmentally appropriate learning environment, furnished with specially designed materials, where students explore, discover and experience the joy of learning.

Multi-Age Classrooms

Most classes at VMS follow the Montessori mixed-age groupings; the exceptions to this are some of the younger ages.

Infants: 6 weeks to 17 months

Toddlers: 18 to 23 months

Twos: 24-35 months

Primary: 2 1/2 through 6 years (kindergarten)

Uninterrupted Work Period

For all ages, VMS allocates a minimum two hour work cycle at least four days/week. Within the Montessori environment, the children need to have time to work through various tasks and responsibilities at their own pace. That said, the two hour work period for Infants and Toddlers includes time for snacks, mealtimes, hygiene, transition and outsides times, as well as nap routines.  For the Primary children, this time does not include transition or outside times, group snack or large-group lessons.

Use of Montessori Materials  

The Montessori-credentialed teachers provide lessons to the children on materials for which they are developmentally ready. These lessons may be individual, or small or large group lessons depending on the nature of the work. The lessons are given with as little speaking as possible, with clear, slow movements in the manner in which the work is to be done. Once a child has been given a lesson, they are encouraged to choose the work. If a child refuses a piece of work, the teacher will offer to sit with (support) the child while they do the work. If the child still resists, other comparable work is presented to convey the target concept.

When a child chooses a piece of work, both the teacher and assistant teacher observe how the child uses the work and the level of success the child experiences. The teacher and assistant confer regarding what they observed; the results of this discussion is recorded on work activity forms each teacher uses daily for each child. If the child appeared to be struggling or completing the work incorrectly, either the teacher or assistant may sit nearby the next time the child chooses the work to be able to better support them. If it appears needed, the child will be provided with another lesson on the materials, as well as provided with lessons on complimentary work to help solidify the concept.