Montessori method
The Montessori Method believes that a child’s capacity to absorb information and their thirst for knowledge can be harnessed in the right environment and at their own pace to assist in their successful learning and development. It is based on a clear understanding of how the child absorbs the world around him and encourages this natural instinct, by giving children freedom within limits, to work through their sensitive periods.
The Nursery Environment
To encourage personal, social and emotional development, the Edinburgh Montessori Nursery combines materials and activities to engage a child and provide practical experiences. This includes exercises which help develop a child’s co-ordination, motor skills, concentration, order, logical thinking and independence.
By reinforcing a link between home and nursery life, a child can relate to activities and learning in a more effective way. Key activities include every day household exercises including washing, cooking, sewing, dressing skills, pouring and polishing. They also are encouraged to learn about social skills, good manners and positive behaviour.
The Sensorial Materials are especially designed didactic apparatus which in isolation focus on each of the five senses. The exercises with the materials start from the simple to the more complex under the careful observation and presentation from a Montessori Practitioner as she will follow the specific pace of the individual child.
As our latest quality support report shows, the children respond excellently with the Montessori Language Apparatus. Language is part of our every day lives and the children have already indirectly prepared for language through the practical life and sensorial materials. In our language area we have created phonic boxes, games and unlimited resources for the children to experiment and discover writing and word building in preparation for Primary 1.
As with Language, the children have a strong indirect preparation through the Practical Life & Sensorial Materials. We bring maths language and opportunities to the children throughout the day, in tasks and games, song and rhymes. We have a complete set of Montessori Mathematics Apparatus, which have given children a strong foundation through concrete experiences of numeracy.
With the experience our staff have, with working with bilingual children we are constantly developing our cultural materials to include the diverse language & cultures of the children and families, in our nursery.
We are developing materials and games which encourage early geography, early history, early botany and biology.
Every day our creative area is prepared for the children to discover and experiment with their imagination. Art materials are readily available for the children to work on their own, or with a group.
Music, drama, puppets and movement could be part of our daily activities, depending where the children lead us.
