Last week we welcomed FMS families and guests for a parent education workshop called, Beyond Preschool; an overview of the Kindergarten and Primary School Programs at FMS. Families were fascinated and impressed on the night, and eager to learn more. The summary below is provided for all families – existing and potential – to discover the wonders of an authentic Montessori Primary school education, and the benefits for children during...
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This article has been shared by Dr Judith Locke, Clinical Psychologist, registered teacher and author. Judith recently delivered a keynote at our NSW Combined Montessori Schools Professional Development Day, ‘When help becomes unhelpful’. Her session was well received, endorsing the many benefits of a Montessori education focusing on growing children’s independence. Please see more about Dr Locke, links to her books and social media following this article... Help them...
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Understanding human development at each stage is crucial to fostering optimal growth. This belief forms the foundation of Montessori education, which is deeply rooted in the developmental needs of children. Each stage or plane of development, comes with unique needs and capacities. Understanding them allows us to better support children in their educational journey. As we prepare to welcome families to FMS for our education evening, Beyond Preschool, we invite...
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Whether we embrace maths or not, humans have a tendency to think in patterns to quantify experiences and make logical connections. Some might say we all have a mathematical mind! Young children also have this innate ability and inclination, so in Montessori, we take advantage of this propensity for mathematical thinking and offer learning experiences that provide an in-depth understanding of maths even at a young age. Organised into six...
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You may have seen signage around FMS for the 9-12 ‘Going Out’ Taronga Zoo adventure. ‘Going Out’ at Montessori has a very particular meaning. More than just an excursion, Going Out is a significant aspect of learning, leadership, life- skills building for Montessori Primary School students. What is Going Out? Imagine that a group of two, three, or four children have been studying something in the classroom. They have...
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With childcare in the media for all the wrong reasons, we want to remind families what sets our Baby, Toddler and Preschool programs so far apart from conventional daycare. When choosing daycare for young children, parents have much to consider; learning, development, cost, location, proximity and other factors all play a role. For most parents, however, the safety, comfort and security of their child is first and foremost. Having...
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At FMS, our teachers facilitate your children’s growing independence, confidence, capability and real-world application of everything they learn at school. But there’s just so much to learn, and children never stop learning, even at home. This is why we love sharing ‘Montessori at Home’ with families in our community, so you can engage with and extend your child’s education, develop strong relationships with your children, and establish your unique community…
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In order to be truly free, we need to be able to make our own choices, which means having the skills and abilities to then act upon our choices. Without independence, we can’t truly be free. As children’s independence grows, so does their opportunity for freedom. They have more choices available and more to consider. The freedom children experience in our prepared learning environments is directly related to their independence.…
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Think of a time when you did an activity because you wanted to do it–maybe weeding your garden, reading a book, taking a walk, or rearranging your bedroom. Your motivations arose entirely from within you. You likely felt pure joy or satisfaction in the very act of what you were doing. In these activities, you may have also felt a sense of meaning or purpose. Or maybe you felt like…
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The Montessori method of education was born from Dr. Montessori's scientific observations as she explored how to support children’s optimum development. In her studies, Dr. Montessori found that children need a block of uninterrupted time to go through cycles of focus and consolidation. Children aged two and a half and older need at least three hours to move through rhythms of focus. Often, the most growth and meaningful work happens…
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