Montessori Approaches

Motor Skill Development

Learn with shape

 
On any given day, you may smell an assortment of delicious aromas when you are walking the halls at Genius Islamic Montessori Preschool. This is because students are often engaged in various cooking and baking activities as part of the Montessori curriculum. To support these efforts, we have a full kitchen complete with refrigerators, dishwashers, sinks, and prep space. Building practical life skills in areas of daily living is a cornerstone of the Montessori Method, and it is also proven to help students develop soft skills. These skills help children learn essential life tasks, such as working well with others, having empathy, and being trustworthy and respectful. To learn more about the importance of soft skills, please take a look at this new article.

Montessori Approaches welcomes curiosity and solution in their mind 

Starting with our youngest students, guides and assistants work with toddlers to create snacks for their classroom. Whether they are carefully learning how to cut pieces of carrots using a crinkle cutter or making freshly squeezed orange juice, the children are actively involved in every step of the process. During the warmer months, many classrooms will also plant tomatoes, cucumbers, chilies and more in their outdoor environments, so the children will become familiar with where their food comes from.

Engaging experiments during plant a seed

Students start thinking in a beautiful way!

Students will help to plan larger meals and snacks, and the guides introduce new flavors with the seasons. Instead of always baking comfort foods such as oatmeal cookies or muffins, our guides work to come up with recipes that include fresh and natural ingredients. 

Learnt different textures and taste

At Genius Islamic Montessori, our students have come up with creative ways to grow our students with their work in the kitchen! In addition to honing their cooking and prep skills, they also learn to work together, stay organized, and manage money. In addition, the students have built a chicken coop, compost bin, and they are starting a class garden. It is their hope to eventually sell eggs and vegetables to the school community, and even use some of these ingredients in their own cooking.

Inspire students for new hobbies to continue at home 

The joys of cooking with children can extend into your home too. Take a look at our blog on setting up your Montessori kitchen at home and consider trying some of the following this week:

•  Take your child to the farmer’s market and pick out one new type of fruit or vegetable to try.

•  Flip through a recipe book with your child and let them pick a meal for you to make together.

•  Start giving your child a task during meal prep – this could be anything from rinsing the vegetables, to cutting, and eventually even cooking the ingredients.

 

Give your child the opportunity to begin cooking, baking, or prepping one meal a day on their own (the younger ones may need some support) – this could be making scrambled eggs for breakfast, packing their own lunch, or preparing a snack when they get home from school.

Students squeeze the dough using their hands

Make sure to include clean up in your routine together! – our children love setting the table with real plates and glassware, washing their dishes, and sweeping up crumbs

Introduction of all ingredients before start cooking

Practical Life

The power of concentration and social development

Mastering practical life in Montessori skills and they’ll apply for a lifetime to foster independence and respect for the environment and others. 

More independent life by fostering coordination movement

 Practicing hygiene all of the day

They’ll be expected to dust, clean up after themselves, tie shoes, fasten buttons, greet others appropriately, say please, excuse me and thank you, and learn how to ask for help.

Discipline Rules

Students focus on the sense of order and language

Our goal, in Montessori, is about self-discipline. To become self-disciplined, a child must master his or her mind and body, and understand and be willing to follow classroom rules that respect his needs as a young child. They do so by acting actively in their environment—not by being told to behave themself

Mixed class for everyone learns from one another

 

Exploring Week Mini Week

Each child is met and guided at their own pace, with attention to their learning styles and interests. Through one-to-one and group activities exploring concepts at personalized levels ensures that each child remains focused, engaged, and motivated.

Life skills offered as part of the curriculum