Montessori

Pre-Kindergarten

Kindergarten

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Montessori
The Early Childhood Montessori Program nurtures children emotionally, spiritually, creatively, and cognitively using Christian and Montessori materials and principles. The major curriculum areas are practical life, sensorial, language, mathematics, and culture, which encompasses science and social studies. The curriculum also includes religion, music, and physical education. The three- and four-year-old children attend the program each morning of the week. In the third year, students attend a full day of classes, and the following special classes are added to their schedule: humanities, library, music, recorder, art, and computers. Following the third year, the students enter first grade.

Montessori Philosophy
1.)  Foster competent, responsible, independent individuals who are problem solvers and lifelong learners.
2.)  Address the needs and interests of the whole child: physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and most importantly their spiritual nature.
3.)  Offer a stimulating, cooperative, and nurturing environment where children can develop in all areas through teacher and self initiated experiences.
4.)  Encourage children to work individually and with others on challenging ideas and concepts with a variety of manipulative, interesting materials and activities.
5.)  Develop self-esteem and effective responsible relationships and to encourage them to respond with compassion, respect, gentleness, and generosity to each other, to nature, and to the world.
6.)  Integrate the Ursuline core values of spirituality, emphasis on the individual, community, academic excellence, service and social consciousness, adaptability to change, and commitment to the heritage of St. Angela Merici.
7.)  Most importantly, to teach the children in the Montessori and Ursuline tradition that we are all one family in the Lord and that mutual respect, trust, and hope should always direct our hearts and minds.

Pre-Kindergarten

The Ursuline Academy Pre-Kindergarten is a Catholic, early education program for three and four year old children committed to maximizing the potential of every child as an individual. An Ursuline education incorporates the values of Saint Angela Merici and fosters the spiritual growth of every child. The core values stress emphasis on spirituality, the individual, community, academic excellence, service and social consciousness, adaptability to change, commitment to Angela’s heritage and are integrated into all curriculum areas. Children are presented with a challenging, nurturing learning environment that will prepare them for advancement into the Ursuline Academy Kindergarten program.

The Pre-Kindergarten curriculum is based on the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical, and social needs of three and four year old children. Each child is encouraged to learn at a rate that is challenging, but not frustrating. Strong emphasis is placed on pre-reading and language skills. Quality children’s literature is presented in conjunction with structured phonemic awareness and phonics programs. Daily read-aloud sessions promote discussion of the literature in an interactive environment. Early number and math concepts are facilitated through hands-on activities, lessons, games and songs.

Instruction is based on motivating and exciting thematic units that offer the opportunity to establish connections between subject areas. Teachers plan and integrate child-centered learning activities. Multi-sensory learning centers and instructional activities allow children to explore and learn. The individual learning strengths of each child are addressed via auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning modalities.

Learning opportunities are provided in group and individual settings. Whole group/small group lessons and activities are combined with partnering activities. The uniqueness of the individual child is celebrated, valued and balanced with opportunities for growth in social interactions.

Kindergarten

The Ursuline Kindergarten program strives to meet each child’s needs by incorporating meaningful hands-on activities into all areas of the curriculum. It fosters independence, a positive self-esteem, and a desire to learn by providing a nurturing environment with a variety of small and large group activities, as well as individual learning opportunities. Fine-motor and gross-motor activities as well as structured and free times are incorporated into all areas of childhood development: social, cognitive, sensory, language, and motor skills. The Kindergarten’s special classes include music, recorder, art, physical education, humanities, library, and computers.