At Bridge to Knowledge the classroom objective is approached in two ways:

• Allowing each child to experience the excitement of learning by his own choice rather than by being forced.

• Helping each child to perfect all his natural tools for learning, so that his ability will be at a maximum in future learning situations.

The Children's House at Bridge to Knowledge encompasses the four main Montessori learning areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Language and Math. We also address geography, botany and science and have Spanish, sign language and computers for the all day group!

Practical Life

Dr. Montessori wrote "An adult works to perfect the environment but a child works to perfect himself."

The Practical Life exercises build focus and small muscle coordination. Practical Life requires a child to pay attention to detail while following a regular sequence of actions through a work cycle. The exercises include familiar objects such as buttons, brushes, dishes, pitchers, tweezing and many other things a child recognizes from his home life.

Sensorial Exercises

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The sensorial materials help the child to become aware of details by offering her, strongly contrasted sensations. Each of the materials isolates one defining quality. The equipment emphasizes this one particular quality by eliminating or minimizing other differences.

The sensorial exercises help a child learn about their world by comparing, sequencing and abstracting different heights, lengths, weights, colors, sounds, smells, shapes and textures. By working with these concrete materials a child builds their intellect by generalizing from the concrete to the abstract.

Math

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Dr. Montessori designed the math materials upon observing children engaging in counting more readily when they were able to touch the items. She developed concrete materials to represent all quantities. When a child combines the equipment, separates it, shares it, counts it and compares it, he will demonstrate to himself the basic operation of arithmetic. The activities give children the satisfaction of learning by discovery rather than being told.

Language

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The language program at Bridge to Knowledge provides a child with opportunities to develop a broad range of activities such as active listening, public speaking, singing, chanting, rhyming, reading and writing. A child begins the language program through the use of the metal insets which focuses on gaining the small muscles it takes to write. Writing typically starts before reading because it is easier for a child to write something than it is for them to put sounds together to derive a new word.