Montessori
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The "Children's House"
We welcome you to learn more about Blessed Sacrament School's Montessori Children's House. A “Children’s House” is the Montessori term for a classroom serving children ages 3-6.
- The BSS Children’s House operates alongside our traditional 3K, 4K and 5K programs and is a fully-integrated part of our school, including wearing the BSS school uniform.
- It is our expectation that children who enroll will be a part of the Montessori program for three years -- through the end of Montessori Kindergarten.
- Children must be 3-years-old on September 1 and able to toilet independently in order to attend.
- After Montessori Kindergarten, children transition into the Primary Unit as first graders.
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Key Components of the Montessori Philosophy
- Play is Work - a child’s play is their work.
- Key Developmental Stages - each child has his/her own developmental pathway and there are key times when the child is most ready and able to learn specific skills.
- Multi-age Classrooms - children can be exposed to the same “lessons” and learn more and different things from them at different times in their development. They also learn from their younger and older classmates.
- Classroom Environment/materials - materials are tangible and hands-on with the belief that early learning is best accomplished involving as many of a child’s senses as possible.
- Child-centered Learning - the teacher sets out the learning curriculum and it is the child who decides how and what they wish to learn about (with guidance from the teacher). Rather than fitting the child into the curriculum, the curriculum is designed to meet what the child needs at any given time.
- Uninterrupted Work Time - children have the opportunity to work without interruption for extended periods. During this time, they may choose to work on one task for the entire time or work on several projects. Uninterrupted work time enhances concentration and eases anxieties that sometimes accompany frequent transitions.
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Blessed Sacrament School & Montessori
At Blessed Sacrament School, many of these tenets sound very familiar! We’ve offered multi-age classrooms since the 1970s. We’ve tailored learning groups so that children are learning at an appropriate level for them rather than for their “grade.” We’ve provided tactile opportunities for learning math, spelling and more. We’ve watched younger students learn from older ones; we’ve seen that older children’s skills are enhanced by sharing them with a younger student. We’ve witnessed the compassion, the sense of service and the building of community that our multi-age programming facilitates.
Ms. Brigid Ryan and Mrs. Lisa Bishop are the lead teachers, sometimes called a directress or guide, for our Montessori program. Both have extensive experience in Montessori education. In addition, Ms. Ryan is an alum of BSS. "I am truly excited to have returned to my roots at Blessed Sacrament School! I love working with this age group; young children are genuinely excited to share what they have learned and I am lucky to not only be able to observe that, but also be able to encourage their desire to learn and discover God’s world through faith. My classroom motto is: respect for yourself, respect for others, and respect for your environment."
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