For parents who believe in Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational philosophy, Montessori school director Patti-Jeam Lima is offering a kindergarten program three days a week starting in September.
The kindergarten, which is structured to prepare children for Grade 1, will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The pre-school program has been in place elsewhere since 1997, teaching children from two and a half to five years old. Under the guidelines, the children will be taught academic subjects, such as reading, writing, math and science, plus arts, music, Christian religious education, practical life skills and social graces.
Lima decided to include the preschool program after the parents of children in the regular Montessori school requested it.
The Montessori program is based on the children’s own desire to learn, and the fact that every child learns differently. Social skills, motor skills, personal development, emotional growth and problem solving are given equal weight in the teaching process, and a lot of the exercises are based on discovery, logical thought, and hands-on experience. Children are encouraged to find solutions and explanations on their own, and to ask for assistance.
The local Montessori school, Grace Christian Montessori, is located in Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, at the end of Lorimer Road. The cost for Kindergarten (three days a week) is $350 a month. The cost for Preschool (two days a week) is $190.
For more information, contact Patti-Jean Lima at (604) 894-6120 or Mechthild (Mecky) Facundo at 935-3111.
