Our kindergarten program uses the “Spiral of Montessori Curriculum” approach to teach students in all academic areas. Everything is interrelated in an inclined spiral plane; one lesson leads to many others. Math leads to Science and Language, and Language leads to History and Geography. Dr. Montessori found that at every age level, students learn in different ways at different rates and learn much more effectively from direct hands-on experience. All lessons are presented individually, through hands-on activities in a sequence from the concrete to the abstract.

Curriculum

Math

The spiral moves from the concrete to the abstract by laying a solid sound foundation in mathematics and geometry. Using Montessori material the students are introduced to the basic math concepts of associating quantities to numerals, working with addition, multiplication, and subtraction using the decimal system.

Language Arts and Written Communication

Montessori's interrelated spiral plane will enable the students to participate in a language rich environment to enhance oral skills. Descriptive vocabulary will be introduced to the students through history, social science, geography, science and literature. With the use of phonetics, the student will master the basic skills of reading and gradually attain higher reading levels. They will be able to communicate ideas through pictures and writing. The student will be introduced to simple and compound sentences and learn to analyze sentences (distinguish noun, verbs, and adverbs.) BMS students are also taught reflective thinking and basic writing skills.

Social Science

As history is interrelated to geography, our intention is to study history with a global perspective -- to study other cultures as well as American cultures. Parental involvement is encouraged to acquaint other cultures to the students. For geography, the students will work with specially designed maps and be able to name the world's continents and countries. They will also be able to distinguish the difference between rivers, lakes, deserts, islands, archipelagos, gulfs and straits.

Science

Science lessons enhance a hands-on approach to investigate and learn topics concerning the world, the solar system, and the sea world. The students are introduced to hands-on experience for understanding the life cycle of insects and the life cycle of plants. Such experiences allow children to question and research the interdependence of nature and living things.

Music/Yoga

Students participate in singing, dancing and creative movement.

Arts & Crafts

As part of the interrelated spiral plane, arts and crafts are incorporated into the program through the curriculum. We appreciate expressing individualism through drawing and believe in the art of children.

Physical Education

To develop fine motor and gross motor skills, the students will be encouraged to participate in school programs such as dancing, organized physical play, walking on a line, walking on a balance beam and rigorous free play on the expansive play grounds.

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Kindergarten is the harvest year for all the planting and intellectual tending that has gone on for the preceding years in preschool. The kindergarten child’s learning explodes into an avalanche of reading and writing and math. All of the earlier preparation (practical life, sensorial) now finds academic outlets. The kindergarten child not only gains a wider breadth of knowledge but a deeper understanding of what he or she has learned and now is able to use this knowledge to enhance his or her own intellectual pursuits.