Programs
KMS offers multi-aged classrooms with three-year cycles. An effective Montessori experience depends on the increased possibility for self-paced learning in a classroom with a range of ages and stages of development. KMS has three Lower Elementary Classrooms and two Upper Elementary classrooms. Our Khalsa Montessori Preschool offers a private school program for children 24 months – 6 years old.
The Khalsa Montessori Schools believe that students within classroom programs should be placed individually according to ability and readiness rather than chronological age. Exact numbers of students at each grade level may vary but the schools will strive for a balance of ages in each classroom when it reaches its capacity.
The Montessori Prepared Environment
The Montessori Method is both a philosophy of child growth and a rationale for guiding such growth. The children experience a prepared environment of hands-on learning materials and exercises, which develop their intellectual, physical and psychological abilities. This environment is designed to be responsive to the sensitive periods of the child, (i.e., language, order, movement, culture). The prepared environment of the Montessori classroom emphasizes “Structure and Order”, “Freedom”, “Reality and Nature”, “Beauty”, and the “Development of Community Life.” Classrooms encourage the absorption of the rich environment by being relaxed and non-threatening; being filled with attractive and activity-oriented materials; and allowing freedom with structure (i.e., the freedom for children to choose from the varied, and carefully presented Montessori materials). Cross-curricular activities and materials are developed in accordance with integrated thematic units.
A multi-sensory sequence of manipulative materials in all areas of the classroom give children concrete experiences that form a firm basis for their conceptual knowledge. Self-correcting materials provide the immediate feedback required for self-discovery, and teacher demonstrations allow for learning through observation. Material presentations are one-on-one or in small groups to ensure that the child is neither held back, nor overwhelmed by the pace or level of other children.
Multi-age classrooms allow for peer learning. Children learn especially well from the observation of slightly older children, while older children are able to demonstrate their mastery of materials by teaching the material to younger students. Multi-age classes provide:
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- The stability of three years in the same environment;
- A three year student/teacher relationship which provides a deep understanding of a child’s learning style;
- Opportunities for chronologically older children to become leaders and examples for newer students;
- Opportunities for children of similar skill levels, but different chronological age levels, to work together; and
- An environment conducive to the Montessori Spiral Curriculum, (in which similar concepts and tasks are presented at different levels of complexity at several times during the three year curriculum cycles).
The Role of the Teacher
Individualized curriculum is provided for each student as our teachers observe performance, record areas of progress and areas of difficulty, and design future presentations and assignments according to the perceived needs and capacity of each child. The “indirect method” neither imposes upon the child, nor abandons the child to grapple alone. The teacher observes each child to determine specific needs and to gain the knowledge needed to prepare an environment conducive to the child’s growth. The teacher’s role is to prepare the environment, evaluate each student, introduce new materials, and give each child guidance.
Student Outcomes
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- Independence and internal motivation, stimulated by the freedom of activity and choices
- Self-discipline and concentration, gained as the child carefully attends to and completes each chosen task without interruption
- Self-confidence, as children learn without comparing themselves to others
- Mastery of fundamental skills, as children learn with concrete materials
- Enthusiasm for learning, as children work at their own pace and according to their own interests
- Critical thinking, developed by reasoning and creative problem solving throughout the curriculum
- Transfer of knowledge, developed through the integrated curriculum
- A sense of personal meaning and responsibility, resulting from the child’s social studies and growing recognition of him/herself as a beneficiary of the evolution of civilization and the many contributions of other human beings
Montessori Elementary Curriculum
The complete Khalsa Montessori curriculum is available on request.
Special Program Emphasis or Methodology
Multiple Intelligences
The KMS utilizes the concept of multiple intelligences, developed by Howard Gardner and David Lazear. By understanding the ways in which our students best learn and express themselves, we will design individualized lessons to better reach individual students and allow them to demonstrate their understanding.
Neural Pathway Development, the Arts and Physical Education
KMS sees physical and arts education as critical to the healthy development of every child and important ways in which a child develops new skills and patterns. We have evaluated research in the area of neural pathway development and understand the importance of providing physical and creative experiences for optimum brain development.
The development of neural pathways is a fundamental reason for our teaching of yoga. By giving children a wide variety of new combinations of movement, positions, breathing and vocalizations, new neural pathways are developed. As the number of pathways grows, so does the amount of functional cortex resulting in an increased ability to perform complex tasks in all academic as well as physical areas.
When we talk about a “variety of experiences” at Khalsa, our goal is to provide the kind of stimulating environment that helps children build and strengthen new neural bridges while also exposing them to experiences that may spark their interest for years to come.
Emergent Curriculum
KMS will allow for children to develop their own specific activities within the framework of general educational objectives. Teacher planning may include a variety of possible outcomes for a lesson, thereby allowing for students to suggest specific directions as the unit progresses. When teachers are responsive to the needs and ideas of students in the learning process, children become active agents in their learning process and experience knowledge as emerging from the self and social interaction.
Khalsa education utilizes the intuitive and spontaneous creativity of the teacher. It understands that often the best lessons are ones that spontaneously develop through the interaction of the students, teachers, and outside events. It counts on the ability of the teacher to perceive the needs of children and develop lessons that meet these needs. It allows teachers the flexibility to change lesson plans to follow the enthusiasm of their students and it encourages them to do so.
Community Integrated Learning
The Montessori Elementary program uses the surrounding community as its classroom. Community resources are regularly evaluated and used for unit development. Field trips are a vital way in which the children’s classroom is extended allowing them to experience their connection to the world. This is one of the many aspects of cosmic education, which places the child within the scope of the universe.
Parents are encouraged to search for and present resources that are available to the children. We encourage all families to share their holidays and special traditions with our students, so that the KMS children will experience the cultural diversity of our community.
Reading Tutoring
KMS may offer individual and small group phonics reading tutoring with funds from the federal Title I Grant. Students will be identified for possible placement by teacher evaluation, SRA reading level and Stanford 9 Achievement Test reading scores. Students will be placed following a phonics reading test.