Sergey Brin and Larry Page, founders Google...Jeff Bezos, founder Amazon.com...Jimmy Wales, founder Wikipedia... Anne Frank, Yo Yo Ma, Chelsea Clinton, Julia Child, Joan Cusack, John Cusack, Princes William and Harry, George Clooney, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Taylor Swift… What do all of these people have in common? They were educated in Montessori schools.
Where can you attend school and be encouraged to think on your own? Helped to achieve confidence that your experiences make you unique? Have the opportunity for on-site “field trips” like, farm animals brought to you? Write your own songs, practice foreign language lessons (like Chinese), piano lessons and be exposed to education in one of the most highly regarded theories of early childhood education? “A Child’s Garden Montessori School”, located in Stonington, Connecticut.
Today we had a visit from animals of “Wild Goose Ranch”. Known to the children as “Farmer Emily”, Pawcatuck’s own Emily Handy made her third visit to A Child’s Garden Montessori School. In a hands-on, interactive environment the children learn new facts about animals, life cycles and the benefits of what farms offer to our society. The children were thrilled to touch the friendly animals that were brought; Pumba a dwarf piglet, Madonna a Sebastopol gosling, Lady Gaga a African goose, Mrs. Beackman a White Leghorn hen with one leg, Dumpling a Indian Runner duck, a variety of newly hatched chicks, “Big Buddy” the most tame Light Brahma rooster ever imagined, and male and female lions head rabbits. In addition to doing “on-site field trips” like this, Wild Goose Ranch, also encourages the children to visit with their families and sells a wide array of farm fresh goodies.
In addition to having visitors like our local farmer, A Child’s Garden Montessori uses the talents of community volunteers and parents. For example, Ms. Erin whom enrolled her son for his second year teaches Chinese lessons every other week. By using songs and games with the children they are able to easily learn the sometimes difficult fluctuations that make up the Chinese language. The children enjoy her lessons and it also allows her son who began last spring as a very shy three year old to be a leader amongst his peers as he assists his mother in teaching his friends. In addition to core areas of focus like language, mathematics, geography, science, sensorial and practical life works, the school brings music into the classroom.
As well as having on site piano lessons for those interested, we also have musicians come to us. Ms. Sarah, a grandparent of one of our students, with years of experience as a teacher, singer and guitar player visits our school twice a month to sing songs with the students. As the children began to learn she had written a song with their classmate, they wanted her to write a song that they came up with. So, true to the Montessori method, we let the children drive the lesson and each visit she works with children in small groups to talk about what they’d like in the song and how they’d like it to sound. This song will be sung on our end of year celebration. As previously mentioned, piano lessons with Ms. Lisa are another on site benefit of our school. Children as early as three interested in lessons are able to have them during their regular school day activities. Exposing children to the language of music; bass and treble clefs, whole, quarter, half notes, “middle c” and giving them confidence in a skill they can grown with.
Just entering our 30th year, A Child’s Garden Montessori is central to many towns. While still offering close to 3 acres of outdoor space for the school and play yard in a tree filled and safe neighborhood, our alumni are from all corners of New London County and into Rhode Island. The work in early childhood education that was so advanced in 1908 by Maria Montessori allowed the child to become a master of their own experiences. At A Child’s Garden Montessori School, children are encouraged to express their interests as something of value and worth and are given the opportunity to lead their own development, which will keep them excited about their own education throughout their lives.
