Primary

Smithville Montessori Academy provides a carefully designed, age appropriate program which allows children to explore and discover as they work with a wide variety of Montessori materials and educational toys in a spacious and stimulating environment.

The Montessori environment is designed to satisfy the needs of a young child´s sensitive period of order, independence, concentration, coordination, and exploration in the course of a normal day.

Practical Life:
These exercises are simple but critical to the child's development. Children learn about caring for themselves and their environment by exploring simple concepts such as spooning, pouring, sorting, dressing, sweeping, hand washing, greeting, basic manners and table setting.

Sensorial:
Children learn about the world around them through active use of all five senses. Children build cognitive skills and learn how to order and classify impressions by touch, sight, smell, taste, sound, and exploring the physical properties of the environment. Sensorial and manipulative activities include bead stringing, puzzles, and matching by shape, size, color and texture.

Language:
Tactile sandpaper letters introduce the children to letter shapes and phonics, and lead them naturally to read and spell. Language development is vital to human development, and the Montessori environment is rich in oral language opportunities that allow the children to experience conversation, stories, and poetry.

Math:
Concrete mathematical concepts are introduced with a variety of materials that enable the child to understand numbers, quantities, and symbols as well as comprehending numbers as a decimal system. Children begin to learn 1 through 100, work with number rods, sandpaper numbers, spindle boxes, cards and counters, and sequin boards. The concept of basic operations such as addition and subtraction are also introduced.

Cultural: Cultural subjects include history, geography, art, physical science, music, and physical movement. The aim of studying culture is to allow the child to experience their place in the universe. They begin by exploring similarities between their culture and others, and then have appreciation and respect for differences. They learn how all beings are fundamentally related and discover ways to feel they are significant beings in this world.

Outdoor Activities:
Fresh air activities are encouraged and include ride-on toys, play equipment, and organized games. Children also participate in planting, growing, and harvesting vegetables and flowers as part of our outdoor program.