When you enter Raintree Montessori you will hear children quietly talking to one another or busy at their "work". The entry area flows into a large room with a high ceiling. The room is divided by low shelving into two spacious classrooms with a walkway between which leads to a door through which a third classroom is accessed. Although the space is divided only by shelves which contain the classroom materials the school is very quiet. Children walk about in house shoes as they freely choose their activities from the prepared environment.

Each classroom has five distinct areas which constitute the prepared environment:

The practical life area

The practical life area is attractively arranged in one nook of the classroom and includes a low sink where children can get water for several activities and a child size kitchen for bread cutting and snack activities. The practical life area offers activities which enhance the development of task organization and cognitive order through care of self, care of the environment, exercises of grace and courtesy, and coordination of physical movement.

 

The sensorial area

The sensorial area enables the child to order, classify, and describe sensory impressions in relation to length, width, temperature, mass, color, pitch, etc.

 

The mathematics area

The mathematics area makes use of manipulative materials to enable the child to internalize concepts of number, symbol, sequence, operations, and memorization of basic facts.

 

The Language arts area

The Language arts area includes oral language development, written expression, reading, the study of grammar, creative dramatics, and children's literature. Basic skills in writing and reading are developed through the use of sandpaper letters, alphabet cut-outs, and various presentations allowing children to link sounds and letter symbols effortlessly and to express their thoughts through writing.

 

The cultural area

The cultural area provides activities which expose the child to basics in geography, history, and life sciences. Music, art, and movement education are part of the integrated cultural curriculum.

 

The classrooms have several low tables at which one, two, or four children can work. The floor is carpeted and furniture is arranged with plenty of space to allow for free movement of children. Each classroom has a fish aquarium or other caged pet which the children care for.

Accommodations in the Classroom

Example of one simple accommodation which makes the pink tower activity accessible to a child with physical disabilities.Listen to Pam discuss the use of the Pink Tower in the classroom.**

Explore Raintree Classrooms through Panoramic Movies

Here you can tour two of the preschool classrooms.

• Pam's Classroom**
• Connie's Classroom** (from an old building before the fire)
  
  
  ** This content uses Apple's QuickTime software. If you do not have if it installed on your machine you may download it here.