Introduction

Dr. Montessori, being a scientist first and foremost,  designed the very materials educators use today in any quality Montessori school. They were designed to provide optimal learning experiences for children from birth through approximately age six, during the developmental stage she referred to as the “Absorbent Mind”. During this stage a child’s brain is absorbing data at a rate that will be unparalleled though out the remainder of their lifetime. Thus, making Pinnacle’s high-quality environment the best choice for your child and their future academic achievements.

Dr. Montessori instructs educators to “follow the child”, thus, Pinnacle’s educators utilize their training and observations giving timely lessons to bring about the most beneficial outcomes for their students. This allows freedoms to be granted within the environment as students are developmentally ready to embrace them. A respect for self, their friends, educators, and the classroom environment, is learned through the lessons of grace and courtesy within Practical Life, line time, and Peace Area.

Within a Montessori environment, children may work on their own, or within small productive groups.

 Practical Life

The area known as ‘Practical Life’ is the foundation for all other areas of a Montessori learning environment. Pinnacle recognizes the value of these lessons providing rich and ample resources for each child.

Practical Life provides an array of enticing lessons: hand washing, table scrubbing, hand-whisking bubbles, cleaning up spills, pouring, spooning, polishing of glass, silver, and brass. All materials are non-toxic, and the opportunities are boundless. You might be asking yourself, “why are these lessons so important?”

The answer is simple, our students with a ripple effect of benefits learn grace and courtesy, care of self, and care of their classroom. They will begin to refine their large and small motor skills, and each lesson learned will be utilized throughout their lifetime. What naturally follows from these are the skills of independence, concentration, confidence, and order.

 Sensorial

Dr. Montessori created the Sensorial materials to be a child’s first experience with actual mathematics. Each lesson is constructed in base ten, every work is brightly colored, and designed to invite your child to explore. Therefore, by working in base ten, your child begins their lessons with the Pink Tower, Brown Stairs, Red Rods, and Color Boxes I, II, and III. Then when they are ready, they will expand to the Binomial and Trinomial cubes, the Geometric Cabinet, Geometric Solids, Constructive Triangle, Small and Large Hexagonal Boxes. These lessons will lay down the foundation for higher mathematics lessons.

Proper vocabulary is presented within each lesson. Dr. Montessori understood the early learner is capable of tremendous progress given the proper materials and guidance.

 Language

At birth, your child begins their acquisition of language. During this developmental stage, referred to as the “Absorbent Mind” by Dr. Montessori, your child is absorbing and coding data at a rate that will be unparalleled throughout their lives.Your child’s Absorbent Mind will naturally begin to slow around the age of six years.

With that being said, it becomes vital to offer your child a high-quality Montessori learning environment to capitalize on those years. Pinnacle Montessori offers programs that provide excellence in Montessori instruction.

This academic area provides learning opportunities designed to provide language lessons that will lead your child to a deeper understanding of the mechanics of the English language. Your child will explore pattern sequencing, matching, phonetic sounds, word building, and much more. Each lesson is designed to foundationally prepare them for the following lessons.

Within our Montessori language area, writing is highlighted, as writing has been proven to lead directly to reading.

 Math

The early learner is capable of gaining tremendous Math skills when utilizing Dr. Montessori’s beautiful materials combined with a caring educator. The lessons are taught in a concrete fashion, upon mastery, the guide then begins the process of abstraction. This refers to the process of understanding the concept without the aid of the Montessori materials. Then new lessons are presented.

Pinnacle will never hold a child back academically due to their chronological age, if they are ready for a more advanced Math lesson, they will receive it.

Pinnacle is committed to preparing their students for their future academic endeavors be they Montessori, private, or ISD.

 Culture

Dr. Montessori’s academic area known as the “Cultural Subjects”, encompasses Geography, Social Studies, History, and Science. Dr. Montessori, being a scientific observer, believed that within these subjects, a hands-on, sensory approach brought down any barriers of difficulty for the early learner. As an example, before any student at Pinnacle labels a puzzle map, first the culture of that location is studied: the art, the cuisine, music and dance. The world becomes more personal to your child as they begin to understand other cultures around the world.

Exposing your child to other cultures, history, and science, within the early childhood years is a wonderful opportunity for emotional and academic growth. Such a foundation of cultural education will be of immense value to your child throughout their development and into their adult lives.

 Art

Dr. Montessori was an advocate for allowing the child to develop their own personal artistic flow within their own manner of expression. The idea of having a vase with a flower at the front of the class in which each child had to replicate it precisely would have been abhorrent to her. With that being stated, opportunities for artistic expression cross over into all academic areas within the Montessori classroom environment, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Cultural Subjects. Children are presented with developmentally appropriate opportunities for self-expression for lessons, as well as creative projects, and utilizing various mediums. Pinnacle Montessori has a variety of opportunities available at the ready for your child to begin their journey of artistic exploration.

Science:

Dr. Montessori's science curriculum seeks to cultivate children’s natural curiosity and to allow them to discover the answers to their “why” questions. Science study concentrates on the process: hypothesis, procedure, observation, data analysis and conclusion. This helps them to think before deciding, to use a logical method of discovery or testing and to use data to evaluate results and arrive at a conclusion.

Along with process, the science curriculum provides each child with a basic knowledge of zoology, botany, energy, earth science, astronomy, human development and personal health. Hands-on experience with the nature, scientific materials and equipment helps to promote learning.

Pinnacle Montessori curriculum wants children to be excited about the complexity and grandeur of the universe, the simplicity of physical laws and the miracle of life. These endeavors encourage respect for our world and an understanding of our place in the natural order of things. The goal is the development of an ecological view of life and a healthy respect for the responsibility of their earth.