Here’s an example of a toy made out of wood.
| Name | Wooden Educational Toys |
| Item Weight | 2.48 pounds |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 24 months and up |
| Product Dimensions | 8.38 x 5.07 x 3.51 inches |
| Theme | Animal |
Pros
- It has been used by thousands of parents.
- It’s reasonably priced.
- It’s a great concept.
Cons
- It’s not sold by a renowned toy company.
- It’s smaller than it appears.
- The build quality could be better.
Curriculum
Like any other curriculum, the Montessori curriculum equips the child with the necessary knowledge they’ll need in the real world to survive. However, they do it in their unique way.
The curriculum consists of three educational levels, all of which employ the same philosophy of independence and individualized pace of learning. The three levels are:
- Early childhood level (For ages 2.5 to 6 years)
- Elementary school level (for ages 6 to 12 years)
- Secondary school level (for ages 12 to 18)
In other regions (such as the US), the secondary level of education may be divided into two more parts, namely:
- Middle school level (for ages 12 to 15)
- High school level (for ages 15 to 18)
Activities
Every level of education has different approaches, metrics, and activities to measure the students’ growth. Below, we have briefly mentioned the subjects and their corresponding activities to give you a more thorough insight into Montessori schools.
Early childhood level
The early childhood level is the most popular level of Montessori education before rigorous academics are brought in.
Some schools, such as Montessori Academy of Australia, solely cater to the early childhood development level. At this level, children learn about five key curriculum areas, often referred to as “subjects” in a traditional school. They are:
Practical life: To develop independence in real-life skills such as:
- spooning
- cleaning
- etiquette
- and social skills.
Sensorial: Encourages children to better understand the world through the five senses of:
- sight
- smells
- touch
- sound
- and taste.
It is usually done by having children delve into activities. They involve figuring out the similarities and differences between:
- shapes
- sizes
- colors
- shapes
- smells
- and sounds.
Mathematics: Introduces the fundamentals of mathematics through Montessori resources and toys such as:
- beads
- counters
- wooden numbers, etc.
Language: Language resources are used to increase the understanding of languages, such as:
- Sandpaper letters
- command cards
- and sentence strips.
Phonetics and proper pronunciation of each word are also explored in depth.
Culture: Children discover concepts of:
- Geography
- Zoology
- Music
- Art
- History
- Science
- etc. through Montessori activities and tools.
Elementary school level
As the children turn 6 and move to elementary schools, their curriculum becomes vast. It encompasses many more subjects such as:
- Geometry
- Astronomy
- Cultural Geography
- etc.
The classroom has become a place of debate and grouped learning. It’s because the teacher stirs up discussions and debates and assigns group projects to work on.
All subjects taught in traditional elementary schools are taught but in a way that guards the Montessori philosophy.
Secondary school level
The secondary level is the last stage of education before adolescents enter the real world. And so, the secondary level curriculum encapsulates:
- physical
- emotional
- social
- and cognitive approaches.
All Montessori aspects remain the same. Aspects include uninterrupted work periods, studying with different age groups, and setting your own pace. Nonetheless, it goes hand in hand with rigorous academics that can help you get into good universities.
Something called the “spiral curriculum” is popular among Montessori secondary schools. It allows teenagers to dig deep into separate but related topics. It results in students acquiring a much more extensive and all-embracing point of view of the world.
