Casa Montessori
Perth Children’s House offers a genuine and high-quality 3-year Casa Montessori (preschool, Junior & Senior Kindergarten) program for 2.5 to 6 year olds.
Our program combines the Montessori philosophy with Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years — How Does Learning Happen? It’s designed to help prepare children for life — to encourage them to be inquisitive while building their confidence and creativity.
Casa Curriculum
The 5 Areas of Montessori
Practical Life
Practical life works are chosen to teach the child to function in their environment.
Mathematics
Mathematics allows the child to internalise the concepts of number, symbol, sequence and operations.
Culture & Geography
This area focuses on the integrated study of science, the social sciences, and the arts.
French
On top of providing a Montessori learning environment, we have weekly French classes for the different levels (first-, second-, and third-year students) which prepare students for starting Grade One at the French Immersion level. Montessori students learn diverse vocabulary to emphasize fluency and comprehension as it relates to interactive themes reflecting everyday life. This is enhanced with the AIM (Accelerated Integrated Method) that incorporates gestures, songs, plays, and games to enhance the Montessori Method. The French language learning is reinforced throughout our time together to emphasize oral communication.
Music
Students take part in a weekly 45-minute group music session. The music session rotates through different days of the week and times of day to ensure that as many students as possible can take part. Music is presented live mainly through vocals with guitar accompaniment. Small rhythm instruments of professional quality are shared with the students. Basic techniques introduced throughout the year:
- Rhythm
- Tempo
- Volume
- Pitch
In each music class children are invited to listen, sing, dance, create, and play along with the shared music.
Art
The Montessori program provides opportunities, challenges, and experiences through which the child acquires co-operative and self-guided skills, initiative, and self-expression. Art and crafts are an important component and can stimulate the child’s interests and development.
Outdoor Classroom
Maria Montessori saw value and necessity not only in getting kids outdoors, but also in experiencing and learning in the outdoors. She placed great emphasis on nature and nature education and also felt that the outdoor environment should be an extension of the indoor classroom.
PCH is dedicated to fostering children’s exploration, play and inquiry by providing child-initiated and adult-supported experiences as well as planning for and creating a positive learning environment in which each child’s learning and development will be supported.
How Does Learning Happen?
The How Does Learning Happen (HDLH) document is a resource that models learning through relationships with a focus on the child and the family. Learning and development happens within the context of relationships among children, families, educators, and their environments. The four foundations of HDLH are:
- Well Being
- Engagement
- Belonging
- Expression
PCH Educators, along with the Board, strive to model these four foundations by ensuring that the points stated below are respected and carried out each day. Teachers always consider these foundations when creating policies and making decisions for the students of PCH.