Giving Tree Montessori was started in 1980 to provide a multi-cultural environment for children 2 ½ to 6 years of age. Our nonprofit school is intentionally small to accommodate a sense of community for our families and staff. Many of our children come to us from different cultural backgrounds which contribute richly to our environment. We limit our enrollment to 40 students with a staff of seven. We welcome you to the Giving Tree community.
The Giving Tree Philosophy
Our program is based on the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori. Her approach to human development focuses on the most vital stage of a child’s life: the beginning. Our classrooms provide a carefully prepared environment in which the child has opportunities for activities in the following areas: practical life, sensorial, language, mathematics, and culture.
We hope this site will answer any questions you might have about Giving Tree. If you have additional questions, feel free to email us and we will be in touch with you soon.
Preschool
The initiation of the preschool program begins in a multi-aged classroom at about age two and a half. In this setting our focus is to provide a loving environment in which self-care skills and positive socialization are embraced. Many lessons chosen during independent work time are designed to develop eye-hand-coordination, concentration, visual discrimination, and vocabulary. Children are encouraged to use their senses to classify and organize using shape, size, color, touch, temperature, sound, and weight as they are exploring the classroom environment. In addition to individual work time, each day includes a group circle time for discussions, music, stories, games and lessons in grace and courtesy. Outdoor play, movement, and art are also vital parts of the child’s day.
Kindergarten
The first two years of learning in the Montessori classroom provide the foundation which culminates in an explosion of learning during the kindergarten year. During this final and most important year at Giving Tree, the child is able to draw upon the primary skills of self-motivation, self-discipline, concentration, and sensory based concepts and apply them in all areas of the curriculum. The Kindergarten child also has the opportunity to teach younger children and be a positive role model in the classroom.