Early Childhood
The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six MARIA MONTESSORI
We know from experience and research that the first six years of life provide opportunities, never equaled again, to open intellectual and emotional pathways in a child's life. As Montessor educators, we know that the child has an innate motivation to learn, but it's up to parents and teachers to provide the right environment in these crucial years, which will allow that drive to flourish to its highest potential. In that sense, choosing a preschool has become nearly as important as choosing a college. Within the nurturing atmosphere of BMS' Early Childhood program, children naturally work with interest and focus, developing a habit of concentration and love of learning that will last them all their lives.
Each of the four classrooms at BMS' Early Childhood Campus has two full-time teachers for no more than 24 students. Most of our teachers have been with us for years. The classrooms are multi-age, each containing 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. This ensures that each child is able to progress at his or her own pace in both social/emotional and academic arenas, and that each child can act as both a teacher and a learner in the classroom.
Maria Montessori's groundbreaking research on "sensitive periods" in children's development, when they are intensely interested in a certain type of learning and master it with much greater ease and speed than would be possible at another time, is a foundation of Montessori education. Another is the fact that young children learn best by using their hands, not by looking or listening, so the Montessori materials are developed with that principle in mind. The lengthy work period in the morning develops the young child's concentration and focus in a natural, unforced way. The close attention paid to each child's interests and needs sometimes means that a child will begin reading or writing quite early; however, it's a myth that Montessori education "pushes" early academics. Each child develops according to his or her own natural rhythm.
At the ECC, we honor the parent/child bond of attachment which you've carefully nurtured for the first years of your child's life, and we "follow the child" when it comes to separation. We believe our responsibility extends beyond the child; we strive to serve you in your role as parent by offering monthly parenting groups to allow parents to come together and support one another with wide-ranging discussions on child development and parenting concerns, facilitated by a staff member.
Please contact us for more information on our ECC program.
