99a Somerfield Street, Somerfield, Christchurch 8024
At the Courtyard Montessori Preschool we support Maria Montessori’s teaching on the importance of a mixed age range of children in our two 3-6 year old classrooms. Children of these ages and stages of development can work side by side in the environment.
Our 2-3 year old classroom is a lovely calm and nurturing class, where children first develop their sense of well-being and belonging outside the home environment and away from family. The children here begin to develop a level of independence, caring for themselves through self-help skills they are introduced to. At the same time they begin to develop a greater awareness of how to interact with peers and teachers. Children in all classes are free to progress at their own individual rhythm and pace within our non-competitive environment, while values and respect for others is at the heart of our preschool and modelled in our daily Grace and Courtesy lessons that are practiced in informal group situations.
Our Montessori approach is distinctive in so far as it provides a unique cycle of learning designed to take advantage of the child’s sensitive years when a child can absorb information from our enriched environment. Our environment and programme takes advantage of this fact by allowing the child the freedom to select individual activities, which correspond to their own periods of interest and exploration.
Our environment is designed to put the child at ease by giving them freedom within an environment prepared with attractive Montessori materials within curriculum areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Maths, Language, Environmental and Art. Within any of these areas there are activities that vary from simple to complex so that each child can choose and work with activities in any area that fulfill their current interest and curiosity.
Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti aroha o tātou mahi
The Courtyard Montessori Preschool was established in 1980 to embrace the Montessori philosophy and offer a Montessori education to tamariki and whānau in Otautahi. To this day we continue to provide an authentic Montessori education to tamariki growing up in a diverse society that comprises people from a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities.
The Courtyard Montessori Preschool acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and is committed to Tiriti-o Waitangi through our partnerships/relationships with whànau. Ngà hononga/relationships are at the heart of who and what we stand for. We are committed to embracing Te Ao Màori in our everyday mahi, committed to ensuring Māori succeed as Māori, embracing their cultural distinctiveness and potential so they can enjoy and achieve education success.
At the Courtyard Montessori Preschool, we believe each child is a “taonga tuku iho” – a treasure handed down, and a unique individual who has the potential to bring something distinctive and special to the world. When we think of the ever-changing world, the future must lie in the next generation of tamariki who will appreciate and learn to respect this beautiful planet that they live on. The Courtyard’s prepared environment facilitates tamariki’s exploration and self‑discovery vital to brain and general development.
It is our aspiration as Early Childhood and Montessori kaiako to assist tamariki to discover this inner potential by believing them to be capable individuals who can become lifelong learners. In partnership with whānau we will strive to nurture each child’s holistic development to the fullest, building strong trusting relationships between preschool, tamariki and whānau and the wider community.
Our aim is to ensure all our kaiako are qualified in both Early Childhood and Montessori Education. Whānau are recognised as ‘First Educators’ of their tamariki and will be encouraged and given opportunities to share in the life of our preschool.
We endeavour to explore new ways of working alongside tamariki that are based on collaboration, wonder and respect for what they bring. Kaiako will be at the fore‑front of teaching methods based on research, adapted to reflect our centre community. We will keep up to date with current research in Early Childhood Education and participate in relevant professional development opportunities that ultimately provide successful outcomes for tamariki. Mutual respect will be developed through tamariki expressing themselves and by responding to their dispositional learning.
In conjunction with teaching ‘skills for life’ we aim to support tamariki develop ‘ways of being’ which will lead to active roles in a harmonious, co-operative society.
But most importantly has been to see her grow and develop emotional resilience, confidence in herself and experience being a leader of the school as one of the older children. She’s in an environment she knows and loves. She adores her teachers.She has learnt to be the “big kid” and to look after others. It’s been wonderful for us to see that side of her develop.
We can’t thank the Courtyard Montessori teachers enough for so preparing our little girl for school and for life and in helping us so much.
