OUR STORY
The Seedling Child Montessori School is a non-profit corporation and was founded in 1988 by several parents committed to excellence in education for young children. The name, “The Seedling Child,” was chosen to reflect the importance of the child’s first school experience as well as the nurturing and care essential for a spirit of positivity.
The Seedling Child exists to support children in their own natural growth process. We do this through a specially designed environment and with trained staff who understand and support this valuable process.
Our Program incorporates what we believe to be the best principles, practices, and materials available in current early childhood education. We provide an environment that satisfies the needs of the child’s developing personality, and provide a curriculum that nurtures and facilitates growth during each stage of a child’s development.
We believe each child is a unique, capable, creative individual who responds from an inner drive to know and understand the world. Our Program embraces that goal. The Seedling Child Montessori School is a very special environment, and we invite you and your child to grow and share with us on this journey.
PHILOSOPHY & MISSION STATEMENT
The Seedling Child was originally established as a traditional Montessori program. Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1951) was a physician, scientist, educator, and the first woman to receive a medical degree in Italy. Dr. Montessori discovered, through patient observation, various qualities unique to the child. Perhaps the most important of these include:
-
The benefit of a specially prepared environment.
-
The expansive nature of the child’s mind.
-
The sensitive periods during which a child can learn specific things more readily than at any other time in his or her life.
With these attributes in mind, Dr. Montessori created a “prepared environment”: a learning center filled with attractive and self-correcting materials in reading, math, art, science, practical life, and sensorial. She designed materials that were enjoyable, attractive and inviting to use.
These materials fostered independence, trained the senses, and developed
a continuity of effort and love of learning.
While honoring Montessori’s vision and philosophy, our Program is
constantly evolving and incorporates what we believe to be the best
principles and materials available in current early childhood education.
In our classroom children are encouraged to grow at their own pace in a stimulating, creative atmosphere.
We provide an orderly, appealing environment, which is child-sized and
child-centered. Our environment nurtures both the child’s sense of
self-respect and their ability to cope independently and successfully with
the challenges in daily life. We encourage socialization, problem solving,
and creativity.
Our Program strives to provide experiences that enrich each child’s cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and creative development, as well as their
unique personality.
In addition, our Program offers a balance between self-directed and
teacher-directed activities. Children are encouraged to create, express themselves, and celebrate learning. At all times, our mission is to focus on
the well-being and best interests of each individual child.
STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY
The Seedling Child Montessori School admits students of any race, color, creed, gender, national and ethnic origin, and disability status to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, national and ethnic origin, and disability status in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and School-administered programs.
