Montessori Program
Montessori Program
About Our Program
Our Montessori Program offers activities that support every aspect of a child’s development. Montessori is a system of education based on each child’s developmental needs for “freedom within limits” in a carefully prepared environment. With its Catholic identity and foundation, our program nurtures the spiritual, faithful, and moral growth of each child.
Our award-winning Montessori Program was established in 1973. Teachers are certified and trained according to the Montessori philosophy and method.
Schedule a Tour
To schedule a personal tour of our program and facilities, please contact us:
(210) 342-6711
Philosophy of Education
Mount Sacred Heart Montessori Primary Program practices the educational philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori (1870–1952), one of the world’s foremost educators and Italy’s first woman physician.
By observing children and working with them, Dr. Montessori created a system of education that has flourished throughout the world. Montessori believed education begins at birth, and that the first few years of life are the most formative and crucial, both mentally and physically.
Curriculum
The Montessori Curriculum lays before the child the “keys to the world.” It includes activities for all aspects of the child’s development as children learn through hands-on exploration in a prepared environment.
Five Core Areas of the Montessori Curriculum
| • | Practical Life: Practical exercises that reflect everyday work such as sweeping, dusting, and caring for the environment. These activities develop coordination, concentration, refined movement, and independence. |
| • | Sensorial: Materials designed to refine the senses. Children work individually and in small groups to identify and match qualities such as color, shape, texture, weight, size, and tone. |
| • | Language: Experiences that include vocabulary development for younger children and progress to letter sounds, writing, and reading. Children begin with a phonetic approach and continue into broader language development. |
| • | Mathematics: Concrete, sequential activities that lead children toward more abstract numerical concepts. Children around age four and older may also have opportunities to work with computers. |
| • | Cultural Life: Experiences that introduce children to art, music, science, nature, gardening, geography, and history. |
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
The religious life in the atrium is a unique and essential part of the Mount Sacred Heart Montessori curriculum. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a means of religious formation for children ages 2½–5 years.
To help the child grow in relationship with God, a developmentally appropriate environment is prepared. Biblical and liturgical themes are presented using concrete materials. These materials support continued reflection and invite the Holy Spirit—the child’s inner teacher—to work within them.