A Little About Our Programs

1st – 5th Grade School Year Support for Elementary Online Students

Next year’s elementary school curriculum is uncertain, however, everything hints towards an online or hybrid approach. We realize this is a difficult time for our families that need childcare during online learning. Novi Woods would like to support our families with the care and support they need. Below you will see an option we have available for our school age children for the upcoming semester starting August 31, 2020

Program Support:

• Novi Woods will offer five-day care for Elementary Students (Grade 1-5)
• We will assist children in their online learning and facilitating zoom calls.
• Children must provide their own technology (laptop, ipad, headphones, etc.)
• Children must provide their own school supplies (such as paper, pencils, rulers, etc.)

Shared Spaces:
At times, school age children will share common space. This includes school age children and preschoolers.

Precautionary Measures:
Novi Woods will be implementing increased precautionary measures to keep children safe. Please see our full COVID procedures and drop off/pick up document available from the office.

• Daily temperature check will be done prior to entry
• No parent entry other than vestibule to check in and check out.
• Increased cleaning and disinfecting measures.
• Increased handwashing
• Limiting non – essential visitors
• We will follow the health department guidelines.
• Teachers will wear masks.
• Novi Woods will not require children to wear mask, however, if a parent would like them to, families may provide a mask and we will do our best to help them keep it on.

The Toddler Curriculum

Novi Woods Montessori’s Toddler classroom helps support self-development in a school atmosphere. Often this is the child’s first experience beyond the family, so it must be a nurturing place where the child can connect with an adult who makes him feel loved, and who fosters an ongoing relationship that supports his quest for independence.

The Toddler environment is focused on supporting the child as he acquires the skills to “do it myself.” Children are allowed freedom of movement to explore and manipulate the objects in the environment, and they are given the time they need to accomplish their work. Activities change and evolve as the child grows. The specially prepared classroom allows the toddler to develop and refine movements, increase language, and launch into social relationships with peers. Basic ground rules—respect of self, respect for others, and respect for the environment are taught and reinforced, and once learned, will be beneficial for a lifetime.

The Preschool & Kindergarten Curriculum

Preschool and Kindergartners start their day with a circle time. Their teacher guides them through music & movement, a discussion for the day, calendar, weather and a large group lesson. She will present a ‘work’ to the children to demonstrate how to use it. Finally, she will send them off to work in the classroom! During that time, teachers observe & give small group and individual lessons.

The Montessori classrooms are composed of 4 major areas:

Practical Life– Children love the Practical Life area because it enables them to do adult work in a child size environment all while preparing their bodies for academics, specifically strengthening their fine motor skills and pencil-holding grip. Practical Life skills are the foundation of all other areas in a Montessori environment. Practical Life activities build children’s concentration, coordination, order and independence enabling them to master other Montessori curriculum areas. Examples are pouring, slicing, scooping, sweeping, washing, using tongs, etc.

Sensorial– The Montessori Sensorial curriculum promotes the development and refinement of the five senses. Children learn through their senses and
the materials in a Montessori environment provide learning through touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight or hands-on manipulation. Examples of Sensorial learning activities are sorting objects, matching colors, matching the same tastes or same smells. A popular Montessori Sensorial work is the pink tower where pink cubes are built from the largest at the bottom to the smallest cube at the top. The pink tower cubes are a concrete representation of the Decimal Numeral or Base Ten System of Mathematics. Children love to build the pink tower!

Math– Learning mathematical concepts in a Montessori classroom begins concretely and progresses towards the abstract. For example, children will eventually see the number 1000 and know what it looks like on paper (abstract), however it is very important that they visually see a physical 1000 to hold and compare to 100, 10 or 1 (concrete). This is why we have the unit bead, the 10 bar, the hundred square and the thousand cube. In all our math lessons, process is taught first and facts come later.

Language– The Language curriculum is phonetic in nature and utilizes powerful teaching tools to help children learn to decode phonetic words and high frequency/sight words. It promotes early reading and writing skills. Dr. Maria Montessori realized that there is a sensitive period of language development and that the richer the learning environment, the more language skills the child will acquire. Montessori promotes the love of reading and writing. Because we start with a small set of letters that can be grouped together to make words, students in Montessori classrooms learn to read basic phonetic words very quickly. Showing them they can read, even at this basic level boosts confidence and excitement for more! The sky is the limit when it comes to our language program!

Cultural Studies, Science, Art, Music and Foreign Languages– In addition to our 4 core areas, Novi Woods Montessori’s curriculum is well known for its impressive units in Cultural Studies, Science, Art, Music and Foreign Languages. It is important to note that the whole curriculum is tied together. For example, when we study Asia in Cultural Studies, children will be exposed Asian art, Asian food in Practial Life, Asian Music, and an Asian animal that can be studied in science. Perhaps there will be rough and smooth objects from Asia to discover in the Sensorial area and books from Asia to look through in our Language area. Finally, teachers could add small objects from Asia to the math area for 1-1 counting. It is this integration that makes the Montessori classroom so special and will stay with your child for years to come.

Kindergarten- The third (or Kindergarten) year is the time when many of the earlier lessons come together and become permanent part of the young child’s mind. We call this year ‘the explosion year’! By this time, most Montessori children will be reading, and many will be introduced to higher math concepts. As a five-year-old, they are now the “Leaders,” rich with experience and knowledge and may be able to teach their younger classmates lessons. Research proves that this experience has powerful benefits for both the mentor and the mentee. This also encourages empathy, increased self-confidence and enthusiasm for the learning process, which they can leave Novi Woods with, and carry with them the rest of their life.

Foreign Language Programs

Novi Woods Montessori offers 2 foreign languages to our Preschool & Kindergarten classes! These are included with the price of your program. Students learn basic vocabulary, phrases and songs! We have enthusiastic teachers who visit our school to give lessons in: Spanish & Japanese

Enrichment Programs

Novi Woods has partnered with 2 amazing companies to bring your children the opportunity for Dance & TumbleTots! These are convenient ways for your child to participate in extra curricular activities without having to drive them all around town! These programs are optional and do have an additional fee.