Chess |
“Chess is part of the curricula in nearly 30 countries. In Venezuela, Iceland, Russia and other countries, chess is a subject in all public schools.” We have brought chess to our school because we believe it directly contributes to academic performance. Chess makes kids smarter. It does so by teaching the following skills:
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Dance |
Art |
Computer |
Cooking |
MusicViolin |
Music in the Montessori classroom, is part of our daily routine. It is incorporated in the morning work time as classical music, in circle time, as well as the music and dance special classes that we offer in the afternoons. Providing all of these opportunity for musical exploration is essential to any early childhood program. Montessori found that children naturally respond to and are attracted to music. They smile, sing, move, walk, and, at times, simply listen in silence. Through music making and listening, children are actively engaged with their senses: they listen to the complex sounds around them and learn to discriminate them (which are important skill for language). Through music, children learn to hear tempos, dynamics, and melodies. Listening for loud and soft, up and down, fast and slow encourages auditory development in the brain. Through music, children move their bodies to the rhythms, and touch and feel the textures and shapes of the instruments. Music researchers have found correlations between music making and some of the deepest workings of the human brain. They have linked active music making with increased language discrimination and development, math ability, improved school grades, better-adjusted social behavior, a cornerstone for problem solving, and great cognitive skills such as reasoning and memory. Maria Montessori believed that that providing children with a rich and stimulating environment involving all the senses, including the auditory sense, is essential for a child’s healthy growth and development. |
Gym
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