Thacher Montessori School

In our Children's House classrooms learning is a dynamic and joyful process.

Our three-year curriculum offers hands-on experiences in practical life, sensorial activities, language, Spanish, science, math, music and movement, and cultural studies. Each classroom has immediate access to the outdoor environment for gardening, nature study, picnics, and play time.

Respecting others with grace and courtesy is the foundation for social and personal interaction throughout Thacher as modeled by the guides (teachers). Children's House students learn to wait, politely interrupt, respect themselves and others, respect other's work space, use "indoor" voices in the classroom, and use proper table manners and playground etiquette.

"Our son is absolutely flourishing at Thacher— intellectually, emotionally and socially, and his self confidence and resourcefulness grow with each day he spends at school." Children's House Parent

Throughout the three-year program independence is nurtured. From tying shoes to choosing work, the children are respected as individuals and encouraged to be active participants in the classroom.

The First Plane of Development

Dr. Montessori referred to the first stage in human development (birth to age 6) as the time of the absorbent mind.

She knew these first six years of life to be the most fundamental in the development of human beings. This stage of a child's intellectual and emotional development is different from any other time of life; children are literally creating the people they will become. At this stage children are sensory explorers, building their intellects by absorbing every aspect of their environment, culture, and language.