Dr. Maria Montessori recognized the importance of “following the child” and many modern experts agree – milestones are important markers of childhood development, but when and how each child gets there will be different. The following are a few ways we assess an individual child’s development.
Daily Notes
For our Infants and Toddlers (Rooms #1, #2, and #3), parents receive Daily Notes concerning physical well-being and other pertinent information.
Happy Grams
All classrooms (except Room #1) take home weekly Happy Grams sharing what the classroom did during the week, as well as any individual notes the teachers may want to share.
Student Records
Each student’s individual progress and learning is tracked by his or her teacher. According to the Montessori Method, no one child is compared to another in their learning and development.
Student Work
While some abstract work (coloring, art project, etc.) may come home with a child, the primary source of learning in Montessori for the early child comes from the concrete, sensory experience of working with classroom equipment. As the child develops the fine-motor skills to write and conduct abstract work on a regular basis (during the Primary Program), most of the work they complete is compiled in individual, classroom folders presented to them at graduation and available for review during conferences.
In regards to abstract work, it is important to remember that young children often express themselves upon their learning. For instance, a child who understands that bears are brown, white, black in color, may choose to color their bear in any other variety of the rainbow. It is a completely natural and very important part of the early child experience to allow the young student to explore and play with knowledge in this way, and as such, teachers do not assess a child’s learning solely or simply based upon how the individual chooses to complete abstract projects.
Kindergarten Testing
Each Spring, the exiting Kindergarteners will participate in standardized testing. It is important to note, that our Teachers do not “teach to the test,” nor do they create an environment in which testing students feel any particular stress or awareness to perform well.
Testing is conducted to introduce exiting students to an experience many will go on to have at public and private school environments; it allows parents to fully understand their child’s learning in comparison to traditional-based national averages; and it allows us to ensure that our amazing curriculum continues to meet ever-changing standards in the greater education community.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Each Fall and Spring, parents may choose to attend Parent/Teacher Conferences to discuss student progress, areas of special interest or concern, provide parent education, and set individualized student goals (Rooms #4 and #5).
Upon request conferences are available to parents at any time during the year.
Third Party Evaluations
We accept all range of children, including those who may need extra services from outside experts and therapists, and can accommodate those professionals meeting with students during the school day. As well, parents are notified with a conference when a specialist evaluation may be necessary (for example: speech therapy).