Buttercups Montessori Kindergarten

MONTESSORI STARTERS (2 years to 3.5 years)

• This class offers the child an excellent introductory Montessori program which focuses on the total development of himself/herself.
• The focus of this class is on social and emotional development, where the child will learn basic Montessori principals including grace and courtesy, independence, and responsibility to the self and the environment.
• Practical life activities are prepared with the purpose of developing their gross and fine motor skills, and the child will also be given lessons in the sensorial, language and Mathematics areas.
• Mandarin classes are conducted in the class.  Teachers help the child to adapt by providing a loving, secure and orderly environment.
• This class also designed to give the child individualized skill training which will assist him/her with a positive transition to school.  It is anticipated that after the introductory year in the Starters class, he/she will continue their Montessori education in the preschool class.

MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL (3.5 years to 6 years)

• This comprehensive Montessori programme is for children aged 3.5 to 6 years old.
• The prepared environment of the preschool creates an atmosphere which enables children to be free to learn through his own activity in peaceful and orderly surroundings adapted to the child’s size and interests. It aims to nurture the children’s independence, self-esteem and self-discipline while introducing children to the basics of academics.
• The preschool environment has 6 distinct areas:
  • Practical life
    • Children perform exercises which teach them to care for themselves and their environment.
    • In addition, grace and courtesy lessons help them to function in a social environment.
  • Sensorial
    • Children learn to organize their environment through sensorial activities that enhance their abilities to discriminate, refine and sharpen their senses.
  • Language
    • Preparation for reading and writing begins through the phonetic introduction of the sandpaper letters.
    • Word building and preliminary reading exercises take place through a natural progression depending on a child’s personal readiness.
  • Mathematics
    • Basic concepts of Mathematics are introduced in a concrete manner, which builds a strong foundation for the understanding and application of Mathematical principles.
  • Culture
    • Children learn about the world and the living things within it.
    • The preschool environment offers the child studies in Geography, History, Art and the Sciences.
  • Mandarin
    • Daily classes aim to help the child build a solid foundation in Mandarin.
    • Reading will be taught through character recognition with accurate pronunciation.
    • The child will also learn to write by mastering character strokes and sentence construction.

• AFTERNOON ENRICHMENT CLASSES(for preschoolers only)
  • Mandarin
    • The programme aims to help the child to build a good foundation in Mandarin by enriching their vocabulary as well as teaching them to read and write the language in a systematic and interesting manner.
    • The child will also be taught Hanyu Pinyin to prepare him/her for the demands of Primary School.
  • Language
    • The child will learn to read by unlocking sound-letter relationships and decoding words.
    • Grammar skills taught will aid the child in better understanding and appreciation of the language.
    • To utilize and enhance their reading abilities, the child will follow a reading programme based on the Oxford Reading Tree.
  • Mathematics
    • The programme aims to give children a good understanding of Mathematical concepts by working with concrete materials.
    • As such, children will find it easier to abstract and internalize concepts of number, symbol, sequence, basic operations and memorization of basic facts.
  • *Children may choose more than 1 programme offered.

• PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL EDUCATION
  • The children get to play outdoors daily.  Their gross motor skills are developed while playing with various playground equipment and organized games. The children will also enjoy weekly water-play sessions.
  • Social development is enhanced during these activities as children learn to play, take turns, share and have fun with their friends.
  • Our curriculum also includes Music and Movement during which the children participate in singing, playing instruments, dancing and dramatic play.