WMS Curriculum Statement

Winnipeg Montessori School Inc is a non-profit nursery school which provides a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment to help children develop socially, intellectually, emotionally and physically. Our curriculum is based on Montessori principles encouraging self motivated learning, choice making and respect for self and others. We continuously encourage children to engage themselves in activities and to interact with the children and staff around them. We do this by sitting with the children at eye level either on the floor or at a table. We ask questions and provide age appropriate materials to enhance learning. In this way, children learn social and emotional skills such as sharing, turn taking, cooperation, conflict resolution and independence. They develop cognitive skills such as creativity, problem solving and retention of information such as colors, letters, and numbers when they work with the Montessori materials. These materials include letter tracing, phonetic matching, number rods and object counting.

The children develop physical skills through fine motor activities such as pouring and spooning, and gross motor activities such as running, jumping and climbing. The children’s daily learning experiences are passed on to the parents by the teachers through verbal communication and our monthly newsletter. We also have a Communication Board in our front entrance that highlights the activities, songs and snack enjoyed by the children that day. This helps us build a positive relationship with our families so they are comfortable sharing with us.

We provide learning experiences based on the interests of the children as observed by the classroom teachers all day long. We also follow a flexible curriculum schedule we have created to further stimulate the learning process. The activities planned by the teachers are actively modeled while the teachers work with the children. The teachers give lessons to the children to demonstrate how an activity is done or how to work with a certain piece of equipment. Each group has their daily program schedule which is flexible based on the developmental capabilities and interest of children and is inclusive of children with additional support needs. We may extend work times when children are actively engaged as this will further their learning and development.

The teachers make observation notes on the children that are used as the basis in planning and implementing age appropriate activities. The duration of developmental activities changes depending on the level of interest of the children. The children’s art related to the planned activities is displayed on the classroom bulletin boards to showcase the children’s work. The teachers record the planned activities and keep them in bins which store the materials used. Our classrooms are organized based on the 5 Montessori learning areas. The materials in each learning area are regularly changed to support and enhance the interests of the children.

We incorporate the similarities and differences of the children and their families as part of multiculturalism such as getting information from the families about their culture and practices. We share this information during group time. Parents are welcome to come and speak about their culture to the children as well as lend samples of cultural attire to have on display. The teachers also regularly play music from different cultures for the children to enjoy.