CASA Program

Arts & Crafts

Children are encouraged to express their creativity and imagination through theme-based activities using different media and art forms.   This is a special time for children to express their feelings through artistic means, while having fun and developing fine motor skills and coordination

Cultural

This area of studies includes the introduction of different parts of the world and cultures.  In this section, children learn about the concept of continents, countries, states, and cities.  As well, children will learn about the cultures that exist around the world.  Colourful maps and puzzles are tools to help children learn about the different places around the world.

Language

English

This is a critical area of study in the Montessori curriculum.  Many activities are designed to foster vocabulary development, oral and written communication skills, handwriting, reading readiness and comprehension in the child.  The child begins with drawing and recognizing letter through activities such as tracking on sandpaper and printing exercises.  The phonetic sounds of the letters are strengthened in the child, followed by combination of letters to form words for building vocabularies and early reading skills.  The child will then learn to put words together to form simple sentences and begin to write journals. 

French

Daily French lessons are taught in the afternoon session of the preschool program.  Through songs, poems, story reading, conversations and written exercises, children learn about the French language and start to build vocabularies.  The French phonetic sounds for the alphabets are introduced, building the foundation for proper pronunciation and reading skills in French.

Chinese (Cantonese/Mandarin)

At Buttonville Montessori School, we firmly believe in the importance in the development of language skills in children’s early years, when they can absorb and adapt to new languages effectively and easily.  Cantonese/Mandarin lessons are also offered on a daily basis as an option for parents who would also like to have their children learn the two most common dialects of the Chinese language.  Through songs, poems, story reading, conversations and written exercises, children learn about the Chinese culture, basic Chinese characters and the Chinese language spoken in the two dialects.

Mathematics

A diverse set of Montessori materials are used to help children concretely grasp and internalize the abstract mathematical concepts of numbers, quantity, symbols, sequence, operations, and fractions.  These core concepts are essential in understanding concepts such as time and money.  From sandpaper numbers to spindle boxes to stamp game to snake game to strip boards, children will have lots of fun while learning math.

Music & Movement

Music & Movement is a fun filled segment that introduces children to the joy of musical learning.  Singing songs and playing musical games involve every aspect of growth and development:  language, motor skills, social skills, cognitive development, emotional growth and musicality.

Practical Life

The Montessori program places an emphasis on the development of the whole child in his/her environment.  Practical life activities give the child an understanding of his/her environment and how it works.  Activities such dressing, spooning, pouring, and caring for plants help the child build gross and fine motor, concentration, and co-ordination skills, learn respect for others and the environment, and develop a sense of discipline.

 Science

Science is an integral part of the Montessori curriculum.  The Montessori science curriculum covers an introduction to botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, geology and astronomy.  Early introduction of science fosters children's fascination with the universe and helps them develop a lifelong interest in observing nature and discovering more about the world in which we live.

Sensorial

The purpose and aim of Sensorial work is for the child to acquire clear, conscious, information and to be able to then make classifications in his environment.  Activities in this section allow the child to refine each of his/her senses.  In the Visual Sense Exercises, the child learns how to visually discriminate differences between similar objects and differing objects.  In the Tactile Sense Exercises, the child learns through his/her sense of touch.  In the Baric sense Exercises, the child learns to feel the difference of pressure or weight of different objects.  In the Auditory Sense Exercises, the child discriminates between different sounds.  In the Stereognostic Sense Exercises, the child learns to feel objects and make recognitions based on what he feels.