School is great

Paola Warrender writes:

When my son, Owen, was two years old I started asking around about a nursery school for him in the Northcliff-Fairland area.

I was blessed to be referred to Felicity and her Montessori nursery school named Acorn to Oak.

My first impression was of a loving and cared for environment with quality learning and playing tools for the children.

Felicity came across as a little strict, but I appreciated her old school value of respect for self and for others.

Owen was enrolled at age three and we have been on the most incredible journey of learning with him through Felicity’s teaching.

While I knew very little about Montessori education, what has stood out for me is how the natural curiosity of our child has been encouraged to discover through his own enquiry about himself and the world he lives in.

The school environment literally tempts the child to engage and explore a range of age-appropriate materials and activities.

Beautifully presented trays of activities line the shelves with which the children “work”: Learning to pour liquids, to count, select and sort objects, to open and close containers and to lift, carry and build, thereby developing all the senses to judge and interact effectively with the material world.

Owen has brought books home from school about the plant and animal kingdom.

All the learning tools are quality and beautifully made.

Children are given the opportunity to learn to use real things.

They learn to carefully lift and pour water from a real glass jug, rather than from a plastic “child-safe” jug.

Owen can count, he knows all the colours of the rainbow, he knows the planets of our solar system and the days of the week, he knows to wait his turn, to put back with care what he has used and to say thank you and please.

While Owen is no saint, most importantly, Owen is curious about everything in his world, be it an insect, a flower, a person or toy.

Recently, Owen came home with a sundial he had made with his class for the garden.

He also does yoga and Kindermusik which he loves.

It is said that the first seven years of a child’s life are the formative years that lay the foundation for all further learning.

Felicity, with her Montessori approach, has nurtured our son’s joy to learn and we are deeply grateful to her.

A solid foundation has been laid over the last two years.