Welcome to the Whitby Montessori Children's House

18 months - Kindergarten

Stepping Stones classes are full for the current school year.
Applications are being accepted for 2024-2025. LEARN MORE. 

 

“Students in Whitby Montessori Children's House learn to approach new challenges with confidence. They are empowered to become creative, well-informed, passionate, and joyful learners and citizens of the world.”

Your child's story begins in the part of our school that is home to Stepping Stones and Primary classrooms which together make up our Whitby Montessori Children's House (WMCH), accredited by the American Montessori Society (AMS) which is the gold standard of Montessori school excellence. 

Our WMCH program is dedicated to educating our youngest learners, and the motto here is “Follow the Child.”  What does that mean? In well-ordered, developmentally appropriate classrooms, under the guidance of expertly trained, experienced, and caring teachers, children’s own love of exploration allows them to take the lead in their learning.

Current research confirms that the first years of life are crucial in a child's brain development. This is when children have the greatest capacity and appetite for learning – especially in language development and socialization. At Whitby, our entire program seeks to support young children (and their families) as they begin the journey of becoming lifelong learners.

The WMCH is designed specifically to foster social and cognitive development and to lay the foundation for learning in multiple academic areas. Different learning sections of the room thoughtfully encourage children to explore practical life activities, sensorial experiences, math, language, culture, and science.

Students in the WMCH learn to approach new challenges with confidence. They are empowered as readers, writers, critical thinkers, and mathematicians to become creative, well-informed, passionate, and joyful learners.  Respected as individuals, our students think for themselves and are ready to begin their journey of learning and discovery.


Whitby Montessori Children's House Highlights

  • Each child is guided in his or her own learning within the structure of our Montessori, which is supported by best practices in preschool education.
  • The unique flexibility of this curriculum allows us to continually challenge each child at his or her own pace.
  • Individualized attention is achieved by our very low student/teacher ratio of 5:1 in Stepping Stones and 8:1 in Primary.
  • We highly value our close working relationships with our families. This partnership is fostered through ongoing, personal communication as well as multiple conferences each year.
  • The multi-age classrooms stimulate enthusiasm for learning and inspire independent thinking.
  • All of our teachers have undergraduate degrees with extensive experience in the classroom, and at least one of the classroom teachers has completed Montessori Certification Training.
  • We provide outdoor and indoor spaces specifically designed to meet the young child’s gross motor development needs.
  • Our program includes regularly scheduled enrichment activities that may include Spanish, music, art, or dance, each taught by teachers specifically trained in these disciplines.

Stepping Stones (18 months to 3 years)

ib-montessori-preschool.jpgThe heart of the Whitby tradition for more than 60 years has been to cultivate each child’s natural desire to learn. Capitalizing on the crucial first years of life, the WMCH Stepping Stones program nurtures and guides young children as they begin the journey of becoming lifelong learners.

The Stepping Stones program is truly a gift to your child. Our program lays the foundation for a lifetime of successful learning while offering a rich educational environment that is exceptional in preschool education. We encourage you to visit us so you may see firsthand how our program can inspire the innate abilities of your child.

 
Learning in Multi-Aged Classrooms

Each classroom includes children ages 18 months to 3 years. As they share experiences, Stepping Stones children are inspired by classmates who are older and encourage those who are younger. Their interactions foster positive social skills as they spur each others' imagination in dramatic play, share new abilities and learn from each other's efforts.

The Prepared Environment

Young children feel at home in the inviting and aesthetically pleasing Stepping Stones classroom. The environment fosters exploration, order, movement and freedom of choice. The size of furniture, bathrooms and shelving is proportioned to the learners, enabling self-care and the development of independence and confidence.

Stepping Stones
Afternoon Program

Imagine your two year old getting excited to help set the dinner table with you. We can help make that happen.


Explore the program
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Completing a Work Cycle

Children begin to develop work habits at this age and learn to complete a "work cycle": a student will independently choose an activity, complete it and return materials to their proper place. Long periods of uninterrupted work time allow students to focus and engage in meaningful interactions. The feelings of joy that result from completing tasks with minimal help promote a child's healthy growth of self-esteem and competency.

The Teacher's Supporting Role

Teachers in the Stepping Stones classroom facilitate, guide, and model. They remain present and nurturing, allowing the child to explore and benefit from the classroom environment. Our low student-to-teacher ratio allows the teachers to design a curriculum tailored to each child's level of development and provide individualized guidance.

THE Montessori Method

Whitby is the birthplace of the American Montessori Society, and Stepping Stones continues to embrace the Montessori method. The power of the Montessori teaching approach has been proven by modern research to enhance skills, interest, persistence, concentration, self-discipline, and creativity in learning. 

 

Browse the Stepping Stones Curriculum

 


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Primary (3 to 6 years)

Here in Primary, our heritage as America's longest continuously running Montessori school is evident the moment you walk into any of the Primary classrooms. From the sandpaper letters to the colorful bead cabinet, the spaces are designed to facilitate exploration, delight the senses, and invite learning.  Four units of inquiry extend and enhance the students' exploration of the environment and develop their sense of international-mindedness.

Just like in Stepping Stones, our Primary teachers follow the children as they become actively engaged in the learning process, gaining a deeper sense of pride and ownership for their accomplishments because their work is always meaningful. You'll watch in amazement as your children develop the confidence and independence that will empower them as learners and fuel a curiosity that will last a lifetime.

Everyday Activities
  • Learn through inquiry, ask questions, think critically, and develop problem-solving skills
  • Work individually, with a partner, or in small or large groups
  • Develop a sense of international-mindedness, examine different cultures, and learn from others' perceptions and perspectives
  • Engage in learning activities in the areas of practical life, sensory development, math, language, art, science, and social studies
  • Develop social skills through collaborative play, practicing grace and courtesy, and embodying the peace education
Learning Environments
  • A balance of structure and flexibility allows for the natural development of each child's physical, emotional and cognitive skills.
  • A beautiful, orderly environment to entice children to learn and to reinforce their innate sense of curiosity
  • Outdoor space adjoins each classroom, allowing for gross motor development and a natural space for playtime, in addition to a larger common playground space

Primary
Afternoon Program

Do art, music, nature walks, and cooking lessons sound like a fun way for your child to spend their afternoons?


Explore the program
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Learning in Multi-Age Environments

Children ages three to six years learn together in one classroom. The age span provides the following advantages:

  • Older children learn to help others by sharing expertise with patience when showing their younger peers how to complete an activity. 
  • Since verbal, reasoning, and social skills develop at an individual pace, teachers can create flexible multi-aged learning groups tailored to challenge each child based on their readiness
  • Mentoring younger students help older students develop mastery, empathy, and caring
Social-Emotional Learning

One of the hallmarks of Whitby's education is a fundamental respect for others. This is shown by students and faculty alike with the tone in the classroom, always purposeful and self-disciplined. When children are absorbed in their work, disruptions are rare. Teachers are available to support students with problem-solving, listening, modeling appropriate behavior, and responding. At the WMCH, children learn to:

  • Respect the work of others
  • Quietly indicate their need for attention from a teacher
  • Appreciate the value of others' contributions in the classrooms
  • Become poised and self-aware
Moving Up to Lower School

The third year of the Primary program is the culmination of a curriculum that meets the growth and developmental needs of the child. During the third year, a child exhibits an emerging ability to think abstractly, to articulate thoughts and feelings, to challenge and confirm an understanding of ideas and concepts, and a desire to reach out and cultivate more complex and satisfying relationships with the world. It is a time of newly awakening social consciousness, deepening friendships, learning how to communicate effectively, and resolving differences amicably. It is also the stage of belonging and accepting responsibility for the welfare of the community and a time of giving and sharing.

Students leave Primary with great confidence, having had ample leadership opportunities, public speaking projects, and genuine ownership over their learning for three formative years.

 

Browse the Primary Curriculum

 

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