Mt Sopris Montessori School

Housed on a quiet residential street in the beautiful mountain town of Carbondale, Colorado, Mount Sopris Montessori School serves 95 preschool children from 18 months through age 6. Founded in 1981 by Kathryn and Mark Ross, the not-for-profit school is the only Montessori preschool in the Roaring Fork Valley and is recognized as an exceptional environment for preschool learning.<br><br>In its 32 years in the community, through the caring efforts of its staff and families, the school has expanded its facilities twice & increased its enrollment. While the school has evolved, its mission & focus have remained constant.<br><br>Mission & Goals: Mount Sopris Montessori School is dedicated to cultivating children's respect for themselves, their community and their natural environment through the insightful application of Montessori principles. The mission is to provide the best early childhood Montessori education to each child.<br><br>Curriculum: MSMS classrooms offer age appropriate traditional Montessori learning materials that are designed to cultivate the child's desire to learn by generating self-direction, concentration, independence & coordination. Each classroom is organized into sections representing the following areas of study: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, History, Geography & Science. Individual work is also supplemented with activities such as group singing, story reading, creative arts, second language, games & gardening.<br><br>Toddler Program: 18 months to 3 years<br>The toddler program is designed to lovingly address the toddler's need for safe, independent exploration. The environment offers each child the opportunity to explore at his or her own pace.<br><br>Preschool Program: 3 to 6 years<br>The preschool program offers a non-competitive environment, which nurtures self-directed activity & fosters independence. There is also the opportunity to learn from peers, as children can work collectively in small groups.<br><br>The Montessori Method<br>The Montessori Method is an educational method for children, based on theories of child development originated by educator Dr. Maria Montessori in the late 19th & early 20th century. Dr. Montessori was also a medical doctor & anthropologist who viewed education as the process of discovery. Her research revealed that children almost effortlessly absorb knowledge form their surroundings, leading her to develop a series of learning materials in carefully "prepared environment" to nurture the child's learning curiosity.<br>Children learn by doing. Dr. Montessori reasoned that a child is enriched where he/she can handle materials-that the hand is the chief teacher of the child. The learning material are thoughtfully sequenced to allow each child concrete experiences that continually build a foundation of learning throughout the stages of a child's physical & mental growth. <br>MSMS employs Montessori principles by providing classrooms, material and teachers who guide children through independent "works" of hands-on materials designed to foster each child's independence & initiative. Why begin an early childhood education? " The most important period of life is not the age of University studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of 6. For that is the time when man's intelligence itself is being formed. M. Montessori. "