Montessori School of Los Altos

Program

Our school is nestled in a historic Eichler community where children learn and play in a bright, spacious environment with an expansive outdoor space. Our program merges the best of Montessori education with the knowledge we have gathered after close to 50 years of hands-on experience on the San Francisco Peninsula. Since our founding, we have welcomed families from cultures around the world who make their home here; from students and professors at Stanford University to entrepreneurs and professionals working at local startups or international firms.

Our commitment is to nurture and educate each child, in all their facets of social growth, creativity and learning. We've created a beautiful, safe and supportive environment for the children, teachers, and families at the school, and our engaging curriculum is customizable to each child and their evolving needs. Our extensive program includes: Language, Mathematics, Science, Practical Life, Grace & Courtesy, Sensorial Development, Art, Music, Problem Solving & Critical Thinking, Community Building in the Classroom and other areas of instruction. We enjoy every day of learning and exploring with the children.

We invite you to get in touch with us for a conversation about our program. For safety, we begin with a virtual tour and can arrange an in-person, outdoor visit after the initial discussion. We look forward to connecting with your family!

Schedule a tour or call 650 493 7200

Classroom

Early on, Dr. Montessori observed that children learn skills and concepts at different ages and paces. By expanding the definition of a classroom to include mixed ages, the Montessori method allows for graceful, customized learning that supports the varying abilities and interest levels of each child.

Mixed ages

Both academically and socially, children learn easily through observation and imitation, most notably from their just-older peers. Dr. Montessori was keenly aware of this phenomenon and advocated strongly for allowing children of varying ages to work together in a classroom filled with hands-on learning material and with freedom of movement to foster personal exploration and peer-teaching. Teachers give strategic individualized and small group lessons to support and expand each child's education.

“There is nothing that makes you learn more than teaching it yourself.” — Dr. Maria Montessori

Modern research confirms that many people learn more effectively from peer-teaching and individualized instruction than from whole-class instruction. For further reading, see Montessori: The Science Behind The Genius by Angeline S. Lillard.

Sensitive periods

It is the nature of the child to want to learn. Interest and readiness to acquire a specific skill or concept go hand in hand; during these “sensitive periods” children are able to focus their attention deeply on a specific area. This power lasts as long as it is necessary to learn a skill or concept easily and joyfully.

One of the roles of the classroom teachers is to observe the varying and evolving interests of each child and to introduce corresponding lessons to teach the skills and concepts that the child is drawn to. Allowing the child to have longer periods of uninterrupted work time, gives the child the opportunity to develop and enter a flow state for deeper learning.

Curriculum

Each of the age-appropriate Montessori materials, from Practical Life to Mathematics, helps the child build towards mastering a skill or concept. In addition to circle time where the children learn to interact in a larger social group, customized individual and small group lessons introduce each child to a wide range of ideas, concepts and hands-on skills. The teachers guide the children’s behavior gently to promote harmony in the classroom, and this peaceful environment allows their academic and social growth to flourish.

Schedule a tour or call 650 493 7200

Visit

When architect Joseph Eichler built the utopian mid-century modern Greenmeadow neighborhood in 1954, the community center and its park, swimming pool, and school were a defining feature. For over a decade, it has been home to the Montessori School of Los Altos. Founded in 1972, we have been serving Silicon Valley for almost 50 years.

We invite you to get in touch with us for a conversation about our program and we look forward to connecting with you and learning about your child!

Schedule a tour or call 650 493 7200

Donate

The Montessori School of Los Altos is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your donations are appreciated and tax-deductible.

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