Frequently Asked Questions

What is Montessori preschool?

•Developed over 100 years ago by Maria Montessori (Medical doctor, scientist, and educator)

•Focuses on individual and small-group instruction instead of large group lectures 
•Experimental, hands-on learning 
•Incorporates sensorial and practical life in addition to traditional math, language, and cultural curriculums •Children from 2.5-6 in one integrated class (includes kindergarten!), with older children helping the younger children
•Children work, uninterrupted, as long as an activity holds their interest
•Education of the whole child

What isn’t Montessori preschool?

•Traditional passive-style learning with a focus on rote memorization and regurgitation of facts

•Only for gifted or other special-needs children
•A cult, elitist, affiliated with a specific religion, new-age “foofoo”, or exclusive in any way
•An overly-regimented, authoritarian form of education
•An unstructured free-for-all where children run amok

What math skills will my child learn?

•Hands-on activities

•Understand place value, base-10 
•Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division–even at these ages!
•Not memorizing; understanding

What language skills will my child learn?

•Vocabulary acquisition, reading, and writing

•Hands-on materials teach letter sounds, how to combine sounds to make words, how to build sentences, and how to use a pencil. 
•Spontaneous reading

What does cultural studies include?

History, geography, science, art, and music

•Children learn about their own community and the world around them
•Understand and appreciate the diversity of our world, and a respect for all living things.

What is “sensorial”?

•Refines skills in perceiving the world through different senses

•Helps children classify their surroundings and create order
•Lays the foundation for learning by developing the ability to classify, sort, and discriminate—skills necessary in math, geometry, and language.

What are your rates?

See our  rates here. 

What school calendar do you follow?

•We follow the Nine Mile Falls School District calendar for all operations and  closures. You can view it here.
•Our optional summer sessions are the first 3 weeks of July and the first  3 weeks of  August. 

What is “practical life”?

•Daily-life skills, such as how to get dressed, prepare snacks, set the table, and care for plants and animals
•Appropriate social interactions, such as saying please and thank-you, being kind and helpful, listening without interrupting, and resolving conflicts peacefully
•Promotes independence, and fine- and gross-motor coordination.

How do I enroll my child?

We are  currently anticipating opening Fall of 2023. In the meantime you can add your child to our waitlist here.

What if I still have questions?

You can contact us in the following  way:

Email longlakemontessori@gmail.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/longlakemontessori

Fill out our contact form

How do I pay my bill, find or update my child’s information ?

Log into Brightwheel here 

What ages do you enroll?

We accept potty trained children between the ages of 3 and 6 years old (THROUGH kindergarten).

Why do you include kindergarten?

20 Vital Reasons to Keep Your Child in Montessori for Kindergarten