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Kindergarten at LHM
The 3rd or 4th year 
A keystone of our mission: To sustain children for three years,
preparing them for first grade *Providing Warmth
*Guiding Learning *Connecting the Love of Learning |
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2nd Year Math
Second year students photographed are matching quantities with friends, learning the teen numbers, and learning the decimal system layout.
3rd Year Math
Third year students photographed are doing group addition in the thousands; individual addition with the stamp game, addition strip board and snake game; counting to 1000; and skip counting!
4th Year Math
(This could be the 3rd or the 4th year, depending on the student)
(This could be the 3rd or the 4th year, depending on the student)
Fourth year students photographed are doing multiplication.
2nd Year Language
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3rd Year Language
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3rd Year Leadership Skills
Creating materials and giving lessons!
Why Montessori for Kindergarten?
The Montessori method is designed to be at least a 3-year foundational education. This includes the kindergarten year. It has everything and more within it to prepare your child for 1st grade and life. In fact, if your child transitions prior to their third year, they will miss many iconic materials that they see every day and have looked forward to, including the colorful bead cabinet that you see in the photos above and our iconic grammar doll house. Their third year they could even master pitch matching and start learning to write songs with the bells! The kindergarten year provides more in-depth Spanish instruction as well. The children develop a true concrete understanding of the greater world of math and often develop high language levels. Whenever a parent or ourselves are unsure of their literacy level, we partner with Richland Elementary to have their levels tested with the Acadience/Dibbles test. Each student we have sent has received high test scores. If they do not, they would quality for join Title 1 reading support groups at Richland Elementary in the afternoon; we have yet to have a child that has been tested qualify. Title one support, however is a special treat to Montessori children if they need it in the future; it is one to one, small group instruction as they are accustomed. The children develop lifelong skills their 3rd year of Montessori at LHM.
When they enter at 3 years old, they are assisted by the oldest children. When they are 4, they can help some children younger than themselves and are helped by the oldest. In their third year, however, they get the opportunity to be the leaders of the pack. This is a unique experience, most graduates will later transition into schools with classes full of children only their age. This gives them ample opportunities to develop their leadership skills. We guide them greatly in leading with virtues, honesty, integrity and compassion. We help them develop patience and understanding and we give them opportunities to teach and give lessons themselves at times. These skills are important and run alongside math, science and language acquisition at LHM. In addition to continuing to receive 1 on 1 lessons and enjoying the partner works they started in their 2nd year, third year students start receiving group lessons. Working in a group can be challenging. Learning to lead and follow is often rough, but this practice is so helpful for them. Much of this group work takes place with our beautiful golden bead math decimal system. The children also do not have to worry about sitting still for hours, as they can continue natural movement as they learn.
We have sent graduates to first grade and/or Kindergarten in Richland Elementary, Kellogg Elementary, STEM Academy, Spanish Immersion Kalamazoo Christian, and Galesburg Elementary and we can recommend a couple of other great school systems for first grade. Even if the program requires for children to test in, we can attest that we have had graduates test into every above named school in first grade without having to complete their kindergarten program. We love working with the leaders of each of these schools and are happy to connect with new leaders. A prior first grade teacher, who is now the literacy specialist at Richland Elementary, has expressed multiple times her joy in receiving Montessori students in 1st grade because of their polite demeanor, educational levels and social skills.
If you are worried that your child might be too young or old for their grade, Montessori is a great, natural way to delay a year or sometimes even skip a grade. We can help children at any academic level. We have materials that go through division in math and the second grade reading level in English. Please note, the initial transition to public school can be difficult, but your child's foundation is stronger and has more depth than children who haven't had a Montessori education and it will always balance out, ultimately aiding them to excel. Frequent complaints that we have heard from alumni have been the need to have to wait to use the restroom and the fact that they must learn the same material as their peers the entire day instead of following their own educational interests. A Montessori kindergarten experience is incredibly beneficial for most children. If, however, your child is not intrinsically motivated and relies on adults to move them from one assignment to another, traditional kindergarten may better prepare them for first grade. We are happy to work with you and your family to decide what is best for your child.
The Montessori method is designed to be at least a 3-year foundational education. This includes the kindergarten year. It has everything and more within it to prepare your child for 1st grade and life. In fact, if your child transitions prior to their third year, they will miss many iconic materials that they see every day and have looked forward to, including the colorful bead cabinet that you see in the photos above and our iconic grammar doll house. Their third year they could even master pitch matching and start learning to write songs with the bells! The kindergarten year provides more in-depth Spanish instruction as well. The children develop a true concrete understanding of the greater world of math and often develop high language levels. Whenever a parent or ourselves are unsure of their literacy level, we partner with Richland Elementary to have their levels tested with the Acadience/Dibbles test. Each student we have sent has received high test scores. If they do not, they would quality for join Title 1 reading support groups at Richland Elementary in the afternoon; we have yet to have a child that has been tested qualify. Title one support, however is a special treat to Montessori children if they need it in the future; it is one to one, small group instruction as they are accustomed. The children develop lifelong skills their 3rd year of Montessori at LHM.
When they enter at 3 years old, they are assisted by the oldest children. When they are 4, they can help some children younger than themselves and are helped by the oldest. In their third year, however, they get the opportunity to be the leaders of the pack. This is a unique experience, most graduates will later transition into schools with classes full of children only their age. This gives them ample opportunities to develop their leadership skills. We guide them greatly in leading with virtues, honesty, integrity and compassion. We help them develop patience and understanding and we give them opportunities to teach and give lessons themselves at times. These skills are important and run alongside math, science and language acquisition at LHM. In addition to continuing to receive 1 on 1 lessons and enjoying the partner works they started in their 2nd year, third year students start receiving group lessons. Working in a group can be challenging. Learning to lead and follow is often rough, but this practice is so helpful for them. Much of this group work takes place with our beautiful golden bead math decimal system. The children also do not have to worry about sitting still for hours, as they can continue natural movement as they learn.
We have sent graduates to first grade and/or Kindergarten in Richland Elementary, Kellogg Elementary, STEM Academy, Spanish Immersion Kalamazoo Christian, and Galesburg Elementary and we can recommend a couple of other great school systems for first grade. Even if the program requires for children to test in, we can attest that we have had graduates test into every above named school in first grade without having to complete their kindergarten program. We love working with the leaders of each of these schools and are happy to connect with new leaders. A prior first grade teacher, who is now the literacy specialist at Richland Elementary, has expressed multiple times her joy in receiving Montessori students in 1st grade because of their polite demeanor, educational levels and social skills.
If you are worried that your child might be too young or old for their grade, Montessori is a great, natural way to delay a year or sometimes even skip a grade. We can help children at any academic level. We have materials that go through division in math and the second grade reading level in English. Please note, the initial transition to public school can be difficult, but your child's foundation is stronger and has more depth than children who haven't had a Montessori education and it will always balance out, ultimately aiding them to excel. Frequent complaints that we have heard from alumni have been the need to have to wait to use the restroom and the fact that they must learn the same material as their peers the entire day instead of following their own educational interests. A Montessori kindergarten experience is incredibly beneficial for most children. If, however, your child is not intrinsically motivated and relies on adults to move them from one assignment to another, traditional kindergarten may better prepare them for first grade. We are happy to work with you and your family to decide what is best for your child.