Our Preschool program provides care for children ages 2.5 – 5 years old. There are sixteen or twenty children in each class with two teachers.  At Westwood Montessori, we offer a morning class with extended hours from 9:00am – 1:00pm.

The children are introduced to a variety of activities to help develop them as a whole. Children are introduced to learning materials and then allowed to choose which activities to do based on their own interests. This approach is to encourage and develop independence, confidence, better control of their own movements and respect to others and the environment. The children work in a carefully prepared environment that uses natural and real objects that provide rich exploratory and hands on experiences of learning. The class consist of children with various ages which gives them the opportunity to learn how to help each other.

Following the Montessori Method of teaching early childhood concepts, our programs are divided into the following areas:
 
Practical life – Provides experiences in developing practical skills and hand-eye coordination necessary in everday life.
 
Sensorial – Uses specially designed materials that teach concepts of colours, geometric shapes, dimensions, temperatures, and weights. The materials and exercises are designed to develop the senses: seeing, touching, smelling, hearing, and tasting.
 
Language – Develops their English language proficiency using phonetics and extensive vocabulary building exercises.
 
Math – Provides exercises in developing the children's understanding of number and quantities in units, tens, hundreds and thousands as well as concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
 
Science/ culture arts – Provide learning experiences in history, geography, botany, zoology, culture arts, music and science.
 
All Daycare Classes have integrated the following special classes:
English Second Language – For children who need additional help learning English language.

Mandarin – Children will learn basic preschool concepts in counting, greeting, days of the week, months of the year's, etc.

French – Children will learn basic preschool concepts in counting, greeting, days of the week, months of the year's, etc.

Music - Our music program, based on the Orff Music for Children curriculum, develops a child's musical literacy, understanding, and overall creative potention. Children are taugh rhythm, melody, dynamics, phrasing and form through activities involving singing, movement, speech, listening and use of instruments.

Preschool Schedule (9:00am - 1:00pm)
9:00 - 9:15       Children's arrival greetings.
9:15 - 9:50       Circle Time / Calendar & Theme / Group Discussion
9:50 - 10:10     Snack time
10:10 - 11:40   Montessori Work Period                                                    11:40 - 12:20   Lunch Time                                                                        12:20 - 12:50   Outside Play / Gym time / Arts & Crafts
12:50 - 1:00     Preparation time to go home 
     
Special snack day - Monday
Music - Wednesday
Multicultural day (French, Mandarin) - Thursday
Show & Tell – Friday

(These are tentative schedule are subject to changes at school discretion)