Michaela's Montessori School





Mlada Boleslav Montessori School

This is the front of Michaela's Montessori School in Mlada Boleslav. 
Currently, it handles preschoolers and has an entry foyer, a large classroom, and in the back a large room equipped so children can take a nap after a tough morning hitting the books.  In the rear of the school there is a lush green lawn surrounded by beautiful trees and plants.  On a nice day, the children are treated to an outside play time.  Michaela's office is also located on the premises. Additionally Michaela offers workshops lead by certified Montessori instructors every other weekend.  Moreover, during the week she has evening classes for parents and their children to get acquainted with the school and the methods and tools used to implement learning.  Guiding children to discover the potential in themselves while learning in a fun and stimulating environment is the main focus of the Montessori method.



The large open classroom

The camera lens has made this room deceptively small; there is a kitchen hidden from view on the left and a reading center behind the camera man, and against the far wall are the students' math manipulatives.  There are no abstract or semi-abstract math lessons; it is all hands-on.  The depths to which these manipulatives take a child's mind is extraordinary.  We developed a new appreciation of the Montessori method of teaching.



Learning math can be fun



Here is just one set of math manipulatives that build on the relationships in the metric system, place value, spatial relations, and more.  Educators trained in the Montessori System  guide children as they handle and "play" with the manipulatives and over a short period of time "playing" with these things, the brain has laid down dozens of relational maps that segue right into more advanced mathematical concepts.  Pretty cool.



Sofia

 Sofia is totally absorbed in placing little wooden "men" into the matching color and hue slots and grandpa wasn't about to break it to her that she was "learning."



Sarah



Sarah, on the other hand, was much more interested in whisking up something for lunch!

Somehow, we think she may be headed for culinary school at the Cordon Bleu.