About

Essence of Countryside Montessori:

Countryside Montessori Preschool is a non-sectarian, educational preschool, serving families with children two and a half to six years old. A multi-cultural, city-, state-, and nationally-accredited school with a teaching faculty abundant in training, experience and education, CMP is dedicated to meeting the growing needs of today’s children. Every child is a born explorer. Dr. Maria Montessori discovered that children possess an innate love of learning and discovery. She believed that exposure to life experiences was the best method of instruction for children. Touching, opening, using and questioning are all critical components of a child’s academic journey.

Everything in the Montessori classrooms is easily accessible to the children. The materials and child-size furniture are arranged so that children are led naturally from place to place in a logical order. The room is filled with activities and tasks that are organized to promote purposeful workings for each child’s individual readiness. This adaptable environment gives children the freedom of choice and enriches the learning qualities each child already possesses.

In Montessori classrooms the adult is called a directress/director, and their role is to support and assist the child in working towards his or her fullest abilities. Through daily observations and documentation of the children, the directress/director can help plan and guide lessons according to each child’s readiness.

Children are individuals, each with their own likes, dislikes and possibilities. It is our responsibility to educate each child accordingly; to maximize their independence and growth. Every area in the classroom opens a door to lure the child in, inviting them to explore. Once the child is inside, they may be as creative and spontaneous as they like.

We teach peace.

Montessori

  • Learning method inspires creativity
  • System is Individualized to each student

 

Accreditations

Countryside Montessori Preschool maintains the rigorous standards of excellence set by the Wisconsin State licensing and the Department of Children and Families, City of Madison Childcare Accreditation, and Young Star.

  • State licensed and regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

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  • City of Madison Accreditation. The Standards are designed to promote the optimal development of the child. These Standards go far beyond the mandatory licensing regulations that enforce basic requirements to protect the health and safety of children. The Child Care Center Accreditation Standards are used in Madison Accredited early care and education programs.
  • YoungStar Child Care Rating Program. YoungStar is a program of the Department of Children and Families created to improve the quality of child care for Wisconsin children. Countryside Montessori Preschool has the highest YoungStar rating possible! About YoungStar:
    • Evaluates and rates the quality of care given by child care providers
    • Helps parents choose the best child care for their kids
    • Supports providers with tools and training to deliver high quality early care
    • Sets a consistent standard for child care quality

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Differentiation

  • Excellence in early childhood education since 1992
  • Parent education programs
  • Referral program

Location:

CMP is located on a one-acre lot on the northeast side of Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to three multi-age classrooms, the outdoors are filled with playgrounds, various gardens, and Madison’s only walking rock labyrinth. This unique environment creates a true child-friendly atmosphere.

 

Work Areas:

Peace Education: In following with the Montessori approach, there is a hands on peace area in each classroom. We celebrate peace week annually, but most importantly respect, tolerance, and conflict resolution are role modeled and discussed on an ongoing daily basis.

Practical Life: These activities consist of cooking food, clearing dishes and learning to button, lace and zip clothing. Lessons include Care of Person, Care of Environment, Care of Living Animals, Opening and Closing, Grace and Courtesy, and Control of Movement.

Sensorial: Montessori divided the human senses into nine categories which become the lessons for this work area: Visual (dimension & color), Tactile, Auditory, Olfactory, Gustatory, Baric, Thermic, Equilibial, and Sterognostic.

Language: The materials designed for this area involve hands-on work with writing, letter identification, and eventually reading (with a modified phonics approach). Lessons are based on picture or shape matching, the movable alphabet, and vocabulary/word cards.

Geography: Preschool children are beginning to realize that they are part of the big picture, Earth. Our world is home to many people, places, and things. Lessons in the geography area provide enrichment through cultural experiences, people, pictures, sensorial objects, wooden maps, and celebrations.

Math: This work area enables children to learn the names of numbers (symbols) and number quantity. They also have the opportunity to move on to more abstract math when ready. Materials include sandpaper numbers, spindle boxes, and beads.

 

What Others Are Saying:

 

“What the school teaches and how they teach it is significant…designed to encompass a child’s natural love of learning through a hands-on, multi-sensory approach.”

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“This is one of the best places to send your child for a great education. My kids love it.”

“My son has had his share of difficulties at other daycares. He’s a spirited child, which can make it rough for teachers, other students, and (of course) his parents. After only a few months at Countryside, he seems to have finally found his way. For the first time, I truly feel like we have a partner in child-rearing. They care as much about his development as we do.”

 

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