Curriculum

The Montessori curriculum is the educational framework for Arka Montessori Academy. Montessori is a life philosophy that can be hard to grasp in only a cursory glance, but the equipment used to develop academic achievement of Montessori preschoolers is a little easier to understand. Specific equipment and its objectives are described in our series of lesson descriptions. If you’re interested in more information about how Montessori works, check out our reading list or go to a general Montessori site via a link in general parenting info. The intellectual stimulation inherent in the Montessori curriculum means that almost without exception our children far exceed Texas Education Agency (www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/) guidelines when they graduate from our preschool to go into the first grade.

Our enrichment curriculum is superimposed on the standard Montessori curriculum. These programs vary through the year and include art activities, cooking and science classes, creative dramatic and music instruction, and dance and motor development programs. Our motor development program stresses cardiovascular fitness, strength, stamina, flexibility, and coordination. We cycle safety, manners, and ecological instruction through each month. One of the most amazing things about our program each year as we come to a repeat of the topic is how many children remember what they learned a year ago. That’s amazing for a 4-year-old. We’ve come to expect it for our 5-year-olds.