Welcome to my passion.

You know you are doing what you are supposed to when you enjoy it, think about it often, can separate it from other parts of your life, and can't imagine doing anything else.

Greenhouse Montessori was create from a passion for providing an environment for children to learn and have fun. The "greenhouse" was originally a place for children to have themed birthday parties where they could play, interact, and learn, without even realizing that fun and learning could be the same thing. As a former elementary teacher, I  incorporated learning, fun, and respect, in my classroom at every opportunity. When it came time for my child to go to school and into the care of others, it was with much trial and error that Montessori Education was found. The idea of giving young children the knowledge to be independent, self-disciplined, focused students who work at their own ability, no matter the age, was very intriguing. As the preschool was started, the Montessori philosophy parallelled my beliefs so much, I then decided to take training to become AMS certified. 

Greenhouse Montessori is what I want for my own children,  a place of love and learning that encourages discovery and individuality. The learning family that we have at our school is very special.  Family involvement is an important part of Greenhouse Montessori and the relationships built among the children, teachers, and families are irreplaceable.  This school is as much a part of me that I am of it.  I appreciate the importance of the development of the brain from 0-6 years  and know that the students in my school are being molded during the time with us. 

The primary classroom was formed for 2 1/2 to 6 year olds, and the toddler center, for ages 18 months-2year olds, was added after the birth of my youngest child who is now 1. 

The facility and philosophy was in place, now to find others who shared my passion.  Allow me to introduce...

MISS PATTI

Miss Patti has over 8 years Montessori experience and is AMS certified.  She has worked with Miss Davina in the past and works very nicely with the children.  She is from Columbia originally and teaches our Spanish classes.  Her daughter attends Greenhouse Montessori as well.  We are lucky to have her as a part of our staff. 

MISS HOLLY

Miss Holly loves Montessori and is a true believer in everything Montessori stands for. It has been her passion and her dream to have her own Montessori classroom. She is excited to pursue her dream at Greenhouse Montessori.  Her niece attends Greenhouse Montessori as well.
Holly has been assistant teaching in a 3-6 year old Montessori classroom for four years. She is currently taking classes at South Mountain College and will receive her AMS (American Montessori Society) Montessori certification in May 2010. Holly also has taken four years of college courses towards her B.A. in Psychology. She plans to finish her Bachelor’s after finishing her Montessori training.

MISS CHRISTINA

Miss Christina is our outdoor environment teacher who is AMI certified.  She has a special way of providing an inviting space outdoors for the children to work in.  She is a yoga instructor and as the weather allows for greater time and activities, Miss Christina will incorporate many natural aspects to the student's learning.

MISS LAUREN

Miss Lauren has been a part of Greenhouse back when it was Jennifer's Party Pad.  She is one of the most responsible young people that I have ever known.  I trust her with my business, my children, and know that the students are in good hands when Miss Lauren is around.  She ran summer camp this year, does aftercare, and is a support throughout the whole school.  Lauren has taken her Montessori assistant training and is willing to learn new things everyday.  She too is an asset to our school.

 
Our Programs


Toddler Center

Toddlers interact and explore in the young skills room where play is encouraged, development of fine motor skills are constant through the senses and learning materials, and the seeds of a Montessori education is planted.  Designed for ages 1 and 2, here is where practical life, sensorial, and the foundation for math and language are established.  In  practical life,  the three main areas of 1.  Care of self, 2.  Grace and Courtesy, and 3.  Care of environment,  are strong at any age in Montessori, and is the single most important area.  A desire to communicate and be contributing members of society is human nature.  For a child, especially as young as 1, the need to feel important and a participant in the family is strong now that he has been observing the activity around him and is ready to participate in real work.

The Prepared Environment
Rest and inactivity are foreign to the toddler's nature; something that every parent of a toddler knows first hand. The prepared toddler environment is a place where the very young child is able to act upon his natural energies and curiosity. We all know the toddler is in constant motion and objects just seem to leap up into his hands. The toddler is encouraged to touch and handle and explore everything in his surroundings. His attention span is limited, so the prepared environment provides a wide variety of materials.

The child is given freedom in the indoor and the outdoor environments to select activities that satisfy his needs. We encourage this within appropriate limits.

We also encourage independence. The toddler wants to do things by himself. Unfortunately, in today's hurry-up pace, there is not always time or patience to allow the small child to complete the job at hand all by himself. The toddler prepared environment and program are designed to be convenient for the child. The prepared toddler environment is his place, a place to feel at ease and at home. It is our aim, as the aware adult, to remove the obstacles that frustrate the child by building furnishings to his size and having materials at his arm's reach and at his eye level.

The Aware Adult
Another difference in a Montessori toddler program is the teacher, or the aware adult. The Directress is not continually entertaining the children nor does the Directress consistently initiate activities. Instead the Directress is an aware observer of the children and their needs and prepares and maintains an appropriate environment and atmosphere. The Directress respects the child and guides him into purposeful activity. When the Directress is needed the Directress is there, but when the child can do it on his own, the Directress steps back.
 


Preschool, The Primary Classroom

This multiage class, 2 & 3 year olds who are potty trained to 6 year olds, provides hands on learning experiences that teaches each child at an individual developmental level, rather than a fixed timetable according to age.  Independence, concentration, grace and courtesy is the foundation upon which the child learns to cooperate, make choices, and challenge themselves to continually grow throughout life.

All areas of the Montessori learning environment, which include practical life, sensorial, language, and math, are available throughout the classroom.  For further information on each of these areas, visit the Montessori Education page.

The foundations for math and reading are established through practical life and sensorial.  Here is where the concentration and order of a child are practiced and carried through in math and language.