Our Program
The Montessori Children’s House of Wellesley (MCHW) proudly serves preschool children using a progressive approach to the time-honored model created by Maria Montessori. We nurture joyful, life-long learners in a structured environment thoughtfully designed to meet the developmental needs of young children today.
What Makes Us Progressive?
More than 100 years have passed since Maria Montessori first articulated her famous theories and method. Her observations, teaching materials and pedagogy are timeless. They speak to the core nature of child development, transcending culture and history.
In that time, scientists and educators have validated and expanded upon her brilliant, groundbreaking work. The contributions of contemporary educators, neuroscientists, sociologists and other specialists, however, give us new information, clarity and insight.
We believe it’s our job as educators to stay informed and incorporate newer ideas and materials when we feel they both complement and enhance the original Montessori method. Our use of the acclaimed Learning Without Tears handwriting program and the Waseca Biomes curriculum are two examples of our progressive integration of contemporary materials. (For more information on either of these programs, please visit their websites at lwtears.com and wasecabiomes.org.)
Program Details At A Glance
Program Days & Hours:
Children attend 5 days a week.
MCHW is a half-day program. The core program hours are 8:45 – 11:45.
Extended “lunch bunch” hours are offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday until 1:00 PM.
Calendar:
MCHW generally follows the Wellesley Public School calendar. We typically begin the first week of September and end the last week of May.
We follow an abbreviated “Phase-In” orientation schedule for the first two weeks each September to help all children—especially new students—make the transition as smoothly as possible.
Age of Children:
We serve children ages 2 years and 9 months through age 6.
We do not require new students to be toilet trained—diapers are just fine!
While most children at MCHW move on to their local public kindergarten programs, MCHW offers both a “growing year” (for those wishing an additional year before kindergarten) and a full kindergarten program (primarily for those wishing to go on to a Montessori elementary program).
Size & Class Configuration:
MCHW limits enrollment to 22 children each year.
In the Montessori tradition, children learn in a mixed-age group comprised of children ages 3, 4, and 5.
MCHW is uniquely staffed. Two lead Montessori teachers and two assistant teachers work with the group of 22. Each lead teacher is responsible for tracking progress, communicating with families, and generally overseeing the welfare of 11 children. (We assign names to each subgroup—the Sun Group and the Moon Group.) By organizing the classroom this way, each lead teacher can develop a deeper understanding of her student’s needs while building an effective communication chain with each of her families. It also allows us to split into two smaller groups for special lessons or events.
Student/Teacher Ratios: 5:1
Daily Schedule
Children arrive at 8:45. Every day at MCHW includes circle meeting, recess, snack and 2+ hours of uninterrupted choice time. Dismissal is 11:45. Those enrolled in the lunch program stay until 1:00. To read about a typical day at MCHW, please click here: WILL’S DAY.pdf
