MFP Philosophy

The foremost objective of My Favorite Place Montessori is to spark a flame for learning in the lives of its students that will burn forever.

Each day, the environment is prepared fresh so that it remains a stimulating and inviting place to learn. The materials are structured from simple to complex and are introduced to individual children as they show the interest, and capability, for success. The role of the Directress is to observe and link each child with materials that encourage and entice the child toward educational progress.

My Favorite Place Montessori School provides children with opportunities to help them become more independent and capable of caring for themselves and their environment. Our dream is to nurture self-confident individuals, with a kind and generous concern for others, who continue to have an ever growing desire to learn what the world has to teach.

The Montessori Approach and Methods*

The Montessori Approach

• Classes bring children together in multi-aged groups
• Children stay with their teachers for three years, allowing the teacher to really know each child
• Children choose their own work, based on interests and abilities
• The materials and prepared environment stimulate the child's desire and self-motivation to learn

The Role of the Teacher/Directress

• The teacher's role is to observe and facilitate, rather than to teach
• Through observation, the teacher sees the child's academic needs & interests
• After observing, the teacher matches children with projects at their level, to create success

The Prepared Environment

• The prepared environment is designed to meet the needs, interests, abilities and development of the children in the class
• It consists of an ordered arrangement of learning materials to help each child develop at his or her own rate
• The focus is on the child learning, not a teacher teaching
• It is a non-competitive learning environment

Montessori Materials

• Montessori materials address different learning styles and rely upon hands-on concrete learning
• Each material isolates and teaches one concept or skill at a time
• Materials are structured to allow the child to work independently
• The materials are designed to test understanding and to correct the child's error at every step, so that the student determines if they have done the exercise correctly
• The materials stimulate the child into logical thoughts and discovery, allowing the child to become actively engaged in their studies

 
Biography

About Mickey Winkler

Mickey Winkler has an Early Childhood Degree and is Montessori certified. She has more than 20 years of classroom experience.

“As a Directress, it is my belief that Montessori is not just a method of education, but a way of life. Respect for the young child is the founding principle of My Favorite Place Montessori. It is my desire, through the classroom environment, to inspire, motivate, and challenge each child to become the best he or she can be. Children grow in self-confidence through manipulation and mastery of the classroom materials and through participation in classroom activities. It is my hope that each child's experience at My Favorite Place Montessori will result in a joy of learning that lasts a lifetime.”

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*For further information about the Montessori approach, please visit:
http://www.montessori-namta.org/