Montessori Preschool
The NRC started a Montessori Preschool last summer with a generous grant from the Robins Foundation. The goal is to provide a quality preschool experience for Fulton area children that parents can afford. Sliding scale fees help defray on-going costs.
Why Montessori? Using a sensory-rich environment and hands-on experiential techniques, the Montessori method encourages self-motivation and independence in children. It stresses learning through purpose and activity and allows children to make their own decisions about what they want to learn. Specially trained teachers observe how students interact with the learning materials, intervening to reinforce lessons and to introduce children to the next skill-based challenge when they have mastered the previous lesson. Montessori developed her model for all types of children, from the learning disabled to the gifted. Ultimately, Montessori teachers strive to instill a life-long love of learning.
Maria Montessori believed children have an innate desire to learn—they simply need the right environment and the right tools to essentially teach themselves. She advanced the notion of "self-directed" learning, where children concentrate on activities in a classroom, moving from one to another as their natural drive dictates. This flexibility and freedom instills self-confidence, discipline, responsibility and a love of learning.
Teachers from other area Montessori schools volunteered time to help start the school. Support from the Montessori community throughout the Richmond area has been overwhelming.
One of the long-term goals of the program is to build relationships with quality elementary schools that will provide scholarships for NRC preschool graduates.
To better meet the needs of working parents and increase the learning benefits of a Montessori curriculum, the NRC wrote and received a Community Development Block Grant to help expand the school to a full day. Gratitude to the City of Richmond and special thanks to Councilwoman McQuinn for making sure our grant made it through the process.
Want to get involved? Learn more about how you can donate to the program or volunteer your time.