Early childhood education sets a strong foundation for life-long learning.

At Aster our early years classrooms are inspired by the Montessori approach. Our classrooms are prepared environments, developed to maximize learning and growth in a child centered way.

The success of our early years environments is due to our highly trained teachers who carefully arrange the classrooms that allow for independent movement and work; freedom of choice in work activities; and comforting lighting and soundscapes.

Freedom

Our prepared environment allows for freedom of movement, freedom of choice during independent work blocks, and freedom to either interact socially, or take time to yourself. From the toddlers environment, students are encouraged to develop agency, and to seek out opportunities and resources. This freedom helps students develop positive relationships with “work,” which leads to motivated, independent learners

Structure And Order

It may seem strange to follow “Freedom” with “Structure and Order,” but in practice, they complement each other perfectly. This structure is very important to the development of a confident, reasonable learner. As the children internalize the structure of the classroom around them, they realize the rational, systematic outcomes of the natural world, as well. The student is able to make assumptions and rationalizations, and determine the truth and value of these things by navigating a structured environment.

Beauty

Beauty is a hallmark of our classrooms because it creates a sense of harmony, order, and comfort for students and teachers. Beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, and our Montessori classrooms strive to deliver a calming beauty that can be enjoyed fully by the students of that classroom. Natural lighting and oxygen-producing plants are parts of many classrooms, which speaks to the next principle of the prepared environment as well. Warm lighting, pastel colors, and soft materials are often seen in our classrooms, creating a feeling of being at home, or at least, being in a comforting environment.

Nature and Reality

Being able to interact with the world around you is a hallmark of
education at Aster from the earliest levels. Students are encouraged to interact with the
natural environment outside of the classroom, to experience and interpret natural
phenomena. Both natural and real materials are used so that students can learn the
relationships between these objects, and have confidence using them independently as
they grow.

Social Environment

Beyond the physical environment and materials within the classroom, the classroom space also acts as a social environment for the students. Students have the ability and freedom to interact with each other through work, rest, and play; the social and emotional frameworks of a education at Aster encourage students to approach each other with empathy, and to work constructively through disagreements or differences. As children grow, they become more socially aware, and their interactions become more meaningful. This is further encouraged by the multi-age classroom that we have in our Casa Level 1 and 2, where older students can model more advanced behaviors for their younger counterparts.

Intellectual Environment

The intellectual environment is the culmination of all the principles of the prepared environment; by creating a space in which our curriculum can flourish, students will develop their intellect as well as their personalities. This environment is full of materials and activities specific to each piece of the Montessori curriculum. Students understand that this is a place for learning, and they are comfortable developing their foundational skills (order, coordination, concentration, and independence) within our environments.