Foster City Montessori Programs
Toddler Program
Ages: 12months - 33 months
Children who start between ages 2 years and 2 years 9 months will join the Young Preschool room. This class, in which many of the children will turn 3 in the course of the year, will address the needs of children who are becoming capable of preschool work.
Language Options
In our Toddler classes and in our Young class, parents indicate their language preference, English or Mandarin. These classes all offer circles in both languages, and children are encouraged to go to the one in their preferred language. However, our experience has been that most of the children choose to go to both. They enjoy them, and they are so sensitive to language acquisition at this age that it isn’t the barrier that it would be for an adult. During the course of the day the teachers will engage with the children primarily in the preferred language. But all of the children will be exposed to both languages.
Curriculum and the Classroom
Odyssey’s main objective is to provide a prepared environment in which we look at the whole child. In our toddler program, ages 18 months to 36 months, we strive to create a space where your child will learn the following skills—social/emotional regulation, language, gross/fine motor refinement, pre reading/writing tools, math, cultural diversity, geography, sensorial experiences, and practical life dexterities. You will see all of these skills practiced in the main areas of our environment-Practical Life, Language, Math, Cultural/Geography, and Sensorial.
Through careful observation of each child, the teachers design lessons, activities, and games which help the children build these qualities in an appropriately developmental manner. For instance, by modeling and guiding the children through purposeful movements in daily living activities such as spooning, sponging, and pouring, they are growing in independence and coordination. Playing, working and socializing with peers and teachers allow for opportunities throughout the day to develop their language proficiency, both receptive and expressive, as well asthe emotional and social awareness necessary for self-regulation of the will.
The smaller teacher to student ratios provided for the toddler classes (maximum 1 to 6, usually smaller) allow for close supervision and positive role modeling as they begin the transition from parallel play to more interactive play. They also benefit from sharing their successes in learning to use the toilet with a close, family-like group of peers.
When both parents and teachers think the child is ready for the preschool program, and space becomes available, the child, usually with at least one other friend, will gradually make the transition. Children from our toddler program have priority in joining our preschool program over the outside community.
Preschool/Kindergarten Program
Ages 33 months – 6 years
At the Preschool/Kindergarten level we have two classes in English, with an enrichment language option of Mandarin or Spanish.We also have one class which is primarily in Mandarin, though not complete immersion – the English alphabet and basic phonics are also introduced, though not to the same extent as in the English classes. All three classrooms follow the Montessori curriculum.
About the Mandarin Bilingual Classroom:
*The language area activities provide work in both English and Mandarin.
*The circles (group times) are primarily in Mandarin.
*When speaking to children individually or in small groups, the language will be either English, Mandarin, or a mix of the two, depending on the individual circumstances.
For example, some of our children speak Mandarin as their home language. The parents of these children have sent them to us because they want the cultural continuity between home and school, they want their children to benefit from a Montessori environment, and they want their children to also begin learning some English as well as the English alphabet and phonics.
Some of our children come to our program without a word of Mandarin. The goal for these children is to learn basic conversational skills and written characters when ready. But their parents also want them to learn in all the other curriculum areas; therefore, use of visuals, gestures and expressions are going to be incorporated into lessons and conversations, and when needed, use of English translation, so no child is lost.
And then there are children who speak or perhaps just understand a little Mandarin. Add to this mix the fact that our students are in mixed age groupings of late two through the kindergarten year. The only way we can meet all these varied needs is through the Montessori model of individually tailored progress through all curriculum areas, including language.
We are not an immersion program. Our Mandarin class students play with the English class students after lunch and in the before and after school program, and are with non-mandarin speaking teachers as well as mandarin speaking teachers at these times.
At Odyssey, we cater to parents who want the program described above, with a Montessori enriched environment designed to meet the individual needs of children in all areas of their development, including introduction to English and English phonics.