Montessori Education Program
Montessori National Curriculum is ratified by ACARA (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority) and aligns with Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
Montessori approach to education, inspires children towards a lifelong love of learning, by following their natural developmental trajectory. Children become confident, responsible, independent learners, who trust in their own abilities.
Our environments are carefully prepared to allow children to practice skills to meet their milestones, support their physical and intellectual needs and encourage their potential.
The Montessori Education Program for babies, infants and pre-schoolers, is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning, collaborative work and play.
In the Montessori classroom, children make creative choices in their learning, while the classroom and the teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide their progress.
Children work individually or in small groups to discover and explore key learning areas, develop their intelligence, and achieve their full potential.
Each Montessori classroom program builds on the one before it, providing challenges that are both appropriate to age and skill level. In this way, we aim to prepare children, not just for school, but for life.
Nursery Community
- 0 – Walking
Dr Maria Montessori stated that education should begin at birth. Our program is designed to nurture the quickly developing new born as they take their first steps towards independence.
The focus of the Nursery Education Program is to assist children in reaching their key development milestones by helping them to develop their cognitive, motor, social sensorial, practical and language skills.
Our classroom educators aim to create family partnerships to nurture and support each child’s unique learning opportunities as they form their intelligence and personality. Materials used in our Nursery Program have been carefully selected to fulfil the needs of the quickly changing baby.
Nursery Program Aims:
- Provide a safe, engaging and nurturing learning environment
- Foster the development of language and social skills
- Foster a sense of belonging and trust in their world
- Develop confidence in their emerging abilities
- Develop gross motor coordination and fine motor skills
- Offer opportunities to gain independence in daily tasks
Toddler Community
- Walking to 3 years old
Our Toddler Program is specifically designed to cater to the needs of young children by establishing a home like environment that encourages sensory and practical based learning.
The focus on the Toddler Education Program is to cultivate this age groups growing need for independence, order, sensory exploration, movement and language.
Our program covers the five curriculum areas, with a strong focus on physical education, art, culture and community. As with any Montessori environment, the children’s activities are set out to entice the child to discover and explore. Children work independently, or in small groups, and are introduced to each material at the appropriate time for their individual development.
Toddler Program Aims:
- Provide a safe, engaging and nurturing learning environment
- Foster the growth of functional independence and autonomy
- Develop children’s sense of confidence, self-identity, and belonging
- Promote respect for diversity and their environment
- Refine gross motor coordination and fine motor skills
- Encourage children to develop skills and processes such as critical thinking and experimentation
- Foster the development of effective communication skills
Kindergarten Community
- 3 years old to school aged
Children aged three to six are sensorial explorers that are constantly building their knowledge of the world by absorbing and categorising every aspect of their environment, language, and culture.
Our 3 to 5 years program caters to the specific needs of this age group by fulfilling their innate desire to learn through direct sensory experiences with self-teaching materials.
Our program covers the five key curriculum areas, Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics and Culture, all playing an important part in daily activities.
In this age group, children choose their own tasks and work independently at their own pace, under the gentle guidance of a trained educator.
The focus on this age group is to prepare children for life and help them to develop independence, a strong sense of self, self-motivation, and a love of learning.
Kindergarten Program Aims:
- Provide a safe, engaging and nurturing learning environment for pre-schoolers
- Foster the growth of functional independence, concentration, and self-correction
- Promote social development through respectful and clear communication
- Refine sensory perception and the development of literacy and mathematical understanding
- Foster the development of communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking skills
- Offer opportunities for exploration, leading to confident, creative self-expression
- Prepare children with the skills and experience they need to succeed with education and beyond
Our Gardening Program
At Bilbies ELC & Kinder we believe good nutrition is vital for a child’s physical and mental development and our garden to plate program is a great initiative to turn this belief into action! Our program teaches children how to grow, prepare and share fresh, seasonal food.
We have planted gardens with a variety of edible plants and aim to develop the relationship that children have with food from nursery through to Kindergarten.
Our program is delivered by our educators who work in collaboration with our children & Chef, maintaining and exploring the gardens. Children learn how the food system works, how food is grown and the value of preparing and sharing healthy food together.