Primary Program Academics
The academics and curriculum at Little Hoku Montessori Academy is divided into five areas.
Academics
The academics and curriculum at Little Hoku Montessori Academy is divided into five key areas.
Practical Life
In Practical life, children learn daily-life skills. As a parent we notice early on that our kids are interested in doing daily activities such as how to get dressed, prepare snacks, set the table, pour their own milk, care for plants and animals, wash windows, clean tables. In the house most of us avoid having them do these chores as it might end up with a big mess or it might be time consuming. At Little Hoku, they practice these skills. They also practice appropriate social interactions, such as saying please and thank-you, being kind and helpful, listening without interrupting, and resolving conflicts peacefully. In addition to teaching specific skills, Practical Life activities promote independence, and fine-and gross-motor coordination.
Sensorial
Dr. Maria Montessori believed that children began having sensorial experiences at birth. According to her studies, as children grow up, they explore and learn by interacting with their environment through their senses. Children refine skills in perceiving the world through their different senses, and learn how to describe and name their experiences. Rough and smooth surfaces perceived through touch are examples. Sensorial learning is the foundation for learning by developing the ability to classify, sort, and discriminate. These skills are necessary in math, geometry, and language.
Math
Through various Montessori materials like number rods, children learn to count and identify numerals and match them to their quantity. They learn the base-10 system, and practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They explore patterns in the numbering system. With an exploratory approach, the goal is to minimize memorization and teach the kids the concept behind the lesson.
Language
In a Montessori school, Children learn start writing before reading. Varies activities and materials throughout the classroom teach language, help children acquire vocabulary, and develop skills to write and read. Using hands-on materials, children learn letter sounds, how to combine sounds to make words, and how to build sentences.
Cultural Studies
A wide range of subjects are included under cultural studies. Geography, science, art, music, and drama are integrated in lessons in the cultural area of the curriculum.
About Little Hoku Montessori Academy
Little Hoku Montessori Academy serves preschool children between the ages of 3 and 6. Our preschool is conveniently located inside Kihei Lutheran Church in North Kihei. The church is right off Piilani Highway on the island of Maui in Hawaii. The preschool is an easy commute for Maui residents of Kihei, Wailea, Kahului, and Wailuku. It is also less than 30 minutes to Paia, Makawao, and Kula. Learn more about Little Hoku Montessori Academy.