The Capital Montessori Philosophy

Joyful, caring, self-motivated learners

Maria Montessori believed that the most important aspect of her work was her discovery that children will become joyful, caring and self-motivated learners when they can independently choose an activity that allows them to concentrate deeply on their current interests. At these times young children learn with great ease, reaching surprising levels of achievement.  

We have all experienced those occasions when we have found some job that gets us so engaged... that we lose track of time and we emerge feeling relaxed, satisfied and happy. Psychologists call this “flow”, and it is what our teachers are aiming to achieve, for your child.

"Follow the child"

At Capital Montessori we create an environment based on the teacher’s observations of each child. This ensures that every child's needs for any particular activity are met, at all times. The role of our teachers is to create the right environment, and to make sure that your child is 'linked' to the most appropriate activities, for their interests and their needs at any particular time.

Our specially trained teachers, the activities we offer, our learning materials and our classrooms are all designed to give your child an early childhood education that puts the emphasis on independence, creativity, confidence and motivated learning. We also bring an important New Zealand perspective to the Montessori approach by integrating our daily activities into the National Early Childhood Education Curriculum - Te Whariki.

A three year foundation for life

At the age of 3 years our primary focus for your child is on Practical Life Skills, so the children engage in activities that encourage independence. With practice they will master everyday skills such as 'pouring without spilling', sweeping, peeling vegetables and washing tables.

As they master each of these activities they will experience a feeling of success and this will lead them to approach the next task with confidence. From the age of 4 years the focus progresses to developing social skills. At this age your child is sensitive to developing social relationships, friends.   These first two years at Capital Montessori lay important foundations. As your child moves on to their third year, the real benefits of the Montessori approach become apparent.

From the age of 5 years the opportunity to develop ‘leadership qualities’, increased confidence, a caring attitude towards others and a sense of responsibility all come to the fore, as your child interacts with both the younger children and the other children of their same age.

In other words, the first two years prepare your child for creative, meaningful exploration and progress in lots of areas. A third year at Capital Montessori is the true culmination – that’s when concepts and skills your child has learned truly blossom and you can really see the growth of your child -  a ‘love of learning’ becomes a real part of them.

In a very real way, Capital Montessori provides the strongest possible foundation for your child - it's an education for life.