Glen Cedar Montessori Preparatory School is a complete school for children from 3 to 9 years of age.
Glen Cedar is modeled on Dr. Maria Montessori’s world-renowned system of early childhood education. Our specially designed educational materials help children learn through sensory experiences, develop their physical and mental faculties, and attain valuable life lessons on discipline, concentration and interaction.
Montessori education is recognized for its great respect for children, their individual potential and development. Each individual child’s natural love of learning is inspired in a positive educational environment. With a series of high quality cognitive materials, children work to develop character, independence, self-discipline, concentration, logical and sequential thought patterns, problem-solving skills and master fundamental tools for life long learning.
The Montessori method understands children’s intrinsic curiosity and enthusiasm to learn. Through sequenced activities, children learn to understand abstract properties and concepts with concrete sensory material. Thus a Montessori child will not memorize concepts or properties – he or she will learn by understanding through his or her own manipulation of the materials.
Parents must understand that Montessori is formal education. Glen Cedar Montessori Preparatory School is an educational facility – not a playschool, nursery or daycare. Our program is designed to maximize the individual needs of each child and provide an optimum learning experience at the right age,
– when the child is most receptive to absorbing information and knowledge.

The Montessori environment is carefully constructed to fulfill young children’s need for exploration.
The environment is conducive to inspiring each child’s natural curiosity about the world and fulfill his or her unique needs for healthy physical and mental development through hands-on experiences.
The Montessori environment is distinct from other traditional school settings. In the primary or “Casa” program, children range between the ages of 3 to 6 years. The children work harmoniously as a small community to meet each other’s intellectual and emotional needs. They also develop a social etiquette based on respect for oneself and others.
In elementary, like the primary program, the children continue to exercise these fundamental principles as they begin the process towards abstraction. Our elementary program encourages the children to engage as independent thinkers and apply their limitless energy for exploration and knowledge in a research method of learning.
Within these unique environments, children discover the fine balance between freedom and structure.
Within certain limits, each child is given the freedom, with responsibility, to make constructive decisions which will lead to spontaneous activity, exploration and discovery. In time, each child builds a strong sense of self-discipline, self-confidence and independence which instills a perpetual motivation for continuous learning.
At Glen Cedar Montessori Preparatory School, your child is exposed to specially designed Montessori materials under the observation and guidance of certified directresses(ors). Each child develops at his or her own pace – that is, each child follows his or her program free from competition among his or her peers.

The Montessori material presented to your child embodies both traditional and unique Montessori subjects such as Practical Life, Sensorial, Culture, Language and Mathematics. The Practical Life materials are simple distillations of everyday activities undertaken by adults. The area is specially designed for your child to gain functional independence and self-confidence. These exercises go far beyond their visible purpose. Practical Life develops your child’s concentration, fine and gross motor skills, orderly work habits, perseverance and precision.

The Sensorial materials provide your child with the “keys to the environment” and give your child the opportunity to be familiarized with abstract concepts (for example, dimensions and shapes). The Sensorial materials widen the scope for your child to become an independent thinker. The ability to understand and construct abstractions allows your child to progress in cultural and intellectual knowledge.

Children need to be exposed to their physical and cultural environment. The Culture materials are presented as exercises to give your child the opportunity for exploration pertaining to all aspects of the world. Your child will be exposed to science, history, geography, art and music. These activities are provided to your child for a continuous learning experience.

Language is integrated into all aspects of the Montessori classroom from playing listening games, to reading stories as well as recalling experiences. From an early age, your child is exposed to precise language for concepts and qualities. Your child is invited to express and articulate his/her thoughts and experiences to further develop his/her language skills. Reading and writing skills are learned through specially designed phonetic material.

In Mathematics, your child is presented to concrete, “hands-on” mathematical materials and exercises which allow him/her to easily grasp the concepts of numeration, the decimal system, place value and the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division).