Montessori School of Denver

MSD offers an exciting and well-rounded educational program that challenges curiosity and rewards creativity. Students use hands-on materials to explore a broad range of concepts. Our unique curriculum is based on a combination of Montessori philosophy and best educational practices with a focus on language arts, mathematics, geography, history, science, sensorial and practical life – all with a global perspective in mind. In addition, MSD offers Spanish, art, music, drama, library science, and physical education.

Montessori philosophy is the foundation of our curriculum.  This educational philosophy is based on the work of Maria Montessori (1870—1952) who saw a great need to reform the educational system of the time.  She devoted her lifetime to creating schools that develop the full potential of each individual child. Maria Montessori believed that education could be a powerful force in creating more responsible and caring individuals, and that through observation, individual choice, and a carefully prepared environment great success is possible.

Other tenets of a Montessori education include:

 
• Individual learning. Montessori education recognizes that each child learns at a different pace and we allow time for that growth to take place. The Montessori method is based on deep respect for and understanding of child development.
 
• Multi-age groupings of children within a classroom. Each class at MSD, with the exception of the Toddler Program, has a three-year age span. These groupings are a recognition that each child develops in a unique manner and at his or her pace. Multi-age classrooms also provide the necessary opportunities for older children to be role models for the younger students, both reinforcing their own learning and building self-esteem.
 
• An emphasis on concrete learning first, which provides a firm foundation for abstraction. Belief that children need to experience concepts in concrete ‘hands-on’ ways before they can truly think abstractly.
 
• Working for the joy of learning and sense of discovery. Montessori students are deeply interested in learning and understanding the work itself.
 
• Learning in an inquiring, cooperative, and nurturing atmosphere. Students increase their own knowledge through self and teacher-initiated experiences.
 
• Teachers specially trained in the Montessori method. In addition to curriculum instruction and Montessori philosophy, teacher education includes child development, teaching strategies, observation, and leadership skills.
 
• Classroom environments carefully prepared by the teacher so that they are welcoming, child-centered, orderly, and stimulating. A thoughtfully prepared environment facilitates the child’s exploration and creativity.
 
• Large blocks of uninterrupted work time. Classroom schedules allow students the time to problem solve, see the interdisciplinary connections of knowledge, and to construct new ideas.

Best educational practice at MSD means that we help students learn how to learn, we emphasize the application of knowledge not just the acquisition, and we help students know their best learning style.

 
• We create self-directed, independent learners who take responsibility.
 
• We provide authentic, experiential learning opportunities.
 
• We want to engage our students in real-world issues and allow them to interpret new information and to connect this information to prior knowledge.
 
• We value service learning and believe it empowers our students.
 
• We offer a highly-integrated curriculum.
 
• We use technology for learning, assessment of learning, and communication; students use computers as a valuable educational tool.
 
• We celebrate diversity.

Global education and preparing kids for the 21st century is another important focus of our dynamic program. Students today face a rapidly-changing world full of new ideas and technology. We want to make sure our kids are well prepared to keep up!  We update curriculum regularly to reflect changes in the world and in our community, and we emphasize relevant academic subjects and collaboration and teambuilding skills. We want to equip students with the tools necessary to contribute and participate meaningfully in the world including:

 
• Critical thinking and problem solving
 
• Collaboration and leadership
 
• Agility and adaptability
 
• Initiative and entrepreneurism
 
• Effective oral and written communication
 
• Accessing and analyzing information
 
• Creativity and innovation

Experiential Education is also a hallmark of a MSD education. We believe that active, hands-on, concrete experiences are the most powerful and natural form of learning, and direct immersion in learning helps students to think more deeply, and to discover the detailed implications of ideas and information.

Doing Good is a long-standing tradition at MSD and an integral part of our school culture. We recognize the importance of educating our children to be not only competent individuals, but also people who are thoughtful, compassionate, and civic-minded members of society.  Doing good at MSD not only benefits those in need but it also provides opportunities for students to utilize skills learned in the classroom, develop leadership skills, appreciate diversity, and learn character and the concept of giving selflessly.

We are an entire community of global do-gooders.  You’ll see our commitment to making a difference through projects that are both global and local in perspective. From collecting pennies to build schools in Pakistan, to assembling children’s medical kits for distribution in Belize, or simply reading to a younger classmate on campus, good things are happening at MSD. Some examples of the good we’re doing include:

 
• 20/20 Challenge Program Mosquito Net Project – designing a better mosquito net for the protection of children under the age of five in Zambia
 
• Trick or Treat for UNICEF – achieving Ambassador status
 
• Pennies For Peace – collecting pennies for Greg Mortenson’s project to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan
 
• Global Giving – supporting grass roots projects by donating to globalgiving.com
 
• The Heifer Project – providing families the ability to self-sustain through farming
 
• The Annual Book Giveaway – collecting books for Family Star Montessori and Operation School Bell
 
• Coats For Colorado – collecting coats for donation at Thanksgiving time
 
• Filling Betsy’s Cupboard – collecting supplies for The Gathering Place, a day shelter for Women and Children
 
• Warren Village – selling baked goods to buy books for the Library in the Day Care Center at Warren Village
 
• Reading and Technology Buddies – teaching skills to younger children
 
• Campus-wide Recycling – keeping our campus "green"

Curriculum Support-Technology. We believe in the power of technology as a valuable educational tool, therefore we’ve integrated technology as an important part of our classrooms, using it for learning assessments, differentiating instruction, and communication. Students use computers for research, writing, long distance collaboration, and exploring a variety of concepts using specialized software. Many classrooms are equipped with projector systems and Upper Elementary uses SMART Boards. The MSD Library is wireless and has a publishing center for students to produce their work as well as laptops that can be checked out for classroom work.