Highland Park Montessori School Inc

HIGHLAND PARK MONTESSORI'S MISSION IS TO ASSIST IN THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD'S PERSONALITY-SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, INTELLECTUALLY, PHYSICALLY-AND TO FOSTER A LIFE-LONG LOVE FOR LEARNING, CARING FOR OTHERS, AND IMPROVING OUR WORLD. THE SPECIFIC GOALS FOR THE CHILDREN WHO ATTEND HPMS ARE TO: DEVELOP EACH CHILD'S INNATE, ULTIMATE POTENTIAL THROUGH HIGH SELF-EXPECTATIONS; DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD SCHOOL AND LEARNING; DEVELOP A SENSE OF HIGH SELF-ESTEEM; DEVELOP AND FOSTER AN ABIDING CURIOSITY; DEVELOP HABITS OF INITIATIVE AND PERSISTENCE; FOSTER INNER DISCIPLINE AND A SENSE OF ORDER; DEVELOP SENSORY-MOTOR SKILLS IN ORDER TO SHARPEN THE ABILITY TO DISCRIMINATE AND JUDGE; DEVELOP SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR; BUILD HABITS OF CONCENTRATION AND ACQUIRE THE BASIC SKILLS NECESSARY FOR A LIFETIME OF LEARNING; BECOME GOOD CITIZENS

IN THE TODDLER COMMUNITY THERE ARE MIXED AGES BETWEEN 16 AND 33 MONTHS, AND IN THE CHILDREN'S HOUSE, THERE ARE MIXED AGES BETWEEN 33 MONTHS AND SIX YEARS. IN A MIXED AGE GROUP SETTING, CHILDREN OF DIFFERENT AGES HELP ONE ANOTHER. THE YOUNGER ONES LEARN FROM THE OLDER AND THE OLDER TEACH THE YOUNGER. AN OLDER CHILD UNDERSTANDS THE YOUNGER CHILD AND CAN OFFER HELP. THE THREE YEAR OLD IS INTERESTED IN WHAT THE CHILD OF FIVE IS DOING AND KNOWS THEY TOO WILL REACH THAT POINT IN THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENT. IN THE CHILDREN'S HOUSE SETTING, THE CHILD GOES FROM BEING THE YOUNGEST TO BEING THE OLDEST. EACH CHILD HAS THE EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING FROM, AND TEACHING OTHERS.