Southern Cross Montessori is a family owned and run long day care program. We are a non-denominational, independent school, providing pre-primary education in accordance with the philosophies of Dr Maria Montessori.
Our program caters to children from the ages of 3 yrs. to 6 yrs. Our program caters to 28 children per session and has three qualified teachers during these sessions.
It is our vision is to create an environment where children can be creative, engaged, lifelong learners. Our classroom is home-like with lots of natural light. Our classroom provides opportunities for children to feel fulfilled and develop in a balanced way, making for a rich learning environment.
The program is expanding each year to meet the growing interest in Montessori. Enrolments are accepted throughout the year and children are placed in classes as vacancies arise. The preschool continues to attract families from as far away as Lara, Point Cook, Geelong West, Barrabool, Barwon Heads, Belmont, Bannockburn, Anglesea and of course as close as Torquay.
Within the Montessori system of education, learning is based on the use of specifically designed materials that:
- Are aesthetically pleasing and challenging
- Are self-correcting
- Introduce only one new stimulus at a time
- Are sequenced from concrete to abstract
- Are sequenced from simple to complex
- Are designed to enable the child to learn specific skills and concepts
Dr Montessori recommended an age and gender mix comprising of a three-year range, which approximates a family grouping and is marked by distinct aspects and changes in development. The variety of age levels in the classroom allows each child to work at an individual rate, unhindered by competition. The older children consolidate their understanding through assisting and articulating knowledge for younger children. Inspired by the older children, the younger children are keen to extend themselves. The atmosphere is one of co-operation and encouragement.
