Southern NH Montessori Academy
Why Southern NH Montessori Academy For Your Child
At Southern NH Education Center your child will:
- Have the freedom to choose their own work, teaching them autonomy, responsibility, time management, and prioritization
- Work independently at their own pace, without limitations
- Practice concepts until they have mastered them – not because they must, but because they want to – motivated by their natural internal drive to learn and discover
- Learn practical life skills from the youngest of ages, developing independence and self-confidence
- Learn self advocacy, conflict resolution, empathy development, and social and emotional skills
- Enjoy our expansive fenced in Natural Play yard and Outdoor Classroom surrounded by conservation land with a variety of wildlife (turkeys, ducks, geese, beavers, turtles, etc.)
- Experience an enrichment curriculum that includes daily Physical Education, Creative Arts, STEM, Foreign Language, and more…
All this compliments a strong core curriculum that includes Language Arts (Reading, Writing, Grammar), Math (Arithmetic and Geometry), Sciences (Physical, Biology), Cultural Studies (Geography and History), as well as Life Skills.
At Southern NH Montessori Academy, our talented and dedicated Montessori teaching team are the heart of our school – our teachers love what they do, and they average over 20 years of educational experience. We encourage you to come and see truly inspired learning firsthand!
We encourage you to come and see truly inspired learning firsthand!
Learn more about the specific programs available for your child.
Infant / Toddler (ages 3 months – 36 months)
Early Childhood / Kindergarten (ages 3 years – 5 years)
Lower Elementary / Upper Elementary (grades 1 – 6)
Middle School (grades 6 – 8)
Natural Play Yard
At SNHMA, kids explore nature with their senses. Unlike most playgrounds, the nature play yard has trees, bushes, logs, wildflowers, and tall grasses. We affectionately call our 10,000 square foot play yard an “eco-mecca”. SNHMA is situated adjacent to conservation wetlands hosting turtles and frogs, geese, ducks, heron and beavers, as well as so many other birds.
Play Yard Features
- Natural stumps, rocks, and logs
- Outdoor chalkboard for drawing or pretend instruction
- Native plantings and flowers to explore, touch, and smell through the seasons
- Picnic tables, benches, an old-fashioned glider and stone amphitheater provide seating for all ages
- Sand gardens for digging
- Outdoor music wall
- Peace garden
- Mud kitchen
In a world where children spend most of their time indoors, unstructured nature play becomes all the more important. Research shows that open-ended outdoor play benefits children by increasing their social skills, reducing stress, development of strong gross motor and physical fitness, AND a love and appreciation for our world.
Outdoor Classroom
Why study nature?
The early stage for comprehending complex scientific concepts is set by integrating ecology, zoology, botany and more into the everyday curriculum. Studying parts of a flower or the function of bees makes more sense if experienced off the page and in real life. Science becomes more interesting – and more understandable.
Outdoor studies promote better observation skills and, in true Montessori tradition, cultivate a love of investigation. From insect metamorphosis to gardening, students learn patience and results. They learn to look for – and notice – details in the world around them. Moreover, fresh air and exercise boost vitality, energy and intellect.
With this uniquely direct and hands-on interaction, students acquire a greater appreciation of the natural world – better understanding this place in which we live and the power of every connection. Whether classroom pet or favorite field, our students learn the impact of responsibility – and become caretakers for the future.
Health, Wellness and Physical Education
At SNHMA, we believe in caring for the whole child. We know that before students can focus and succeed in the classroom, they must be supported physically, mentally and through a healthy environment. We want all our students to develop a healthful and physically active lifestyle. This includes a focus on nutrition, personal care, and mindfulness. By focusing on these topics, children learn the importance of health and self-care, which will benefit them for years to come.
On a daily basis it is important for students to take care of themselves by eating healthy, being active and getting enough sleep. Learning healthy habits now provides both long-term academic and health benefits.
Equally Important is supporting the development of social and emotional health habits—including coping, resilience, and good judgment— to help children to achieve overall well being and set the stage for positive mental health in adulthood.
We encourage mindfulness as a tool to support mental health. Many studies have shown that implementing mindfulness in the curriculum helps children to become lifelong learners, increase development of healthy emotional regulations, and adapt to changing classroom dynamics.
Foreign Language
Developing Citizens of the World
While the young child is learning his native or primary language, he also has a great aptitude for learning to speak and understand a second or even third language at the same time. Children are in the sensitive period for language acquisition prior to adolescence. What is difficult for adults can be quite simple for young children, who quickly acquire fluency and can develop nearly native pronunciation and intonation.
From infancy, the need to communicate with others drives a child’s language progression from sounds to words to conversation. During the sensitive period for language, children are most interested in learning the names for everything around them. And as they expand their vocabulary, children are feeding their inclination to learn and develop.
The benefits of speaking multiple languages are endless, but the greatest underlying reason is that languages increase understanding amongst individuals and aid in the acceptance of differences – culturally and beyond.
STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics)
The truth is, Montessori has been consistently ahead of the curve in ensuring your child has the best education to set them up for lifelong success.
Simply put, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs are more than just teaching facts; they’re a philosophy of how to link various areas of study and ensuring students are prepared to excel in a society where technology is increasing every day. By emphasizing educational experiences that tie concepts together, students develop valuable life skills: creative problem-solving, collaborative teamwork, experimentation (trial and error), and more.
Interactive, movement-based, exploratory ways of discovery are the basis of Maria Montessori’s approach. A child’s physical movement and active exploration of their environment is essential to helping them learn. The more they do this, the better they learn — which means they are positioned to understand the more complex areas of STEM at an earlier age. This equips them to step into learning paths throughout their entire life.