Little People- Sunshine
- Elementary
- Philosophy
- Faculty
- Admissions
- Programmes & Fees
- Employment
- Parents' Web
Note:
If you're seeing this paragraph it means your browser doesn't support style sheets. The site looks much better with style sheets but should still be perfectly usable without them. Please consider upgrading your browser to the latest version if possible. We have notes on how to do that here.
Accreditation
MST is fully accredited by
The International Montessori Council.
Membership
MST is a member of
The Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS).
The Little People Curriculum
For many children, this is their first learning experience outside the home. Children in these early years literally absorb the life around them, so we pay particular attention to the classroom environment, sounds they will hear, and the objects they will see and touch. With kindness and respect, we introduce the real world as they learn through constructive activities.
The goal of the programme is to provide a nurturing environment where children can grow and develop at their own pace. The warm and relaxed atmosphere is ideal for your child’s first learning experience.
The Little People curriculum is focused on the following areas:
Practical Life
All activities connected with looking after oneself and one’s surroundings belong to what Dr. Montessori called “Practical Life”. Its main areas are care of the person (dressing, washing hands, food preparation), care of the environment (sweeping, washing cloths, gardening) and grace and courtesy (walking in the classroom, offering food, saying “please” and “thank you").
Sensorial
We use wooden puzzles and equipment as much as possible. Everything is carefully displayed on low shelves to invite the child to use them and to appeal to the sense of order in the child. Specially designed Montessori material encourages different discoveries through all the senses.
Language
Young children love to learn the names of all objects in their environment. We present real objects whenever possible. Phonetic sounds are also introduced through sandpaper letters, laying a solid foundation for word formation and reading.
Mathematics
The foundation of a love of mathematics comes not from rote lessons, but from the joyful experiences of seeing the shapes of objects, exploration with the hands and from movement. The formation of the mathematical mind, which will last a lifetime, begins with simple activities - collecting, sorting, sequencing, counting, comparing and discovering relationships and patterns through these activities. Sandpaper numbers help the children learn the symbols from 0 - 9.
Cultural Activities
Music and song play a significant role in young children’s development. Percussion instruments are introduced for the children to use, recordings are listened to and songs learned and enjoyed daily.
Art is a way of approaching life. We help children develop skills with paints, crayons, clay and pencils as well as encouraging art appreciation. The link between the child and nature is vital from the beginning of life. Plants and animals are brought into the classroom whenever possible.