What
Makes The Mountain School Different?
A Place of Beauty and Simple Pleasures. Because young children
are so greatly influenced by the mood of their environment,
our sunlit classrooms are designed with soft colors,
pleasing textures and simple toys made of natural
materials. With activities such as bread-baking,
beeswax sculpting and storytelling, we encourage creativity
rather than consumption.
A
Grounding in Nature and Enduring Values. To help children
understand their place in the world, our curriculum centers
on our connection with nature, our need for community, and
the importance of respect for oneself and for others.
Our activities and materials encourage play that
comes from within, drawing on the child’s own imagination
rather than on the world of adults or the media.
Through songs, classic stories and puppetry, we help
children develop a fertile store of imagery they can use to
appreciate and understand real-life experiences.
An
Exceptional Staff. All of our teachers are
trained professionals who have made early childhood
education their career. They are skilled in the
techniques of positive discipline – creative ways to gently
guide behavior without undermining a child’s self-esteem.
Even more important, our teachers are warm, loving
people who care for each child as a special being.
Our
Children Come Home Singing. Music is woven into the
texture of the day, keeping it smooth and cheerful.
Singing games and adventures enliven “circle time,”
and songs ease all of our transitions, making activities
such as tidying up the room and handwashing simple and fun.
The children help prepare healthy, delicious snacks
and serve their classmates. Gratitude and reverence
are fostered with the mealtime blessing. Fresh air
and outdoor fun are two of the main ingredients of the day.
We encourage the running, jumping and climbing that
help our children grow. At the day’s end, a classic
fairy tale, puppet show or play provides imagery that
enlivens each child’s fantasies.
A Program
In Tune with the Seasons. Our teachers offer the
children daily and weekly rhythms that fill the seasons
with magic and wonder. Pumpkin muffins scent the
classroom in Autumn, while in Winter, children craft
lanterns or fashion orange and clove pomanders, as barley
stew bubbles in the kitchen. In Spring, the wind and
budding flowers inspire us to put down our finger knitting
and fashion pinwheels or magic wands. Each day, the
teachers create a rhythmic, safe, beautiful place for the
children to work and play. Winter, Spring, Summer and
Fall, the children are surrounded by love, magic and
dedication. The Mountain School is a nurturing world
that cultivates each child’s imagination and individuality
and fosters self-respect and compassion for the world
around them.