Dayspring Montessori School
950 Northbrook Ave. : Northbrook, IL 60062
info@dayspringmontessori.org
phone: 847-714-9002
Letter from the director
When I had my first baby I worried about how to teach him and nurture him. Then, somehow I got a hold of some information about the Montessori Method and went to see a Montessori class in session. I remember that they used the Montessori color beads for counting and a globe of the world to teach countries and other geography. I was very impressed that the children understood everything. I was certain that if I would use this approach to teach my own child, this would be the best way for him to learn and develop. This was a major turning point for me twenty three years ago and I have never turned back
After this experience I almost immediately got Montessori training and trained what were now my two own boys in the school I also started very soon after this. To give a sense of the value I increasingly found in Montessori, I could tell many stories but two are enough for now.
One, I have a memory of my oldest son after he had worked on the globe at class and learned the seven continents. My son was two and a half at the time. We were at home and I was preparing rice. He was playing with rice on a large plate drawing letters of the alphabet in the rice and made a different shape with his finger. He stopped and said, “Mommy, this is Australia.” And indeed it was.
The second story took place later when I visited Montessori schools in several European countries and still remember a strong impression I got in a school in London where some of us got some Montessori training. This Montessori teacher trainer was presenting the binomial cube to us. She showed us how each prism of the binomial cube matches with each part of the binomial formula. It was so clear and so tangible that I was very surprised. This concrete prism breakdown is first presented to three to six Montessori children. And then later in elementary level the formula is brought in to match what the children already understand clearly in a real physical way. The children love it. In a sense, these stories do really stand out as exceptional. Any Montessori teacher or parent could tell comparable things but what does stand out is the joy and excitement that come with both discovery and such a brilliantly conceived methodology.
I have since had years of experience with Montessori both on the preschool and elementary levels. Though I started out with a strong affirmation of the Montessori approach, after these decades of working with it, I can only say my belief and confidence in it has only build steadily stronger.
So because of my own experience, gladly and openly invite you to bring your children to benefit from this wonderful educational approach. We also bring many more things to the table but this is close to the heart of it. One other major benefit of our school this not unlike the Montessori Method itself in that it is built around the notion of children discovering for themselves; this is the Orff- Music method of which I am a certified and enthusiastic teacher. Come and I would love to tell you more about it.
Sincerely,
Karis Larson