Derech Eretz Montessori provides a fully integrated secular and Jewish Montessori environment that supports the 3-6 year old child on his path to independence by:

• Fostering character development
• Supporting developmental needs
• Addressing individual academic achievement
• Helping the Jewish child to find his unique place within the Jewish community

In the Beit HaYeladim, the child learns through hands-on manipulation and self-directed activity. He thrives in an expanded social environment that has opportunities to interact and explore within a group of mixed-age children.

During this time, the child thirsts for more than just an academic education, he also needs the education of character, or Middos, that the Beit HaYeladim provides. The child learns how to care for himself and his environment, to be polite and considerate of others, and that all actions have naturally occurring consequences.

Derech Eretz Montessori will include these general areas:

• Practical Life: Exercises that assist the child with care of self, the environment, and concern for others. Concentration, self- discipline and physical coordination are developed.
• Sensorial: Exercises that offer a clear approach to foster the continuing effort of the child to categorize the qualities he experiences through his senses. They assist the child with sense discrimination, observation, and descriptive language for what he has experienced.
• Language: Bi-lingual activities in both English and Hebrew that support the child in his spoken, written and reading language abilities. Work in this area lays the foundation for future study of Jewish texts.
• Mathematics: Activities that provide the child with the necessary foundation for counting and number relationships, including an overview of the decimal system and Hebrew numbers. Careful design of the materials in both the mathematic and sensorial area lays the foundation for future learning in geometry and algebra.
• Beit Knesset Me’at: An area that provides the child with simple, yet beautiful materials that allow the child to grow closer to Hashem based upon his developmental needs. These activities support the child’s participation within the Jewish community in both a home and synagogue setting.

You will find a more in-depth explanation of Montessori and what it can provide for your child in our about section.

Since this is a unique educational program, we require that all prospective parents attend one of our information sessions before submitting an application for enrollment. At this informational session, you will be introduced to Montessori principles from a Jewish perspective so that you will have a better understanding of how Montessori and Jewish Traditions will be integrated.

Please contact us for more information and to make arrangements for a Parent Information Session.