In Montessori class, even before a child is able to count, they experience the skill using materials like the number rods, a series of blue and red colored wooden rods that are arranged in a stair-like pattern.  Children learn how to count using a variety of materials.  The spindle box is an early material with which children place the correct amount of wooden spindles in compartments labeled 1-9.  Sandpaper numbers teach children how to correctly form each number to develop readiness for writing them on paper.

Montessori math uses the golden bead material; first to build numbers into the thousands.  For example a single golden bead represents 1, a group of 10 beads are strung together in a straight line for 10, and 100 beads are affixed into a flat square.  The thousand cube is as large as 1,000 of the original single ‘1’ bead.  Once a child is able to build a visual representation of a number, the beads are used to teach basic operations.  Young children are able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers into the thousands using this material. All early math exercises are worked at the sensorial level so as to ensure that the child relates the quantity to the symbol.

Children minds are full of energy that propels them to absorb, manipulate, classify, order, sequence, abstract, and repeat, which gives them plenty of opportunities to practice and memorize.

The exercises in the math area offer the children the ‘keys’ that they will need to send them on the road to further exploration and maturation of the mathematical mind. The ways in which the materials are ordered allows the children to complete full intellectual cycles that help them to achieve the freedom to become independent.

Sports Day event at AMIS is a chance that we celebrate the children and everything they have learned during their school physical education lessons every year. These events are hugely popular and have grown year by year. At each event you can see the happiness on the children’s faces as well as the pride on the faces of both parents and teachers. The event showcases the passion, energy and development from the children after a year of learning and developing skills from a variety of sports and physical activities.

The school slogan at previous sports day events has been ‘Active feet means active brains’. This slogan is especially true in our physical education lessons, where children combine their physical education with language development. Children at our school are coached by native English speaking sport teachers in an environment where the primary language throughout the school is English. This means the children are able to receive additional English tuition in its purest form – not just sitting at a table with a pen and paper, but whilst being active and having fun, all whilst listening and speaking English.

During every lesson you can see children developing themselves physically, mentally and emotionally. Physically children can develop their motor skills, and improve their health. Mentally they can improve their speed of thought, and their English communication skills by learning keywords, numbers and following instructions. Emotionally children will learn how to compete and how to work both individually and as a team. These three things are critical for a young child’s personal growth, especially in the new decade of globalization.

It’s common knowledge that music has been a huge part of human life since the beginning of time. At AMIS, children from the earliest age are introduced to different types of melodies, tunes and music, which become a significant aspect of their mental, emotional and physical development, particularly international communication. That means: “music plays a very important part in learning both our native language, as well as foreign one”.

Show and tell every week at AMIS sets the stage for children to become comfortable when speaking in public. When presenting during show and tell, children are expected to talk about a variety of topics, organize their thoughts and convey main ideas, all of which are useful skills that they use when they are grown.

Show and tell also gives the speaker and the rest of the class something to talk about as a conversation starter, leading to our young students realizing they have something in common. This can aid in forming a friendship too. These discussions are strengthened by the confidence and social skills that have also been gained.

Every year, AMIS concerts have made a strong impression thanks to the wonderful English dramas performed by child actors.

AMIS deeply understand that through Drama, students gain important life skills as they learn the value of critical feedback, positive and constructive.

Creative expression is a great way to build self-confidence, and offers a forum in which children can explore a wide range of emotions ranging from anger to happiness. Drama builds confidence, giving students beneficial public speaking opportunities wherein they learn to approach situations in an array of different manners. It can often help introverted and reserved children, with some students learning to “find their voice” while studying drama. Through dramatic expression and role-playing, they may discover they are problem solvers or natural leaders.

Drama provides an essential outlet to all children, and can help define a child’s growing sense of independence and interdependence

Drama contributes to children’s emotional, cognitive, social and physical development. It fosters language and literacy skills by incorporating rich vocabulary and opportunities to make authentic the use of new words through enacted play.

SPECIAL PRE-ELEMENTARY MONTESSORI CLASS IN VIETNAM
AMIS Pre-Elementary class is the first special pre-elementary classroom in Vietnam that is open to focus on the academic, social and cognitive skills for children under the age of 5-6 years old. We would like to create a sustainable educational establishment offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school.

As Dr. Montessori observed, children under the age of 5-6 years old are in a “sensitive period” for the development of independence, social interaction, language and math. Thus, Pre-Elementary class which is designed specifically to meet the needs of this age group provides the opportunity to develop positive group behaviors and explore their desire for independence. Besides, our curriculum also offers an academic focus on Math and Language together with the development of each child.

Under-construction

Why it Works

These key principles contribute to the success of Montessori education:

• Multimodal Learning – Learning happens through movement, touch, sight and sound.
• Mixed Age Classrooms – Placing children in mixed age groups, corresponding to planes of development, allows them to relate to children who are both older and younger.  It also allows for a “confidence interval” around learning in that a child is not labeled as either behind or gifted simply because they acquire a concept a little earlier or a little later than same age peers.
• Observation – Observation of the child reveals the proper timing for the presentation of new information and experiences academically, socially and personally.
• Developmental – Awareness of the needs and abilities during specific times of development allows for optimal engagement and learning for the child.
• Classroom Community – The classroom experience should build on the desire of the young child to master his or her environment.  The classroom community is child-centered rather than adult-centered.
• Materials – The use of self-correcting materials allows children to manipulate and explore at their own pace and experience satisfaction and develop self-confidence with success.
  Inside a Montessori class (video clip)

INSIDE A MONTESSORI CLASSROOM