Our Mission Statement

My Special School is a diverse, collaborative learning community. Through the Montessori Method we embrace each child’s unique potential and cultivate a passion for discovery. We empower children to embrace a love of learning, and become confident, compassionate, and proactive members of the world community.

What Makes My Special School Unique?

The Whole Child Approach

The primary goal of My Special School is to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life. Our activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination as well as cognitive preparation for academic growth. Socialization and emotional development are obtained through practice and participation through out the Preschool day. Respecting others with grace and courtesy is the foundation for social and personal interaction throughout the day as modeled by Miss Alice.

Our Holistic curriculum, under the gentle guidance of Miss Alice, allows children to experience the joy of learning, the time to enjoy the process and ensures the development of self esteem. It provides the experiences from which children create their knowledge. My Special School respects each child’s unique position on their own developmental timeline. This timeline includes their social, emotional and academic development. With understanding, warmth, humor, and consistency, Miss Alice creates an atmosphere where the child quickly develops the security and the confidence to “fly high.”

The Prepared Environment

In order for self directed learning to take place, the whole learning environment – classroom, materials and social setting / atmosphere – must be supportive of the child. Miss Alice provides the necessary resources, including opportunities for children to function in a safe and positive environment. Here, in an orderly atmosphere of freedom, the children can work independently and together at chosen tasks, working at their own pace and rhythm for as long as they wish in order to fulfill their needs.

Emphasis on independence and accomplishment helps the child formulate an intrinsically motivated self-concept. This positive self-concept gives the child the confidence to help other students. Independence is nurtured. From tying shoes to choosing an activity, the children are respected as individuals and encouraged to be active participants in the classroom. Soon, the child beams with personal satisfaction, a sense of belonging and knows that they are a positive contributor to the group. Together, the teacher and child form a relationship based on trust and respect that fosters self-confidence and a willingness to try new things.

The Montessori Materials

Dr. Maria Montessori’s observations of the kinds of things which children enjoy and go back to repeatedly, led her to design a number of multi-sensory, sequential and self correcting materials to facilitate learning. These learning materials are built around controls that signal to the child when he/she has mastered a task or when more work is needed. This self governing learning process removes any sense of failure. There is no need to compete, only to achieve skills for one’s own sense of accomplishment. The learning environment is carefully constructed of shelves with beautiful materials from which children can choose freely throughout the day.

Miss Alice

Originally called a “Directress”, the Montessori teacher functions as a designer of the environment, resource person, role model, demonstrator, record-keeper and meticulous observer of each child’s behavior and growth. The role of a Montessori teacher is that of an observer whose ultimate goal is to intervene less and less as the child develops.

Miss Alice creates an atmosphere of calm, order and joy in the classroom and is there to help and encourage the children in all their efforts, allowing them to develop self-confidence, inner discipline, and a love of learning and of one another. Montessori education, carried out faithfully at My Special School, helps children to be self-motivated and confident, independent and creative, compassionate, and culturally literate learners who value collaboration and social action . Miss Alice creates a beautiful dynamic between the adult, the child, and the environment where harmony and trust exist.