Countryside Day School

perience; they also enhance the sense of community within the classroom. Since a successful Montessori environment depends so greatly on children having focused periods of time in which to complete tasks and activities, we make a priority of maximizing uninterrupted work time. Above all, we place the highest importance on serving the needs of the child, for as Maria Montessori said, "One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child itself." Everything in the classroom is designed to meet the developmental needs and interests of the children. There is no ceiling to what children can learn, and they are able to advance through the curriculum as they are ready, without being limited by the progress of their peers. Countryside's traditional materials have been researched and developed during decades of classroom use. Our teachers take great care in preparing the environment so that materials are arranged sequentially, children have comfortable work space and there is freedom of physical movement.