"My children have been very happy at Montessori Children’s House and have loved learning about countries of the world, Maori culture, recognising letters and learning to write, baking and making their own juice, participating in drama, music and sports opportunities and watching caterpillars hatch into butterflies. Montessori Children’s House is a lovely centre with a real family feel and I wholeheartedly recommend it to prospective parents. They have dedicated staff who believe in the Montessori philosophy and work hard to put it into practice. The teachers interact with the children calmly and with respect. The children are encouraged to be independent, in their daily routines (hanging up their bag, serving themselves morning tea, toileting etc) and in their work and learning. The environment is calm and orderly, there is no shouting or running inside and children are able to finish their task without someone else taking it away or unduly interrupting them. The teachers actively observe and nurture individual children's strengths and interests, including through creating or sourcing new teaching resources, and picking unit studies to reflect the passions and cultural backgrounds of the children. Toys, gadgets and screens aren't really seen, instead children are working with real-world materials: tools, sewing activities, solid wooden shapes, plants, jugs, brushes, spoons, sponges etc, the kinds of things adults use in their daily life without thinking twice, but which are a source of great pride for small people when they are mastered. Parents are welcome to be involved to share their own experiences and expertise, and there are plenty of opportunities to be involved with the end of year show, "Wellington on a Plate" international food festival and unit topics."
