The Alexander Montessori Children's House features Vertical Grouping. Instead of one class of children of the same age and grade, each class has students from 3 to 6 years old. The benefits of this approach include:

• Students have the opportunity to observe lessons and activities, or sit in on lessons of another age/grade level and can get excited about doing work at “the next level."

• The Teacher is able to give lessons to groups of mixed ages/grades, but with similar ability, as well as individual instruction for continuous progress.

• Teachers can forge a long-term familiarity with students, so as to guide their continuous development, rather than having to learn the characteristics of a new group of students each year.

• Peer teaching, where one child guides another.

We have a Montessori Certified Teacher and two Teacher Assistants in each Children’s House, ensuring that each child receives the individualized attention they deserve.

The Teacher Assistants help with classroom management, especially when the Teacher is giving a lesson; they are often interns studying to become a Montessori Teacher.

The classroom is arranged into four main subject areas: Practical Life Education, Sensorial Education, Education for the Development of the Logical/Mathematical Mind, and Education for Language Development.

In addition, the child's day may include ABC board, Spanish, playground, circle time, lunch, and clean up.

Practical Life activities foster the characteristics that play a critical role in intellectual growth, such as self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-control.

Practical Life lessons teach "Small Steps to Big Goals," where the child moves around carefully, moves things to appropriate locations, takes care of himself, maintains his surroundings, and interacts appropriately with things in the environment.

These lessons help develop concentration, sense of order, attention to small details, awareness of exactness and sequence, and coordination. Children learn the practice of "there is a place for everything and everything in its place.

"The Sensorial Area allows for a multi-sensory approach to learning, encouraging children to use the optimum combinations of senses.

Integration of curriculum areas is a hallmark of Montessori activities, which lends to the education of the whole child.

The Montessori curriculum features:

• Opportunities for self-selection of lessons - the child will do best what he is ready, able, and willing to do at that time.

• Extended independent work time - allows for periods of decision, high energy, repose, and low energy, as well as varying moods.

• Repetition – Children repeat an action until they master it or become satisfied.

• “Control of Error” allows them to self-correct, rather than relying on direct correction from the adult.

• Learning the responsibility and skills necessary to care for the classroom environment.

Montessori principles include:

• Learning at one’s own rate - a degree of "self-pacing." Teachers present Montessori lessons according to a sequential plan in order to present activities in all four areas of the curriculum and to observe the interest and ability of each child. Lessons are presented in small groups or individually, depending on the lesson and child.

• Encouraging each student to strive to do his best, rather than labeling the child’s performance with letter grades.

• Repeated lessons - practice and repetition of exercises are usually the desired means of improving and developing skills, rather than correcting written work.

Conventional educational materials, methods, and principles may include: • Standardized testing for Kindergarten-age students in the spring of the Kindergarten year. • Phonics, Spelling, and Math workbooks that parallel or supplement the Montessori curriculum may be sent home as “homework” for students that have the interest and ability to work with such materials. • Safety, nutrition, health, and hygiene education. • Civics and the celebration of international as well as American holidays. Discipline is important. Responsibility, manners, and class rules are taught continually and modeled by older children for younger children. This method is emphasized over rewards and punishments.

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	Old Cutler Road Campus is located about 2 miles east of The Falls shopping mall and contains one Toddler environment containing two classes (ages 2 to 3) and six Montessori Children's Houses (ages 3 to 6). This campus was designed according to Maria Montessori's ideal plan for a school and was featured in Architectural Digest Magazine. The seven spacious Children's Houses at the Old Cutler Road Campus feature large picture windows and skylights, providing for plenty of natural light. They surround a lush courtyard with a bubbling fountain. Each room has its own small patio at the back for outdoor lessons and artwork within view of the Teachers. The buildings are surrounded by playgrounds.
	Palmetto Bay Campus Located directly across the street from the Palmetto Bay Village Center, this gorgeous Campus houses the Montessori Toddler program for children ages 18 months to 3 years and a Montessori Children's House for children ages 3 to 6 years. This spacious house was built in 1906 and allows for learning and play in a beautifully serene, nurturing environment and playground area.
	Red Road Campus The buildings at the Red Road Campus, built in 1926, have the stately grace of a Spanish-style mansion. Located in South Miami, about ½-mile north of the Shops at Sunset Place and across the street from the University of Miami, this Campus houses the Administrative Office of Alexander Montessori School and two Montessori Children's Houses for children ages 3-6. Beverley and Jim McGhee, Sr. founded the School at this enchanting location in 1963.