Our Program
Iqra Montessori Academy will provide a developmentally appropriate program based on the principles and philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori in an Islamic environment. The program will incorporate Quranic Arabic language instruction with beginner’s Quran recitation designed for young children along with Islamic Studies.
What is Montessori Education?
Montessori education is student-led and self-paced but guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, the leadership of their peers, and a nurturing environment.
Within the community of a multi-age classroom—designed to create natural opportunities for independence, citizenship, and accountability—children embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate inquiry. Individual students follow their own curiosity at their own pace, taking the time they need to fully understand each concept and meet individualized learning goals.
Montessori 3-year cycle:
Montessori schools use multi-age groupings (three-to-six year olds, six-to-nine year olds, etc.) and teachers are trained to meet the specific cognitive, social, and emotional needs of the children in their age group. Teachers design a three-year developmental curriculum, including learning areas in practical life, sensorial refinement, math, language, science, geography and art. Children are free to explore the environment at their own pace; teachers observe, assess, and present new lessons on an individual, small group, or large group basis.
We can compare the three-year cycle to building a house.
In the first year, we help students lay the foundation by introducing them to the hands-on, multi-sensory Montessori activities and learning materials.
In the second year, we build and reinforce the walls of the house by encouraging students to further explore Montessori educational materials, practice skills, and pursue more advanced activities involving problem-solving and critical thinking.
In the third year of the first three-year cycle, the “Kindergarten year” secures the roof by uniting the learnings from years one and two to complete the home and prepare for the next stage of learning at the elementary school level. Children in this year move from concrete to abstract concepts.
For example, in math, students start with counting single digits, then progress to larger numbers and tallying items before embracing more abstract concepts such as solving written addition and subtraction exercises. It’s a systematic approach that continually builds on itself as the child advances.