Kindergarten Program
We help kindergarten students develop academically and socially
KINDERGARTEN FOR CHILDREN
– Early Childhood Education
Kindergarten is a special time in a young child’s life, but if you have a child between the ages of four and six, you may be wondering about their kindergarten readiness. Many Rockville parents struggle to decide whether to keep their child in preschool for another year or move them up to kindergarten-level work. At Norbeck Montessori, we offer the best of both options!
Norbeck Montessori’s accredited kindergarten program (Big K) is a full-day, comprehensive Montessori Method experience. From their morning Montessori time to their separate Montessori kindergarten afternoon instruction, our kindergarten students are developing academically and socially in ways that only Montessori teaching can provide.
Your child is prepared with individualized academics, critical thinking skills, leadership skills, and a confident love of learning. It is this year at Norbeck Montessori that you and your child will experience the “explosion of learning” that Maria Montessori observed more than 100 years ago.
Benefits of kindergarten
By the end of their kindergarten year at Norbeck, your child will have a solid educational foundation in which they will likely enter first grade at or above grade level in reading, writing, and math. Even more importantly, perhaps, is that they gain a confident love of learning along with an intuitive understanding of how they learn.
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Students know their daily routines.
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Teachers already know them well, and can readily work with their strengths and encourage them to take on new challenges.
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Reinforce skills that will lead to perfection.
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Big K students take on a new role within the classroom—one that they have been conscious of for the past two years.
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Students have the opportunity to explore and build leadership skills.
Academic Schedule for Kindergarteners
Academically, the Montessori kindergarten year is monumental in the life of a child. This third and final year at Norbeck Montessori will be the cornerstone of their love of learning!
As they continue working with the Montessori lessons at their own level and pace, their absorbent mind comes to its peak and flourishes. This empowering experience breeds self-motivation, confidence, and success that launches your kindergartener smoothly into more abstract areas of academic study.
All areas of study are explored during the Norbeck Montessori kindergarten year, with the development of the whole child in mind. While this is typical of the Montessori experience, the readiness of our kindergartners allows us to hone valuable learning habits in a safe, active and fun environment, including:
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Concentration
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Critical thinking
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Creative self-expression
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Self-discipline
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Persistence in completing a task
Key Social-Emotional Skills
Socially, our Big K kids are the leaders and mentors of our Rockville classroom. The Montessori experience provides a variety of opportunities for assisting the teachers and younger children with lessons and other needs and functions in the class. Our kindergartners take to this role with a sense of pride and responsibility, which helps to mature them in some key ways.
First, they learn and practice what it means to be a good leader/mentor—support and cooperation, taking initiative and problem solving to name a few. Secondly, it reinforces their own knowledge and abilities through teaching and sharing with others including each other (the other Big K kids). By the end of their kindergarten year at Norbeck, your child will have significantly developed in their ability as a caring and cooperative leader and friend.
A day in Big-K at Norbeck Montessori
A typical day in the life of our oldest children is busy and exciting! The morning part of their day is spent with their morning class, with fresh adventures in learning and a new, important role in the classroom. In the afternoon, the Big K kids from all our classes come together as one group. This is a wonderful bonding time for us, where we not only reinforce and enrich the learning that goes on in the morning, but also plan unique adventures meant just for them including hands-on science, field trips, special performances and guests, and a monthly Monart educational art class. The kids inspire and challenge each other and develop lasting friendships.
Testimonials
What Parents Say
We believe that clear communication with parents is essential to the child’s wellbeing. It is particularly important during the early preschool years when children reach and surpass many developmental milestones. Naturally, we work diligently to help each of the children to be best taken care of. That is the reason why the parents give us best reviews. Here are a few of them.
Stacey Guedes2018-10-25My children have been at Norbeck for 5 years and our experience has been nothing but amazing. They are treated and cared for with love and respect. They enjoy going to school every day and have learned how to be independent children both in the classroom and in every day life. They have grown to be upstanding and courteous young ladies
fiorella pasara2018-10-09This place is amazing! When we were looking for a daycare or preschool where to send our 3 year old back then, we did some research and went to different places and realize this was the only one where you could see the kids and the teachers happy and having a great time (remember that's the environment you want your kids to grow in). So we decided for Norbeck and that was the best decision ever! Our son had the best experience during his 4 years there. We even kept him in the Kindergarten program (AMAZING). He learned so much and grew emotionally and socially as well. Great foundation and such a loving atmosphere for the kids. I could not recommend a better place. And BTW did I said he learned reading by 4 years and has started 1st grade knowing addition, subtraction and multiplication? Yep that's how great this place is :)
Nisha Patel2015-12-03Norbeck Montessori has been the most amazing experience for us! Our daughter has been there for over a year and absolutely loves it. The teachers are amazing and make you and your child feel welcome, nurtured and loved! And, the lessons they do on a daily basis are so fun and educational at the same time. Definitely recommend to any parents looking for a positive and warm environment for their kids, and be prepared to be part of a small and loving family!
Melanie Deal2015-12-03What would I have done without Norbeck? This is my daughter's second year and every day I am more and more amazed about how much she is learning. She is only 4 years old and she is able to read, write and count to 100. The activities that the school coordinates through the year nurtures a sense of community/family, events include Halloween parade, Thanksgiving feast, Christmas song festival and much more! She loves her school, teachers and friends. I highly recommend this school.
Reese Alutto-Schmidt2015-12-02Our son has had a wonderful experience at Norbeck. The teachers and staff are incredibly energetic and positive -- they are uniformly dedicated to nurturing and teaching kids. Everyone clearly loves their jobs. The school's parent community is welcoming and active for those parents that are interested. We plan to send our second child next year!
Laura Calderone2015-10-13We love Norbeck! The staff are amazing taking care of our children like warm and nurturing parents and help guide them on their educational journey. Our 5 year old is already reading, doing fractions and loves the science class. Our 3 year old knows Spanish phrases and can write his own name. Your child will cultivate incredible skills and gain all the tools they need to be driven, focusing amazing people.
Lesley Lightfoot2015-02-01My son has only been with Norbeck Montessori for 2.5 months (at the time of this review). The progress, and noticed development that has happened during that time has been incredible for my husband and I to see. He has grown socially, physically, and mentally, all thanks to what is offered at the school from the moment of drop off, until we see him at the end of the day. We feel assured that he is with Norbeck Montessori.
Beth Davis2014-12-05Norbeck Montessori is one of those rare places where children can go to learn in a loving and supportive environment full of enrichment opportunities and amazing teachers. Norbeck has been a part of our family for nearly three decades. As a Norbeck alumni, I would not want to see my kids anywhere else. My children started attending the school ten years ago, when my oldest was 2 ½, and we have remained in the Norbeck family as each of our children has grown to preschool age. In the past ten years we have had three children attend Norbeck, one of whom is in the Jr. K program this year. Today, many of the same kind and smiling faces of teachers we have known for years welcome us with open arms each morning. Tara and Ryan along with Keira have done an amazing job of revamping the program and adding fresh new extracurricular programs like soccer, gymnastics and cooking classes. Norbeck is not only an amazing environment for children to learn and grow, it is a true community atmosphere where families come together and form lifelong friendships. Some of my closest friendships started at Norbeck and my oldest daughter is still very close friends with several of the friends she made at Norbeck over ten years ago. A first grade teacher from our local elementary school recently approached me and said “Your daughter is a Norbeck kid, isn’t she?" When I confirmed, she continued, saying "I can tell. The kids from that school come in here heads and shoulders above so many other kids. Not only are they working at higher levels in reading and math, they have a strong grasp of science and an appreciation for art and music that we don’t see coming out of other programs.” And it is true. Sending our kids to Norbeck has been an investment in their future. My oldest, who is now in 7th grade, and my second child, now in 1st, are both receiving accelerated instruction in all subjects. I cannot say enough great things about this amazing school that has contributed so much to the education and enrichment of my family.
Preschool Tours & Applications for Norbeck Montessori
Are you ready to see us in action? Or do you just have a few more questions? Either way, we would love to speak with you. Visit our Info and Tours page to contact us or schedule a tour.
Enrollment opens every January for the upcoming summer and fall sessions and we take applicants on a first come first served basis.
Is Norbeck Montessori Near Me?
Although our Montessori school is located in Rockville, we have kindergarten students who come from surrounding areas, including Aspen Hill, Colesville, Gaithersburg, Glenmont, Norbeck, Olney, Shady Grove, Silver Spring, Wheaton, and nearby areas of Montgomery County.
Stop by and see our Norbeck Montessori school in action.
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The Enrichment Programs
We offer
Turning your child’s inner potential to lifelong skills.
Spanish Enrichment
Our Spanish-English bilingual preschool and kindergarten classrooms offer a traditional Montessori experience in an environment that integrates both languages.
Fine Arts
