Mission Statement

Alief Montessori Community School strives to provide our students with an optimal enviroment of lifelong learning to become productive citizens, capable of contributing to the society.

History

Nancy Lee Chieu founded Alief Montessori Community School as a private school in the fall of 1981. Ms. Chieu’s graduate work in Educational Psychology and related experiences with special needs students became the basis for her firm belief in Montessori education for young children. Mrs. Chieu strongly supports Maria Montessori’s view of education, “Education is to prepare a child for life.” The goal of education is always the formation of the total personality. Dr. Montessori stated that education for life begins at birth, thus the most significant period of a child’s development is the first six years.

During its two decades of service, Alief Montessori Community School has provided Montessori programs for children 3 to 12 years old. Students attend multi-age classes according to Montessori education. Primary students usually range from 3 to 6 years of age. The lower elementary students are about 6 to 9 and the upper elementary 9 to 12 years of age. Traditionally Montessori schools grow by beginning with 3-year-old students then adding a new group of 3-year-olds each year. Ideally, 3-year-old students remain with the same teacher for 3 years, as will 6-year-olds who move up to an elementary class. Currently, AMCS has primary and lower elementary classes.

Accreditation and Memberships

Alief Montessori Community School is a Texas Public Charter School accredited by the State of Texas Education Agency.

Alief Montessori Community School as an organization and its staff, as individuals, hold essential accreditation and membership with

Association Montessori Internationale (AMI): Staff memberships

North American Montessori Teachers Association: Staff memberships

Montessori Accresitation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)

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Recognitions

Alief Montessori Community School has received the highest recognition for educational excellence

A Texas Exemplary School 1999-2000
A Texas Recognized School 2000-2001
A Texas Exemplary School 2001-2002
Met the Exemplary Standards 2002-2003
A Texas Recognized School 2003-2004
A Texas Recognized School 2004-2005
A Texas Recognized School 2005-2006
A Texas Recognized School 2006-2007
A Texas Exemplary School 2007-2008

Texas Business and Education Coalition Awards:

Recipient of Honor Roll School Award 2005-2006

Recipient of Honor Roll School Award 2006-2007

Recipient of Honor Roll School Award 2007-2008

Montessori Philosophy

It is essential that parents understand the Montessori philosophy. It is vital to recognize that it is the child, not the teacher, who develops his or her potential through constructive work. The role of the teacher is to assist this development by preparing the environment, directing the activity, and encouraging responsible independence.

Montessori education helps children develop and refine the skills of perception, rationalization, and abstraction. Patterns of concentration, perseverance and thoroughness, established in early childhood, produce a confident and competent learner. A Montessori education encourages the joy of learning at an early age and provides a framework in which intellectual and social maturity work together to provide the development of true community.

A major goal of the Montessori experience is to encourage self-discipline. From their first day in the classroom, children are encouraged to make choices based upon their interest and their knowledge of available activities. They are given security by the presence of clear guidelines for responsible behavior - guidelines that are positively and consistently reinforced.

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Basic Elements of the Montessori Philosophy of Education

Montessori Education is based on the matching of universal observable characteristics of childhood with the children’s learning environment which support the development of healthy and happy individuals within the particular educational community and which prepare those individuals for life.

1. Montessori education provides a prepared environment to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child.

2. The child develops a positive attitude toward school, inner security, a sense of order, abiding curiosity, a habit of concentration, initiative and persistence, the ability to make decisions and self-discipline.

3. The child refines their senses, by working from the simple to the complex and the concrete to the abstract.

4. The child learns through spontaneous activity directed by the inner needs of their developmental stage.

5. The child become self-directed rather than teacher directed.

6. Montessori education trusts in the child’s ability to select the meaningful works needed to grow and be successful.

7. The child develops a sense of responsibility to other members of the class, school and community.

There is intrinsic concern for rhythm, balance, and order, which make the life process possible and provide continuity between man and nature.

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