Montessori Home Preschool,Olathe Kansas

Why I Teach:

Nurturing and teaching children have been the most important and rewarding roles in my life. There are so many reasons I teach young children. I love seeing the light in their eyes when they discover something new. I love sharing my joy of learning. I love how their happiness bubbles over into laughter. My passion for teaching preschool, and the primary reason I have chosen this as my profession, is because of my own first learning experience. I was the only child in my first grade class that did not attend preschool or kindergarten. My classmates knew the alphabet, could print letters, write their names, and count. On the other hand, I did not know any of those fundamental skills. I thought I was stupid. That feeling stuck with me until my early twenties. I want to do everything in my power so that no child ever feels the way I did. I want children to feel successful, confident and smart. The lasting impact of preschool is priceless.

• We use the Montessori method which is developmentally appropriate, hands-on, and individualized.
• The award winning “Handwriting Without Tears” is the technique we use to learn to print.
• Our weekly theme is a letter from the alphabet and the sound it makes.
• Besides the fundamentals of phonics, writing, counting, shapes, colors, etc., we also have fun learning sign language and cooking.

Daily Schedule:

7:30 Free play time while others arrive.
8:30 Preschool begins. (A few children attend only preschool hours.)
8:40 First circle: Flag salute, calendar, weather, music and movement, sign language.
9:00 Montessori time. (Learn by doing.) They have free choice of centers.
10:30 Snack. We cook/bake together almost every week.
10:40 Recess.
11:00 Story time.
11:15 Second circle: Focus on the letter (sound) of the week with lesson and/or review, show and tell.
11:30 Dismiss morning students.
12:00 Lunch.
12:30 Puzzles, books, and sometimes PBS television.
1:00 Nap time.
3:00 Wake up and put away bedding and mats.
3:20 Snack.
3:30 Recess.
4:00 Free play time until parents arrive.
4:30 End of school day.

Yearly Schedule:

We follow the Olathe school district’s calendar so we are closed for the summer. We take five field trips, have two parent-teacher conferences, a Christmas program, and two family picnics every year.

Additional Information:

Montessori Home Preschool and Childcare is similar to a church preschool. We pray before eating, sometimes read Bible stories, and sing Sunday School songs. I don’t teach religion, but I let them know that Jesus loves them. Montessori materials are designed to awaken a child’s interest in learning. They are geared to a child’s need to learn through movement. He/She will bring home very few papers or crafts because most of his/her work (play) will be “hands on.” Reading is an important component of a child’s education and I have over 300 children’s books.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What should we call you? The children call me Mrs. Schoen, and the parents call me Brenda.
• Do you have help? Yes, Mrs. Lois Thomeczek comes in a couple of times a week. She has lots of experience and is excellent with children.
• Should I ring the doorbell? Yes, I will have the door locked for safety reasons.
• Why does it matter if I’m late? We have first circle shortly after 8:30. After the 11:30 pick up I need time to prepare lunch. If you can’t avoid being late, then please phone me. Also, please phone if your child isn’t coming that day.
• What about daily snacks? The parents take turns providing snacks for the children one week at a time. Your turn will be listed on the calendar and a suggestion sheet will be sent home.
• May my child bring toys? Just like other schools, toys are not allowed. They may bring a toy that begins with the letter of the week for “show and tell”. You decide how often they bring a show and tell object.
• Will there be parent-teacher conferences? Yes, the fall one will be the same Friday as the Olathe public schools. The spring one will either be the same as the public schools or later, right before spring break.
• Anything else? Please send your child in shoes that he can put on and fasten by himself. This helps his independence and self-confidence. It also helps our day run more smoothly because in the winter we wear comfy slippers.

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