Mission

Forest Montessori embraces a nature-based Montessori education that nurtures and enhances each child’s intellectual and emotional gifts which guides them to become compassionate, self-driven individuals who take pride in the ownership of their learning.

Vision

Forest Montessori exists to unlock wonder, curiosity, and the love of learning through exploration and nature immersion that nurtures the growth of the whole child.

Our Values

BRAIN - BODY - HEART -

BRAIN - BODY - HEART -

At Forest Montessori, we embrace a whole-child approach to engaged learning that focuses on brain, body, & heart.

The Brain-Body-Heart focus combined with our curriculum model results in students who are adaptable and functional across all environments. Imagine emotionally intelligent children and adults who are open to the thoughts, feelings, & ideas of others and can confidently share their own. They are kind, courteous, seekers of knowledge, and followers of their own intuition.

  • There are certain fundamental skills that we require in order to function in society. Brain focus includes overall knowledge, facts, deduction skills, and the core subjects: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

  • Body focus refers to the health and movement of the physical body. A healthy and nourished physical body is able to focus and engage better as well as learn and retain information.

  • Heart focus recognizes the importance of emotional intelligence, relationships, mindfulness, following intuition, and feeling safe both in the learning environment and in life. A child who feels connected to self and others is a child who can engage with the task at hand.

MONTESSORI - NATURE IMMERSION - PROJECT BASED -

MONTESSORI - NATURE IMMERSION - PROJECT BASED -

At Forest, we embrace a triad curriculum model: Montessori, Nature Immersion, & Project-Based Learning.

Montessori, Nature Immersion, and Project-Based Learning are three parts of a whole. While on their own they are good, together they are exceptional. This is a strong curriculum that is emergent in nature and based on the interests of the children. Relationships are at the very heart of this blended philosophy. A child who feels connected to the class, integrated in the environment, accepted by and connected to the teacher, and is passionate about the work, is a child who understands.

  • Montessori education is a student-led and self-paced style of teaching. While flexible and fluid, it is also guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, peers, and a nurturing environment.

    Within the community of a multi-age classroom - which has been designed to create natural opportunities for independence, connection, and accountability- children embrace multisensory 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.

    Given the freedom and support to question, probe deeply, and make connections, Montessori students grow up to be confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners and citizens- assets to both themselves and their community. They think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly and with integrity.

  • Nature Immersion is a method of education which is deeply rooted in exploration and observation of the outdoors. The nature immersion piece is imperative because movement is essential to learning. Movement allows the left and right brain to work together, integrate primitive reflexes, provides better emotional regulation, generates opportunities for discovery, and stimulates natural curiosity. It encourages communication, problem-solving, and ingenuity. It allows children’s interests to motivate discovery. Fresh air, sunshine, vitamin D, and movement also contribute to a physically healthy child.

    This method results in children who are more at ease and comfortable in their bodies. It promotes highly developed motor skills and coordination as well as teaches students to value the nature around them. Children are happy, healthy, and well-balanced.

  • Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional approach designed to give students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills through engaging projects set around challenges and problems that they may face in the real world. PBL is effective because students apply skills in a realistic and tangible way. This creates a sense of urgency, authenticity, and most importantly sparks curiosity so that students are excited to create, solve problems, and ask questions. This method results in problem solvers with a deep understanding of how classroom academics translates into real life. It contributes to self-sufficiency, large-scale thinking, and start-to-finish planning. It creates hard workers with an understanding that gratification may not be instantaneous.