ADMISSIONS PROCESS:

1. Tour
We recommend that you set up a time to meet with us. We’ll walk you through the classroom and introduce you to Montessori approach to education.

2. Observe
After the initial tour, we recommend that you schedule an appointment to observe the classroom in action. Montessori is one of those things that just needs to be seen.

3. Apply
If you decide that Baan Dek is the right fit for your family, we welcome you to submit an application. We’ll review it, and get back to you as soon as possible.

4. Meet the Teacher
The last step is to arrange a time for your child to come in and meet with their new teacher. This is a great way for your child to get familiar with their new environment.

MONTESSORI PROGRAMS

We currently offer two Montessori programs for the students between the ages 3 and 6. Half time program will be between 8:30 pm and 12.30 pm and full time program will be between 8:30 pm and 17:30 pm. Please dont forget that if the student is at the age of 4 or above, they need to register in full time program. Also, five days a week is mandatory as we believe consistency is important in this early, formative age.

What is a Montessori classroom?
The Montessori classroom, or Prepared Environment, allows children the opportunity to explore their interests in a safe and supportive environment. The classroom nurtures exploration, discovery and accomplishment, as it strives to meet the individual needs of the children. Neat and orderly, the materials are carefully, meticulously displayed. The activities are designed to foster concentration, self-discipline and, most importantly, the confidence and independence for a life of learning. While academics are often the perceived focus, because they are so clearly identified and understood, a social dynamism underlies the entire classroom experience. As we like to say, social success leads to academic success. If children are happy, they’ll naturally want to learn.

How are Montessori guides trained?
Montessori guides learn the principles and methods of the Montessori approach to education, both theoretically and with hands-on, practical, real-life experience, in accredited Association Montessori Internationale training centers throughout the world. In Montessori, teachers are referred to as guides, or directors and directresses, to emphasize the role of putting children in touch with their interests, as opposed to overt instruction. As Montessori says, our role is to “help them to help themselves”.

Who accredits Montessori schools?
As you explore Montessori schools, one of the most important things to consider is if the Montessori school you are interested in is certified and if the teachers are Montessori trained. Anyone can use the Montessori name so it is important to research the qualifications of the school. The Baan Dek Montessori is proud to be the first and only Association Montessori Internationale school, the organization founded by Montessori, in the history of the state of South Dakota.

Why Montessori?
Montessori education concentrates on the specific needs of the child. Children are taught on a one-on-one basis in a Prepared Environment, specially designed to meet the requirements, established by Maria Montessori. This shift in focus, from the traditional classroom model, helps to create a better sense of self for the children, both in terms of independence and self-discipline. Not only are the educational needs of the children met and nurtured, but also, and just as important in Montessori, their social development is enhanced in an environment of mixed-ages, predicated on openness and diversity.

Why Five Days a Week?
In the Montessori approach to education, consistency is extremely important in developing the child’s sense of order and responsibility. They truly feel as if the classroom is their second home and they desire to maintain and care for it. At this formative age, routine is of the utmost importance. The idea is that the more consistency now, the better the foundation for learning in the future. Often, the problems that arise later, such as lack of discipline and lack of concentration, are a direct result of the failure to provide a consistent basis for education.

Why Montessori for Kindergarten?
Montessori has been consistently acclaimed as one of the most developmentally appropriate models available in the world for early childhood and elementary education. The primary reason to keep your child in Montessori for Kindergarten is to complete this maturation process, from the youngest student in the classroom to the oldest student in the classroom. Not only will children have the opportunity to completely develop academically, they will also have the opportunity to grow socially. As Maria Montessori says, the child is like a flower that needs to be tended. Once it starts to bloom, it must continue to be stimulated and cared for, as it has been from the very start. Science continues to validate the procedures and methods Montessori invented and that have been in practice for over one hundred years.

What’s the difference between a daycare and a school?
A daycare is primarily set up to ensure the care of children. They aim to provide a safe environment where children are entertained, often with activities, crafts and exercises, until they can be picked up. Indirectly, daycare providers work to implement a curriculum. With schools, however, the primary role is to offer children a safe environment in which to learn, with a direct emphasis placed on education. The staff are typically required to meet certain academic qualifications, and have a specific knowledge or expertise of a field. As you try to make a decision of what is best for your child, it is extremely important to note the qualifications of the staff at the daycare or school that you are interested in.