Having a space dedicated to art and available to students throughout the day helps our students experience art as an integral part of their lives.
The Art Resource Room at OMS Montessori is a carefully prepared learning environment devoted strictly to art for the elementary student. Dedicated art lessons provide a wide variety of techniques and knowledge.
Students are introduced to concepts of warm and cool colours, tints, shades and working with a variety of media such as clay, paint, pastels, chalk and pencils as well as textures. Students learn different techniques and styles by examining the work of different artists. For example, students learn about mosaics and tessellation through the work of M.C. Escher and they explore Haida Art through the work of Robert Davidson. Throughout the art program students will discuss the works of Van Gogh, Monet and the Group of Seven as well as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Renoir, Picasso and Modigliani.
Links are also made to the general Montessori curriculum. For example, the history of language is linked to experiences in cuneiform writing tablets, Chinese brush work, reed pens, sumi ink and paper making.
Students can sign out of their Montessori classrooms and visit the Art Resource Room to add to a project, or create a special card or gift.
Dr. Montessori clearly recognized the importance of music education for young children. She believed that children should be “charmed” and invited to make music. Dr. Montessori spoke of many observations she made, noting how children’s natural rhythms and movements demonstrated an intrinsic musicality. Montessori believed that music was a necessary part of a complete education, one that supported sensorial education and child-centered learning.
An integral aspect of Dr. Montessori’s educational philosophy is the fact that children learn best through sensorial experiences; they use their senses to reach natural and logical conclusions. Musical education provides a sensorial and aesthetic experience for children, and engages their tactile, auditory, and visual senses.
Musical experiences also provide children with opportunities for collaboration and communication.OMS Montessori offers a high quality music education to its students. Elementary students receive music lessons weekly. Upper Elementary students may choose to join a string or vocal ensemble. The students engage in collaborative initiatives and learn to blend as a group.
The numerous performance opportunities allow them to develop grace and courtesy in front of an audience. Private music instruction for piano and voice is available to students who wish to learn an instrument in depth.
