Welcome to our School!
We are pleased that you have chosen to view our website and read through about our facility, school and programs. The information on our website is meant to assist you in selecting the best school for your child. After viewing the information here, we welcome you to schedule a viewing of our school located on Main Street in Carmel, Indiana. We are confident that you will find Clay Montessori School has a complete Montessori program available to families in Hamilton County. To see an introductory video approved by the American Montessori Society, click here.
We are pleased to offer a full list of programs and seasonal projects throughout the year, as well as an independent summer school program that is the perfect camp to send a child to. The possibilities are limitless for your child here at Clay Montessori School because we make sure each child nurtures their specific interests while also rounding out their full education. If you would like the very best foundational, pre-K and Kindergarten education for your child, Clay Montessori School is your school. For more introductory information on Montessori Kindergarten, please see a video approved by the American Montessori Society here.
Clay Montessori School is where your child will develop social skills and interpersonal relationship skills; where they will develop the necessary introspection for critical self-assessment and build self-confidence in his or her abilities to absorb and learn the primary education curriculum, in particular, and develop the confidence necessary to thrive in today’s society.
Although all areas of the curriculum are important, Clay Montessori School places a strong emphasis on math and science, language and arts and social development. Our goal is to equip your child, from the very beginning, with the skills and work ethic to perform at the highest level, not just at Clay Montessori School, but throughout your child's entire educational career and life.
We accept children ages 3 to 6.
established in 1990
Our school has been in operation since 1990 and is a Full Member of American Montessori Society. Our faculty have all been trained in the Montessori methodology and our school maintains the highest standards required and set by the American Montessori Society. Clay Montessori School employs the Maria Montessori teaching method and utilizes a full range of manipulatives for all areas of study including practical life, sensorial, math, science, language, art and geography, to name a few. Our school was founded by Peggy White as Fishers Montessori Schools Inc. She grew to three school locations including our school in Carmel. Robin King, head teacher of Clay Montessori, and her assistant teachers all got their start working in Montessori under Peggy and have grown in experience over the years. Robin has been the head teacher of Clay Montessori School since 2007.
re-established in 2019
At the end of the 2018-2019 school year, Peggy decided it was time to retire so Robin King became the new owner of the Clay Montessori location. New guidelines have been set by the state so any changes parents will see made are due to the newest regulations. We will still be practicing the Montessori methods set forth by the American Montessori Society and look forward to all of the new works and practices we will be introducing! All teachers that previously worked at Clay Montessori School will remain, along with all of the fun and educational materials. We are all excited by this new journey and we can’t wait to share more memories with our amazing students and families!
Our Mission, Vision & Values:
Our mission here at Clay Montessori is to help children gain their independence so they become forward thinkers and self starters as they mature. We visualize a world where our students shine as they grow in age by offering kindness and a helping hand to those around them while excelling at anything they put their mind to. We value transparency and a family-like atmosphere, which is why we have an open door policy where parents are welcome to reach out to us with any questions or fresh ideas.
We respect the uniqueness of each child that enters our doors. Due to that, our primary mission is to foster a love of learning in each student. Our curriculum skillfully weaves artistic and practical disciplines into everyday academics. Students learn to follow their curiosity, to think creatively and to work both independently and cooperatively with others.
We value and celebrate diversity and strive to instill integrity, compassion and confidence in each child. We give each child support and encouragement to become his or her own unique self.
Our School’s Community:
Located at the heart of Carmel, Indiana, just off the beautiful Arts & Design District on Main Street, we offer early childhood education through the Montessori method of teaching. Since we are in such close proximity to the Carmel Clay Library, we schedule days in the warmer months to walk over and select new books for our classroom’s shelves together.
Our Space & Materials:
We are fortunate to have three classrooms available to us as well as a private restroom for the children. The classrooms are filled with works that support a wide array of skill levels from simple beginner practices to challenging advanced options. Through project-based learning, our students tackle academic curriculum in fun ways that are engaging, meaningful and adaptable to a variety of learning styles. Each upcoming holiday is greeted with a specialty craft and a group celebration.
We are prepared to meet the educational needs of all pre-school children.
Our curriculum
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Respecting rights and property of others
Expressing feelings verbally
Initiating interaction with peers
Communicating freely with peers
Social grace and manners
Relating well with peers and adults
WORK HABITS
Initiating own work
Respecting materials
Expressing joy in discovery
Observing carefully
Welcoming new lessons
Exhibiting good concentration
Memory retention improved
Attention span increased
Persistence at a task
Decision making
Choosing challenging work
completing work cycle
Work without disturbing others
EMOTIONAL GROWTH
Accepting new situations
Exhibiting self-control
Cooperation
Welcoming challenges
Handling stressful situations
Developing positive self image,
self confidence
Independence
Inner maturation
Positive and happy attitude encouraged
SENSORIAL
Visual discrimination
Tactile discrimination
Olfactory discrimination
Gustatory discrimination
PRACTICAL LIFE
Control of movement
Recognize and respond to orderliness
Independently care for environment, self
Improve hand-eye coordination
Correctly use manipulative tools
Large and small muscle growth
MATH
Understands quantity
Recognize numerals 0-9
Counts objects to 9
Teen work
Linear counting to 100, 1,000
Skip counting
Decimal system - understanding place value
Addition, Subtraction
Multiplication, Division
Fractions, Exchanging
SCIENCE
STUDY OF:
living, non-living
animals, zoology
plants, botany
health
food groups
solar system
magnets
experiments
GEOGRAPHY
Geography of the body
Left, Right
Globe
World map - Continents
Recognize land forms
Recognize water forms
Oceans
North America
United States
Foreign maps
Flags/ U.S. and Foreign
Direction
Days of the week
Months of the year
Awareness of self and others
Calendar
Clock
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Calisthenics
Balance
Balls/Bean bags
Organized games
Free play
Good sportsmanship
MUSIC
Group singing
Rhythm
Walking on the line
Silence
Instruments
Appreciation
Study of classical music and composers
LANGUAGE
Nomenclature
Readiness
Expression of thoughts
Group discussion
Interest in books and stories
Correct pronunciation
Phonetic alphabet and sounds
Initial and final consonants
Vowels
Reading words, sentences, readers, phonograms
Writing:
- pencil grip
- control of pencil
- forms letters correctly
- writes first and last name
- writes phonetic words
- writes sentences and stories
Rhyming, opposites
Spelling with moveable alphabet
Metal inset work
ART
Appreciation
Drawing
Painting
Clay
Collage
Cutting
Tracing
Creativity/Imagination
Joy in art expression
Study of classical art and artists
CULTURAL
History
Poetry
Playlets
Stories
Good manners
Poise and grace
Foreign languages
Respect for all living things