Who are we?

“Education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual and is acquired not by listening to words but by experience in the environment.”

Maria Montessori

The Mona Montessori and the McKinney Montessori Academies are highly dedicated schools committed to providing children with the best in education and daycare. We pride ourselves in striving for excellence both in academia and in providing outstanding daycare with meticulously clean facilities, an abundance of materials, nutritious meals and caring teachers.

Professor Jim Syed and his wife Pam Syed, run the two Academies. Prof Jim Syed the director and co owner has been in education field for over 25 years and Miss Pam holds Master's in education, child psychology and has been an educator for over 15 years. She is also Montessori trained.

Our curriculum is based on Montessori Methodology, which allows children to engage in activities of their own choice and progress at a pace they are comfortable with, in a well ordered environment that is conducive to learning. Dr. Montessori discovered that under these circumstances, children are in harmony with their entire environment, and show qualities of spontaneous self-discipline, love of order and concentrated attention and interest to intellectual activity.

The Montessori method of teaching aims for the fullest possible development of the whole child, ultimately preparing him or her for life's many rich experiences. Complemented by her training in medicine, psychology and anthropology, Dr. Maria Montessori (1870 - 1952) developed her philosophy of education based upon actual observations of children.

All our class rooms are designated to fulfill the needs of the child. Specially developed materials capture the interests of children and allow them to explore learning with the guidance of the teacher. The children are carefully ‘led’ to learning and taught individually and in small groups. New concepts and materials are introduced to the child as he or she masters the skills associated with the preceding concepts; thereby developing in the child’s mind a pattern of success after success and instilling self-confidence and self-discipline. Pre-School and Kindergarten classes are staffed by Montessori certified teachers.

The children are also taught Spanish and Music.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EARLY YEARS

“The most important period of his life is not the age of University studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six. At no other age has the child greater need for an intelligent help and any obstacle that impedes his creative work will lessen the chance he has of achieving perfection.” Since Dr. Montessori wrote these words, research has shown the importance of the early years. During this period unconscious learning is gradually brought to the conscious level and the foundation for later learning is laid down.