We encourage an environment of education, creativity and fun. Our students are extremely well rounded and perform numerous activities including Mathematics, Reading and Writing. Our students learn to develop social skills and interact with other students. In addition, we offer Arts & Crafts, Dance, Piano, Spanish, Music, Science, and Summer Camp at our school. We believe children learn through play. Successful and well planned activities will result in development of positive self-esteem. Opportunities for children to have experiences in problem solving and making choices are also a part of the daily program. This is the basic foundation on which more complex skills will be built.

Valley Montessori Preschool is affiliated with the various Montessori associations and is fully licensed by the state of California and city of Canoga Park.

Valley Montessori Preschool does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, or sex in the administration of its admission policies, staffing, or education programs.

Our philosophy is based upon Dr. Maria Montessori’s vast understanding of children and their natural tendencies to explore and become independent. Montessori is an approach to working with children that is carefully based on what has been learned about children’s cognitive, neurological and emotional development. The Montessori approach has been acclaimed by some of America’s top experts on early childhood and elementary education as the most developmentally appropriate model currently available. The Montessori method focuses on teaching for understanding. Active learning through hands-on activities and exercises rather than “book learning” is emphasized in order to encourage the development of the creative and analytical mind. Children are innately curious about the world around them, and the classroom is a place where the child is able to move freely and choose from a multitude of fascinating materials to interact with, in a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Dr. Maria Montessori believed that all children are unique and learn at their own pace, which is one of the reasons our classrooms have mixed age groups.

Children should always have the opportunity to advance and develop according to their pace, and learning should never be stifled just because of age. The mixed ages classroom allows for that progression to occur which is why it is so successful. The younger children are able to look to their older peers for inspiration and help, and the older students are given a chance to teach their younger peers giving them a sense of empowerment and confidence. Maria Montessori believed that instead of forcefully teaching a child, teachers should instead become “directors” and “quietly follow the child” to understand what interests the child and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. By observing the child carefully, our trained Montessori teachers are able to create learning experiences and cater a curriculum based on the individual child to encourage real learning and growth, giving children the ability to be active participants in their educational journey.

Unlike most Montessori preschools, we offer BOTH Montessori and Preschool education.

The student to teacher ratio at Valley Montessori Preschool focuses the adult attention on the individual child rather than a group teaching environment. Each child sets their goals and works towards an end result according to their grade level. There is no group learning time where your child may be bored, or confused about the information being presented. Using the tool of educational assistants, the child gets more positive attention than in a traditional classroom. These are also professional adults who understand the concept of Montessori learning.

It is a given fact that students at Valley Montessori Preschool show higher academic success rates when given the opportunity to work on their own agenda. Rather than stifling the child’s excitement for a particular subject, the Montessori education allows your child to learn as much as they want on a particular subject. Similar to adults deciding on their college major, your child will be allowed to follow their hearts, and learn about the subjects that interest them instead of spending time waiting for others to catch up to them.

Valley Montessori Preschool is known for their personal care and loving attention paid to each and every student. The family feeling is evident in the group focused atmosphere. The certified teacher’s complete higher education courses focused on the Montessori philosophy, and they bring that knowledge to the classroom. They give their hearts to each child in order to promote the most loving atmosphere. Your child will flourish under the guidance of these professionals.