Private Preschool & Elementary School in West Hartford

Montessori School of Greater Hartford:
Established in 1964, Montessori School of Greater Hartford is an independent, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) school located in West Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut offering toddler, primary, elementary, morning and afterschool care, recess and vacation programs. Drawing from its home base and from more than 30 surrounding towns, MSGH welcomes a diverse community of more than 170 children ages 15 months to 12 years to its doors every school day.

Educational Programs for Children Ages 15 months to 12 years: 

Toddler Program (15 mths - 3 years):
MSGH’s Toddler Program is designed to give children ages 15 months to 3 years a warm, nurturing ‘home away from home,’ where they are supported in:

* taking their first steps toward independence,
* developing their powers of speech and communication,
* strengthening fine and large motor skills, and
* learning to work and play in a beautiful, cooperative community setting
Oral language development is emphasized throughout the morning as the Teacher and her Assistant offer each child new vocabulary, encourage conversation, model good syntax and share stories, songs and poems. The Teacher speaks only English with the children, and the Assistant speaks only Spanish.

Fine motor skills are enhanced by the child’s work with specially designed Montessori materials while activities such as dancing, gardening, washing, sweeping and sing-alongs develop coordination and large motor skills.

Independence is consciously nurtured in myriad ways: children work with increasing independence as they master classroom materials; learn to tie their own shoes and put on their jackets; and take care of the classroom by sweeping, preparing food, washing, folding, gardening, scrubbing, and more.

Primary Program (3 - 6 years):
MSGH’s four Primary classrooms are beautiful, nurturing learning environments filled with didactic materials that respond to the most universal, natural drives and tendencies of three- to six-year-old children, including their:

* ability to absorb customs, language and knowledge directly from their environment;
* desire to learn by doing, moving, touching, manipulating and exploring;
* need for order and routine;
* attunement to all of the senses;
* drive to master and perfect the movements of their bodies;
* quest for independence;
* fascination with the customs of their culture;
* need to learn from concrete experience first, before learning in the abstract.

Elementary Program (6 - 12 years):
MSGH offers a Lower Elementary Program for children ages 6 to 9 and an Upper Elementary Program for ages 9 to 12. Both are designed to appeal and respond to the universal characteristics of elementary-age children, including their:

* overwhelming curiosity;
* ability to think abstractly and use logic and reason;
* strong and active imaginations;
* preference for learning material in multiple ways, instead of by rote and repetition;
* great desire to expand their social skills and work with others;
* strong sense of fairness and justice.

We also offer:
- Morning and Afterschool Care
- Recess and Vacation Programs