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Operated Since 1975

Fine Arts at Norbeck Montessori

To broaden children’s horizons and develop critical new skills during their early childhood

Fine arts Norbeck Montessori

Welcome to the Montessori Preschool with Fine Arts

Children are born with a natural curiosity, and our Rockville Montessori preschool believes in making the most out of that creativity. As children explore and observe the world around them, they need unrestricted exploration opportunities to help them learn. Art is a natural outgrowth of this type of unrestricted exploration and the self-guided learning it creates. At Norbeck Montessori, art exploration is a key component of our overall preschool and kindergarten program.

 

Why Fine Arts are Important in Preschool & Kindergarten?

Art provides a number of learning opportunities for preschool and kindergarten students, which is why it is an important focus of our Rockville preschool curriculum. Through art instruction and exploration, our students gain:

  • Fine motor skills – It takes even greater fine motor skills to maneuver a paintbrush than a pencil, and the more art exploration students tackle, the better their fine motor skills become.
  • Cognitive development – Students learn important things like cause and effect and patterning when they practice with art materials.
  • Language skills – Describing and explaining artwork helps develop critical language skills in a self-chosen manner.
  • Positive choices – Positive choices is a key component of Montessori learning, and art gives children the chance to make many choices that create a positive outcome.
  • Process-based learning – The goal of art instruction in Montessori is to focus on the process, not the product. Children are free to express themselves freely, with little focus on what the final product will be. Praise is on the work the child is doing, not the end result.
  • Self-discipline – Young children must be patient and self-controlled when working with art materials, which helps reinforce the self-discipline that is at the heart of Montessori instruction.
Norbeck Montessori Fine arts
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Our Fine Arts Preschool & Kindergarten Curriculum

Art is integrated into the everyday Montessori curriculum, but Norbeck Montessori does even more through our enrichment programs. Our students have free use of real art materials. You will often see our children painting on real canvases with acrylic paints or working with modeling clay. The goal of these programs is to teach children about different aspects of art so they can explore it while also understanding it. We want to create children who truly appreciate art.

Because of our fine arts program, children are able to not only show their artwork to their families but also explain how they created them and what materials they used. Our fine arts curriculum continues to embrace the individualized instruction and self-paced learning that defines Montessori but brings into the classroom the materials and supplies necessary to experience art. The end result is a classroom of students with the freedom to explore their creative side while also learning about art mediums, artists, and artistic methods.

Testimonials

What Parents Say

We believe that clear communication with parents is essential to the child’s wellbeing. It is particularly important during the early preschool years when children reach and surpass many developmental milestones. Naturally, we work diligently to help each of the children to be best taken care of.  That is the reason why the parents give us  best reviews. Here are a few of them.

Stacey Guedes
Stacey Guedes
2018-10-25
My children have been at Norbeck for 5 years and our experience has been nothing but amazing. They are treated and cared for with love and respect. They enjoy going to school every day and have learned how to be independent children both in the classroom and in every day life. They have grown to be upstanding and courteous young ladies
fiorella pasara
fiorella pasara
2018-10-09
This place is amazing! When we were looking for a daycare or preschool where to send our 3 year old back then, we did some research and went to different places and realize this was the only one where you could see the kids and the teachers happy and having a great time (remember that's the environment you want your kids to grow in). So we decided for Norbeck and that was the best decision ever! Our son had the best experience during his 4 years there. We even kept him in the Kindergarten program (AMAZING). He learned so much and grew emotionally and socially as well. Great foundation and such a loving atmosphere for the kids. I could not recommend a better place. And BTW did I said he learned reading by 4 years and has started 1st grade knowing addition, subtraction and multiplication? Yep that's how great this place is 🙂
Nisha Patel
Nisha Patel
2015-12-03
Norbeck Montessori has been the most amazing experience for us! Our daughter has been there for over a year and absolutely loves it. The teachers are amazing and make you and your child feel welcome, nurtured and loved! And, the lessons they do on a daily basis are so fun and educational at the same time. Definitely recommend to any parents looking for a positive and warm environment for their kids, and be prepared to be part of a small and loving family!
Melanie Deal
Melanie Deal
2015-12-03
What would I have done without Norbeck? This is my daughter's second year and every day I am more and more amazed about how much she is learning. She is only 4 years old and she is able to read, write and count to 100. The activities that the school coordinates through the year nurtures a sense of community/family, events include Halloween parade, Thanksgiving feast, Christmas song festival and much more! She loves her school, teachers and friends. I highly recommend this school.
Reese Alutto-Schmidt
Reese Alutto-Schmidt
2015-12-02
Our son has had a wonderful experience at Norbeck. The teachers and staff are incredibly energetic and positive -- they are uniformly dedicated to nurturing and teaching kids. Everyone clearly loves their jobs. The school's parent community is welcoming and active for those parents that are interested. We plan to send our second child next year!
Laura Calderone
Laura Calderone
2015-10-13
We love Norbeck! The staff are amazing taking care of our children like warm and nurturing parents and help guide them on their educational journey. Our 5 year old is already reading, doing fractions and loves the science class. Our 3 year old knows Spanish phrases and can write his own name. Your child will cultivate incredible skills and gain all the tools they need to be driven, focusing amazing people.
Lesley Lightfoot
Lesley Lightfoot
2015-02-01
My son has only been with Norbeck Montessori for 2.5 months (at the time of this review). The progress, and noticed development that has happened during that time has been incredible for my husband and I to see. He has grown socially, physically, and mentally, all thanks to what is offered at the school from the moment of drop off, until we see him at the end of the day. We feel assured that he is with Norbeck Montessori.
Beth Davis
Beth Davis
2014-12-05
Norbeck Montessori is one of those rare places where children can go to learn in a loving and supportive environment full of enrichment opportunities and amazing teachers. Norbeck has been a part of our family for nearly three decades. As a Norbeck alumni, I would not want to see my kids anywhere else. My children started attending the school ten years ago, when my oldest was 2 ½, and we have remained in the Norbeck family as each of our children has grown to preschool age. In the past ten years we have had three children attend Norbeck, one of whom is in the Jr. K program this year. Today, many of the same kind and smiling faces of teachers we have known for years welcome us with open arms each morning. Tara and Ryan along with Keira have done an amazing job of revamping the program and adding fresh new extracurricular programs like soccer, gymnastics and cooking classes. Norbeck is not only an amazing environment for children to learn and grow, it is a true community atmosphere where families come together and form lifelong friendships. Some of my closest friendships started at Norbeck and my oldest daughter is still very close friends with several of the friends she made at Norbeck over ten years ago. A first grade teacher from our local elementary school recently approached me and said “Your daughter is a Norbeck kid, isn’t she?" When I confirmed, she continued, saying "I can tell. The kids from that school come in here heads and shoulders above so many other kids. Not only are they working at higher levels in reading and math, they have a strong grasp of science and an appreciation for art and music that we don’t see coming out of other programs.” And it is true. Sending our kids to Norbeck has been an investment in their future. My oldest, who is now in 7th grade, and my second child, now in 1st, are both receiving accelerated instruction in all subjects. I cannot say enough great things about this amazing school that has contributed so much to the education and enrichment of my family.

Preschool Tours & Applications for Norbeck Montessori

Are you ready to see us in action? Or do you just have a few more questions? Either way, we would love to speak with you. Visit our Info and Tours page to contact us or schedule a tour.

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Enrollment opens every January for the upcoming summer and fall sessions and we take applicants on a first come first served basis.

Is Norbeck Montessori Near Me?

Although our Montessori school is located in Rockville, we have kindergarten students who come from surrounding areas, including Aspen Hill, Colesville, Gaithersburg, Glenmont, Norbeck, Olney, Shady Grove, Silver Spring, Wheaton, and nearby areas of Montgomery County.

Stop by and see our Norbeck Montessori school in action.

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The Enrichment Programs

We offer

Turning your child’s inner potential to lifelong skills.

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Spanish Enrichment

Our Spanish-English bilingual preschool and kindergarten classrooms offer a traditional Montessori experience in an environment that integrates both languages.

Fine Arts

Our Fine Arts Program is a fun and exciting way for our students to explore their creativity while learning about different art movements, materials, and historical figures.
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Extra Curricular

After an exciting day of learning, we provide our students with the opportunity to explore new interests and interact with their classmates outside of our typical daytime learning program.
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