EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

What is experiential learning at Papillon Montessori?

At Papillon Montessori, students learn by doing. Experiential learning is integrated into the curriculum in every discipline and grade level. In the indoor and outdoor classrooms across the bay, on field trips to Miami Beach institutions, and through community service, Papillon Montessori students engage in meaningful, hands-on work that deepens their understanding and connection to learning concepts. Students experiment with and learn the interrelatedness of math, history, and science by applying discipline-specific information to real-world problems. Our approach leads to an authentic and holistic understanding of the world. Through experiential learning at Papillon Montessori, children become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.

Experiential Learning at Every Age:

In the Toddler House, children use physical materials that engage their visual, tactile, and auditory senses. They learn the alphabet by tracing letters in the sand while sounding them out.

In preschool, children learn about the properties of plants and trees by observing and maintaining care of botanical life throughout the school year.

Students at the lower elementary level use mathematical tools such as counting beads and geometric shapes to understand operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponents.

In upper elementary, students create podcasts and produce music in our recording studio to present oral arguments about current events.

Middle school children engage in a rotational off-site athletics program where they learn to kayak and paddleboard while observing marine life to reinforce their understanding of ocean ecosystems.

“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.”~ Dr. Maria Montessori

Supporting the entire child

Experiential learning opportunities are deliberate and progressive, so they coordinate with children’s development. Our teachers design tasks that allow for natural consequences like successes and failures. Teachers are trained to support students by helping reframe adverse outcomes to construct meaning. Students become intimately aware of a Montessori principle: the process is more valuable than the outcome. They can then grow confidence, independence, problem-solving capabilities, and emotion regulation skills for a comprehensive educational experience.