启明星蒙台梭利项目：让孩子在有边界的爱里，自在生长！
早上8:30，CASA（蒙台梭利混龄班）B班的台灯打开，素净的冬日晨光平添了一分色彩。
“每天早上，我们都会打开灯，让孩子们在这样的温馨中开始新的一天。”中文主班老师岳欣说。
这时，完成晨检的孩子们开始排队进入教室——他们有的坐下吃早餐，有的直接奔往自己喜欢的工作区，摸摸这里，摆摆那里……
而无论做些什么，这些3至6岁的孩子们都是安静的，专注的——没有预想中的小小孩的喧闹和嘈杂，反而是令人惊讶的有序与平和——并且，每个CASA班的孩子都是如此。
这么小的孩子们怎么能有如此表现？揭秘时，园长李姝言语间不无骄傲：“因为我们的老师为孩子们提供了让他们心安又感兴趣的环境！”
蒙台梭利中英双语项目是启明星幼儿园提供的主要课程。这里的蒙台梭利教育已经有近20年的历史。CASA的主班老师，无论中教还是外教，都持有美国蒙台梭利教师资格证书（AMS）。老师们敬业又疼惜孩子，让孩子们每一天的在园时间自由又有收获。
自由
在这里，孩子们享有充分的自由，老师们尊重孩子合理的选择，因为——小孩子按照自己的步调来学习，才能达到最佳的效果。
于是，你会常常看到，同一个CASA班的孩子也做着不同的工作：有的摆弄数学教具，有的摆弄字母卡，有的在夹小珠子，有的和朋友一起玩，有的独自工作，有的在吃东西……这分别对应着孩子们发展不同的技能——数学、语言、精细动作，或者干脆——休息一下！
相应的，每个孩子的学习计划也是不同的，老师为每位小朋友做着不同的记录。
上课时，老师除了必要的展示，一般不会干预孩子的‘工作’，只是在必要的时候，为他们提供帮助或指导。
“你们看看，这些木块还能用其他什么方法来摆吗？”CASA C班的2个孩子正在玩积木。听了老师的提醒，她们马上把一直垒高的积木换了种摆放方式，展示出一种完全不同的思路。
边界
然而，自由并不意味没有边界；爱，也讲究规则。
关注孩子的品德教育是启明星的传统，“美德在我心”品德课程也贯穿孩子的在园岁月。老师们会匡正孩子的言行，也会通过具体而浅显的美德语言让他们理解，什么是真正的美德。
如果有孩子的言行需要得到纠正，老师会轻声告诫，并通过肯定行为正确的孩子侧面提醒其他学生。
在混龄的蒙氏课堂上，大孩子照顾小孩子，小孩子向大孩子学习。他们相互尊重、合作，而不是彼此竞争。
所以，启明星的孩子走出去，有礼有节但不失活泼。
钥匙
在自由但边界清晰的环境里成长，滋养着孩子对世界的原初信任，以及自我的信心，也激发着他们探索身边世界的勇气，给予他们与他人互动的尺度和秩序——这是给予孩子打开自我世界的钥匙。
在如此“装备”孩子们的同时，老师们也努力营造丰富而恰当的“工作”环境。
幼儿园教室配有经典的蒙台梭利教具，供孩子们在日常的工作和探索中使用。这些教具包括感官教育教具、数学教育教具、语言教育教具、科学文化教育教具、日常生活教育教具。除此之外，幼儿园也拥有图书室、游泳池、表演厅和音乐教室这些专门服务幼儿的专业空间。
学习不止在教室里，老师们也努力为孩子们延展围墙之外的课堂。条件允许时，孩子们会出行去农庄、松美术馆；也会参加幼儿园组织的各种活动比如秋收节，比如民族文化游园会、比如阅读周……
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孩子们内在的生命力得到激发，努力向着成为独立、自信，具有眼界和有趣味的方向生长。这样的成长适合每一个孩子，在今天充满变化的世界尤其如此！
At 8:30 every morning, the desk lamps in Class CASA B are turned on, adding a touch of color to the plain winter morning light.
"Every morning, we turn on the lamps to create an aura of warmth for the children," said Aimee Yue, Chinese Teacher of CASA B.
After finishing the morning test, the children line up and enter their classrooms. There is no childish noise and excitement as might be expected. Instead, they proceed in an orderly and quiet manner.
They sit down and have breakfast or go to their favorite work areas, touching things as they move around…
Whatever they choose to do, they stay quiet and focused.
How can such little kids behave so well? "Because our Montessori education provides a relaxing and inspiring environment for them." revealed Campus Director Suly Li with pride.
The Montessori Bilingual Program has been used as a major part of the curriculum at Daystar Academy for nearly 20 years. The lead teachers of Class CASA, both Chinese and foreign, are certified by the American Montessori Society (AMS). Growing up with the support of our professional Montessori education, children feel "love and freedom" to the fullest.
Freedom
Teachers respect kids' decisions because they know that it is best for children to learn and grow at their own pace.
As a result, you can see that students in the same class may have different tasks: some are learning to use math teaching aids, some are playing with letter cards, some are trying to pick up small beads, some are playing with friends, some are working alone, and some are eating snacks…
The things they do are related to different skills—math, language, fine motor skills, or simply just relaxing!
Each child has a unique learning plan, and teachers keep a record of their progress.
Other than necessary demonstrations, teachers don't interfere with the children's "work"—they only provide help or guidance when necessary.
“Can you think of another way to connect these blocks?” 2 kids of CASA C immediately change the way they placed the blocks and express different ways of thinking.
Boundaries
Freedom comes with boundaries, just as love has rules. Character education has long been a Daystar tradition that teaches children through the "Virtues in My Heart" program throughout their years at school. Teachers correct student behavior and use specific, simple instructions to help them understand the virtues.
In a mixed-age Montessori classroom, you will see older kids taking care of younger kids and younger kids learning from the older ones. They respect and cooperate with each other instead of competing against one another.
If a child's behavior needs to be corrected, the teacher will gently admonish the child. The teacher will also affirm children with good behavior to remind other students how they should behave.
The Key
In this way, children at Daystar grow in a free environment with clear boundaries. They build up trust in the world, confidence in themselves, and courage to explore the world around them, all while gaining an understanding of the rules to follow when interacting with others, which is a key opening the children's world.
In addition to "equipping" the children in this way, the teachers also try to create an excellent "work" environment.
The classroom is equipped with professional and classic Montessori teaching aids, including sensorial, math, language, science and culture, and practical life teaching aids, that children can use as they explore in their daily school life. In addition, we have a number of specialized spaces for children, including a library, swimming pool, performance hall, and music classroom.
Education isn't confined to the classroom. Teachers at Daystar strive to extend courses outside the school. For example, children often visit farms and the Song Art Museum and participate in all sorts of kindergarten activities, such as the Harvest Festival, visiting national culture parks, Reading Week…
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At Daystar, teachers inspire the vitality inside each child and encourage them to grow into an independent and confident person with an open mind and a wide range of interests. This educational philosophy is adapted to each child and is extremely meaningful in today's ever-changing world.
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