• The Toddler Program, for children ages 18-36mo is designed to assist the child in taking important first steps away from home into a nurturing, supportive and stimulating school environment. Children develop independence and respect for others, as well as acquire sensory, motor, practical life, language, pre-reading and -math skills.

  • In our Dual-Language Primary program 3-6 year-old students work cooperatively and independently in the prepared environment. Our traditional Montessori curriculum includes language skills, mathematics, reading and writing, geography, science, and culture. Beyond these focus areas, children are encouraged to become increasingly independent and active participants in the learning process.

  • Our Dual Language Lower Elementary program is a 1st-3rd grade model Montessori classroom spread across classrooms, labs, libraries and studios. Here, our children continue developing their voices, their leadership traits, their comfort with group dynamics and hone problem solving skills.

  • In our Upper Elementary classroom (4th-6th grades), content is not presented in “course subject” form; instead, ideas and concepts are explored across the breadth and to the depth demanded by the child. Social development takes on a more prominent development at this age. Individual morals and values are further established, particularly within the framework of peers. The sense of self is expanded beyond personal experience. Abstract experiencing through literature, arts, etc. further develops and can modify the child’s sense of self. Decision-making skills and problem-solving skills are self-tested, and success is qualified as learning from both the positive and negative experiences of life.

  • The Middle School Program blends our dynamic Montessori curriculum into the IB Middle Years Program (IB MYP) in service of students who are in a crucial period of personal, social, physical and intellectual development.  During this time of uncertainty and of questioning their place in the world, the melding of the Montessori philosophy with the discipline of the IB MYP is designed to nurture their curiosity and eagerness to learn, identify the gifts that make them unique and help them to find a sense of belonging in the ever changing, increasingly complex and interrelated world around them.

  • Come enjoy a summer amongst friends, parks and, the sun with us at C'E Montessori. Our offerings for summer camps this year center around being constantly outdoors, enjoying our neighborhood, picnicking in our green spaces and having a blast with friends. Children between 2 and 12 years old can now sign up and choose from different camp options.

toddlers

“The last few months have been truly amazing, I would have never imagined the independence that could develop so quickly, I was surprised that he was ready to do so much on his own”

- Clément (father to Jasper)

C’E NIDO

Independence and love for learning.

The Nido Program, for children ages 18-36mo is designed to assist the child in taking important first steps away from home into a nurturing, supportive and stimulating school environment. Children develop independence and respect for others, as well as acquire sensory, motor, practical life, language, pre-reading and pre-math skills.

Within the Toddler Room, the toddler-sized furniture, as well as the specially designed Montessori materials for this age group, provide an environment young children can explore with a sense of mastery. Activities are designed to promote self-care, develop gross and fine motor skills, foster increasing concentration and ability to absorb and follow multi-step directions and to develop social skills.

Young students learn to work independently in the classroom, taking materials from the shelves, completing the steps of their work and then returning the materials to the shelves.  As they progress through the year, they begin to work collaboratively with friends and teachers.

THE TODDLER TEAM

  • Kim graduated from Queens College with a BA In Sociology focused on the Modern Urban Community. She has been at C'E for the past three years, and has been a trained Montessori teacher and a Lead in the Toddler classroom for the last two. She grew up a star volleyball player for her high school and college and brings lessons, warm-ups and games learned during that experience into our Toddler classroom and Extended Care program. She had previously worked helping children in Corona, Queens as part of a foundation called STACKS run by the New York City Public Libraries to bring more children into the library community through fun after school activities and tutoring programs. She is (proudly) from Queens originally and has lived in and around New York City all of her life, her roots and extended family are from Ecuador. She is C'E's go-to teacher for training new staff in having fun on the playground.

  • Johanna was born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She's seen this community change quite a bit which makes one of her goals while at C'E to connect the school with the community she grew up in. She believes we are all one and hopes to honor this oneness - enjoying the ebbs and flows of the Toddler classroom communities that she helps create and guide. She is daughter to two Dominican immigrants, and the first generation of her family born in the US. Growing up, she attended public school in the neighborhood. In the traditional school system she would often imagine and create a dream school in her head, only to find out several years later that her imaginary school is very much like C'E Montessori, a school that she has helped create and grow. Johanna graduated from FIT with a degree in textiles which led her down a path of teaching and Montessori, focused on the tactile, sensorial and fine motor skills work with hands. She earned her AMA Montessori training credentials for Primary in 2021. She has a rabbit, Kumbha and has scored a touchdown at MetLife stadium.

  • Norma has been a foundational part of the C'E Montessori school community since 2017. She was born and raised in our neighborhood before moving to the Lower East Side as an adult to attend Touro College for an Elementary Education degree and start a family. In the classroom she brings a loving, tender family feel to children sometimes experiencing their first time away from home and is a great asset in bridging that gap for the Toddler classroom. She loves to sing and is a talented musician, she does so each week in the classroom and every weekend at her church. Norma is a beloved mainstay of our community and an important support to our staff and children.

primary

C’E CASA

Communities of Excellence and Change.

Our Casa Program welcomes children between 3 to 6 years of age. It is in the Primary classroom that children become the centered, motivated, focused learners that they will be for the rest of their lives.  Maria Montessori called this process “normalization”:  She believed that the natural (or “normal”) state of the child is that of an eager learner.  Through observation and experimentation, she developed an early childhood program and curriculum that maintains and encourages this state.  Modern educational research supports Montessori’s work:  A learning environment that provides order, encourages exploration, permits movement, encourages choice, allows for pursuit of interests, provides manipulatives for learning, avoids extrinsic rewards and is socially interactive provides superior educational outcomes.

“3 years later we still talk all the time about why choosing this for our child has been the best decision we could have made. Bottom line is : C’E has soul!”

Aurelie + Maurice

THE PRIMARY TEAM

  • Victoria is from Argentina and first came to C'E Montessori as a visiting teacher for a Spanish immersion experience through music. She is an artist first, a proud graduate from AMDA Integrated Conservatory in NYC after training at the Fundación Julio Bocca in Buenos Aires. She sings, dances and acts through each one of her days at C'E Montessori and outside of school in performances at Teatro Sea, LATEA and Cuchame theatre among others. She has been an important part of school for the past four years, and in 2020 decided to complete her Montessori training and take on a Lead Teacher role in one of our Primary classrooms. Victoria injects artistic flair into everything she does, nap-time included, but most notably plans, designs and runs the C'E Montessori Winter Concert. This yearly December event is the culmination of the fall semester and a great way for children at our school to take on different responsibilities and roles in developing voice and stage presence.

  • Kaylin was born and raised outside of Charlotte, North Carolina where they went to school at UNC-Charlotte and began her teaching and yoga careers. They worked as a Lead teacher and as an Assistant Director of a Reggio Preschool before deciding to pack up and move to New York City. She is a passionate yogi, she is trained to be a yoga teacher and uses that training every day in the Primary classroom. They are AMA-Montessori trained and certified and have been teaching since 2019. Kaylin is at home taking care of the world around her - they are the second oldest of five siblings, has two sweet cats, and 27 houseplants.

  • Tori graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2020 with a degree in Human Development and Family studies, concentrating in Early Childhood Education and received her Early Childhood Teaching Certification. Since then she has experienced working in various schools and settings from leading a 3's classroom in Chelsea to a Montessori Lower Elementary in her hometown in North Jersey. She has a big family with many siblings, step-siblings, rabbits, cats and dogs and spent most of COVID lockdown quarantining with all of them under one roof and enjoyed getting to know them all even better. She received her Montessori AMA training certificate for 3-6 in 2022 and has been a Casa guide since.

  • Ginny arrived at C'E from a small Forest Reggio Preschool in South Brooklyn where she was completely in charge of an outdoor curriculum for a group of 15 preschoolers.

    At C'E she has worked as Lead Primary Guide, Curriculum Director for Food and Gardening, and now Director of Early Childhood and our 4 Primary classrooms. She is from North Mass and lived and taught in Seattle before settling into Brooklyn and our school. She loves to cook and garden, she moved to New York City in 2018 together with her four best friends.

lower elementary

LOWER ELEMENTARY

The Great Lessons.

Our Lower Elementary program includes 1st to 3rd graders. In this classroom, students continue to have free rein to explore based on the 3-hour uninterrupted work cycle. The curriculum becomes broader and the accountability stakes are raised. Children in Montessori Elementary independently design and follow a work plan each day, documenting their own progress with their teacher's support. Children now begin to manage their time, checking off weekly practice work, exploring different paths through the curriculum, and creating impressive projects of their own.

Our Elementary classroom is specifically designed to meet the learning and developmental needs of our children. Math, language, science, geography, history, music and art are all introduced as part of the great breadth and depth of the human experience. Working in small groups with specially created Montessori materials, elementary-aged children develop a deep understanding of fundamental concepts in each of these subject areas. As the child becomes increasingly able to work on an abstract level, reading, writing and math become tools for learning about the world. Above all, the curriculum in the elementary years is designed to capture the imagination of the child and engender a lifelong love of learning.

THE CLASSROOM

Our Dual Language Elementary program is a 1st-3rd grade model Montessori classroom spread across a giant classroom, along with a separate library, tech lab and studio space.

GREAT LESSONS

The Great Lessons are an important and unique part of the Lower Elementary Montessori curriculum. These lessons are bold, exciting, and are designed to awaken a child's imagination and curiosity. The child should be struck with the wonder of creation, thrilled with new ideas, and awed by the inventiveness and innovation that is part of the human spirit.

The Five Great Lessons are traditionally presented in Lower Elementary, and are presented every year so that children see them more than one time. Each year that the lessons are presented they know more, they excitedly wait for the moments that will impress their new, younger classmates - they begin to own the story of knowledge that we all share.

Unlike the Primary environment, where the child is introduced first to "small" ideas that gradually widen into larger concepts, the elementary child is introduced right away to large concepts - the largest of all being the beginning of the universe. Then they can be shown how all the smaller ideas fit into the larger framework.

OUR ADVISORS

Advisors in the Lower and Upper Elementary programs serve as a critical link between home and school. Each student is paired with an advisor and usually remains with that person for the duration of their time in the program. Advisors maintain a big picture view on their advisee's social, emotional, and academic experience and serve as the first point of contact for families when questions about school arise. During the Elementary cycle, advisors and students form a bond that sets the foundation for learning and growth.

The teaching team embraces their responsibility to educate the whole child as they meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of each of their students. They provide an environment where children are engaged in their education, feel safe to learn, and are able to communicate their needs and feelings with the teaching staff and their peers. The ultimate goal is for students to have the skills they need to be successful when they leave the environment.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The Lower Elementary program is highlighted by special events that frame the school year for its students. These events occur annually and present opportunities for children to put their talents to work at a different scale.

The Arts Festival is a whole community event showcasing the talents of children from the Toddler classroom up into the Elementary. Process over product, the entire collective effort and each piece is celebrated at this beautiful spring event.

Each year students compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee where a group of qualifiers is selected at the school-wide bee and continue on to the New York City event.

The First Lego League is a coding and robotics competition and celebration where elementary students program lego-based robots to solve problems and accomplish tasks in a makeshift world. The competition is both regional and worldwide - children proudly take their robots to events throughout the city.

At the Winter Concert every child at school participates in the telling of one of Maria Montessori's 'Great Lessons' using their musical skills, instruments, dance, and theatricality.

C'E's Spanish Spring Musical affords elementary program students the chance and venue to perform a musical entirely in Spanish. This yearly celebration and culmination of the Spanish program is led by a team of musicians and choreographers.

LOWER ELEMENTARY TEAM

  • Ashton is a Lead Elementary teacher. They are responsible for the Math and Science curriculum in our Elementary school and its alignment with the cultural curriculum in our Primary program. Like many other Montessori Elementary programs, C’E Montessori does not include screens in the 1st-4th grade classroom. Ashton has used different resources like Cubetto and First Lego League to ensure that children at C’E Montessori are coding and experimenting with robotics as early as Kindergarten. They use and develop a problem solving curriculum featuring the design cycle to constantly challenge students to ask questions, find problems, hypothesize, test, and try to come up with solutions to every kind of problem on a daily basis. They are originally from Alabama, where they graduated as an Elementary Level teacher at Auburn, and has lived and taught in New York City now for three years.

  • Julia is an artist and Montessori educator that began her journey in Montessori at two years old. She was in a 2-5 Primary classroom in New Hampshire and never forgot the joy she felt discovering her artistic and language talents. She is AMA Montessori Elementary trained for Lower and Upper elementary classrooms. At Wesleyan where she graduated with a degree in Political Theory, she began to work with the services bureau of Connecticut where she observed the vital role of schools and support for early childhood education in creating a path for better mental health and physical health outcomes for children and overall quality of life for the whole community. After graduating, she immersed herself full time in teaching, working abroad in Reims and back here in Brooklyn. Julia is a collage artist and her work is proudly on display here at C'E as well as galleries around Brooklyn. You'll be happy to know that her interest in history and politics comes from her youth in New Hampshire spent acting as a period piece personality to recreate important moments from the past at her local history museum.

upper elementary

UPPER ELEMENTARY

The Great Works.

In the upper elementary classroom (4th-6th), content is not presented in “course subject” form; instead, ideas and concepts are explored across the breadth and to the depth demanded by the child. Thus, education is more about experiencing and relationships than dissemination of isolated facts from a pre-selected course of study. The senses are engaged whenever possible, aiding in the child’s natural capacity to learn.

In the natural order of development, the child is now more capable of understanding the abstract and visionary elements of life. Thus, in the upper elementary, the child is further transitioning from concrete to abstract appreciation of life. The educational process continues to follow the child through its inherent flexibility and adaptability. The teacher remains the facilitator or guide, assessing and then challenging the child’s natural curiosity.

Social development takes on a more prominent development at this age. Individual morals and values are further established, particularly within the framework of peers. The sense of self is expanded beyond personal experience. Abstract experiencing through literature, arts, etc. further develops and can modify the child’s sense of self. Decision-making skills and problem-solving skills are self-tested, and success is qualified as learning from both the positive and negative experiences of life.

Grade-Level Lessons

Children at this age want to know why the Universe is as it is, how it came to be that way, and are ready to dig into a deeper layer of understanding. Lessons are meant to answer those questions, develop the critical-thinking habits to find their own answers, and to spark curiosity. Most lessons are taught in groups by grade level, and some have multi-age groupings. These follow a consistent weekly schedule and last approximately 45 minutes. Assignments are given that need to be completed by that lesson the next week. Teachers have lessons with all students all three years which helps build community, facilitate learning, and strengthen teaching teams.

Work Time/Assignments

When students are not in direct lessons, they have work time to choose what assignments to work on and plan their day. The consistent schedule allows children to learn how to manage their time, ask questions of teachers one-on-one, work with peers, and build strong executive functioning skills. Freedom of movement and choice are part of every day. This empowers children to take ownership of their education and build strong work habits. 

Accommodating Different Skills/Interests

Our goal is to set children up for success, challenge them to build new skills and knowledge, and to help them build confidence and competency in many areas of study. There are accommodations made on assignments for children with an individual plan. There are learning extensions that are available for students particularly interested in a subject area. Those learning extension ideas might come from the teacher, from the materials on the shelves, or from the student. We strive to challenge and foster creativity and a continued love of learning.

COMPLETING THE CYCLE

Concrete to Abstract

Montessori materials and curriculum are the foundation of all TNSM programs. Students work with hands-on materials to help integrate new concepts on a deep level, though they move to abstraction more quickly at this age. The (9-12) program also pulls in resources from many outside sources and introduces students to technology- typing, Microsoft Office, and Google. 

Senior Project

This is a capstone year long research project each 6th grader completes. They choose a topic, spend months researching, write a 10-35 page paper, and become experts on their topic. This work culminates in a formal presentation to a large public audience where they present their topic in a 3-7 minute speech along with their PowerPoint presentation. Some past topics: Sharks, Google, Alfred Hitchcock, Quantum Physics, Galapagos Islands, Neil deGrasse Tyson, History of Baseball, The Simpsons, and so much more! They work through this project with one-on-one editorial support from their homeroom teacher. They receive individualized writing lessons and are ready for any research writing project they will encounter in the future. It has been wonderful to hear from so many alumni who have entered professions as adults that directly relate to their Senior Project topics.

Standardized Testing

All (9-12) students take one standardized test each year. This serves as another type of assessment for teachers, but is primarily practical life practice with test-taking skills. We use NWEA’s MAPS Growth test which are nationally-used, standardized tests. 

UPPER ELEMENTARY TEAM

  • Hanane Zayer has been at C'E Montessori for four years and is our Head of School. Her work centers around maintaining a top-tier Primary and Elementary program while creating cohesion through the curriculum and in our Montessori practice. She supports our teaching staff in developing curriculum and creating the best possible study paths for children at our school. She drives social initiatives at our school. In this, Hanane works hard in creating and maintaining a school environment that is inclusive to all children, teachers and people and works with our neighborhood and communities to partner for the good of the community at large. She organizes our yearly STEM Fair, inviting schools in Williamsburg, and Montessori schools beyond to participate in the event. She also coordinates our school spelling bee and prepares us to compete each year in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She was born and raised in Queens and her family comes from Morocco. She is an experienced Elementary trained Montessori teacher but has also worked at more traditional schools in NYC and in Charlotte, NC. She loves cartoons, board-games, rugby and gardening.

  • Ashton is a Lead Elementary teacher. They are responsible for the Math and Science curriculum in our Elementary school and its alignment with the cultural curriculum in our Primary program. Like many other Montessori Elementary programs, C’E Montessori does not include screens in the 1st-4th grade classroom. Ashton has used different resources like Cubetto and First Lego League to ensure that children at C’E Montessori are coding and experimenting with robotics as early as Kindergarten. They use and develop a problem solving curriculum featuring the design cycle to constantly challenge students to ask questions, find problems, hypothesize, test, and try to come up with solutions to every kind of problem on a daily basis. They are originally from Alabama, where they graduated as an Elementary Level teacher at Auburn, and has lived and taught in New York City now for three years.

IB middle school

C’E LAB

A blue ribbon ending and a new beginning.

C'E Montessori is an International Baccalaureate World School authorized to offer the prestigious IB Middle Years Program (IB MYP), a rigorous framework designed to foster academic growth and personal development in middle school students.

Our Middle School Program seamlessly integrates the Montessori philosophy with the IB MYP, creating an environment that supports students through one of the most transformative stages of their lives. During these pivotal years, when students are exploring their identity and seeking their place in the world, C'E Montessori encourages them to embrace their curiosity, recognize their unique strengths, and develop a deep sense of belonging within an increasingly interconnected and complex global community.

The IB MYP offers a structure that challenges students to see the connections between academic subjects and the real world, preparing them to navigate an information-rich, rapidly changing society. In today's world, where access to information is ubiquitous, it's no longer enough to memorize facts for a test. At C'E Montessori, we believe in nurturing critical thinking: teaching students how to analyze problems, filter and synthesize information, and make well-informed, evidence-based decisions. More importantly, we empower them to take action with confidence and competence.

summer at c’e

Come enjoy a summer amongst friends, parks and, the sun with us at C'E Montessori. Our offerings for summer camps this year center around being constantly outdoors, enjoying our neighborhood, picnicking in our green spaces and having a blast with friends. Children between 2 and 12 years old can now sign up and choose from different camp options.

Month-long camps (July and/or August) include adventures in our neighborhood parks, making jewelry, ultimate frisbee, Wicked the Montessori Musical and more. All camps are designed to take advantage of being able to spend a whole two months outdoors.

We are Montessorians first and foremost, but do not expect Montessori materials or sequential lessons during our camp months. Instead, teacher-made materials will be available relying still on small group lessons and a work cycle and independent time for children to explore materials that are more thematic and less academic in nature. An interesting introduction to the Montessori work flow for your children.

For Enrollment, Email Completed Form : admissions@montessoribrooklyn.com

the arts at c’e

ARTS FESTIVAL

The C'E Annual Spring Arts Festival celebrates the talents and effort of children, parents, and staff in the school community. The Saturday morning event is a culmination of artwork created throughout the year and curated by teachers and an elementary student committee.

WINTER CONCERT

At the winter concert, students choose one of the five 'great lessons' from the elementary Montessori curriculum and bring it to life through music. Every child at school participates in this song, performance and dance collaboration presented to parents and guests each December. Children taking piano and ukulele lessons through school also have the opportunity to perform in front of their peers.

PRIMAVERA MUSICAL

Under the leadership of musical theater educator and artist Victoria Raigorodsky students take the stage each spring for a Spanish language performance. The musical is prepared throughout the year in a dedicated class led by Victoria and visiting artists who share their love for Latin-American and Spanish dance, children's theater and highlighting different Latin music.

Watch our latest Primavera Musical.

  • Victoria is from Argentina and first came to C'E Montessori as a visiting teacher for a Spanish immersion experience through music. She is an artist first, a proud graduate from AMDA Integrated Conservatory in NYC after training at the Fundación Julio Bocca in Buenos Aires. She sings, dances and acts through each one of her days at C'E Montessori and outside of school in performances at Teatro Sea, LATEA and Cuchame theatre among others. She has been an important part of school for the past four years, and in 2020 decided to complete her Montessori training and take on a Lead Teacher role in one of our Primary classrooms. Victoria injects artistic flair into everything she does, nap-time included, but most notably plans, designs and runs the C'E Montessori Winter Concert. This yearly December event is the culmination of the fall semester and a great way for children at our school to take on different responsibilities and roles in developing voice and stage presence.