Our School
At South Coast Montessori, we believe in fostering the child's love of learning.
Our beautiful campus features wonderful indoor and outdoor classroom environments, where children are encouraged to move freely within the environment, following their own unique interests and curiosity. Offering programs for children 3 month to 12 years, we operate a rolling enrollment year round and invite you to
apply at any time.
Our mission
South Coast Montessori is dedicated to the principles of AMI (Association Montessori International) created by Maria Montessori to ensure authenticity of the method. Our Montessori environments foster collaboration, community and peace, and provide experiences that promote curiosity, inquiry and engagement. We are dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs of each student.
Our philosophy
At the heart of SCM is our adherence to authentic Montessori methodology as developed by Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago.
We recognize that childhood is the time when children are exploring the world and gathering impressions that will be the foundation of all later learning. Dr. Montessori observed that young children have very specific needs:
- The need for an ordered, inspiring and loving environment
- The need to do things for and by themselves
- The need for respect as capable, independent workers
- The need for their intelligence to be honored in the materials they use
- The need for a purposeful conclusion to their work
- The need for a group of peers with which they can collaborate and an environment to which they can contribute
Our classrooms are designed to best meet these needs in order to develop the full potential of each and every one of our students.
Our goal is to help children develop
- Independence through purposeful work
- Initiative through intelligent free choice of activity
- Age-appropriate maturity and the opportunity for leadership in a mixed-age classroom
- Self-confidence achieved through engaging with challenging activities
- Self-esteem from being part of a safe and loving atmosphere
- Social growth through nurturing participation in a dynamic group setting
- Comprehensive academic skills through carefully guided engagement with Montessori materials
Our teachers strive to provide a supportive and individualized environment where the child is free to develop and learn at their own pace. Our child-centered approach has been proven to create confident, independent children who develop a lifetime love of learning.
“We began our time at South Coast Montessori in the infant program where the teachers provided a nurturing environment for my child to grow. We choose to continue her educational experience at SCM and she has now joined the primary classroom."
School Parent
"The BEST authentic Montessori program in all of Santa Barbara, CA. For the past 6 years, watching my children fly and thrive at SCM has been nothing short of remarkable!"
School Parent
"We felt comforted sending our children to a place where we knew they were loved and respected and watched in amazement as they experienced explosions in learning and development under the stewardship of the skillful teachers."
