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Founded in 1986, Anami Montessori School offers a thorough educational and developmental program for children ages three to twelve. The school serves about 80 students annually. It is supported by tuition income as well as charitable gifts. Minority children comprise about 30% of our school’s total enrollment. Several countries are represented among presently-enrolled families. We welcome all students regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender or disability.
School History
Prior to founding Anami Montessori School in 1986, Joan Horlbeck (a graduate of St. Lawrence University with a BA in English) was trained at AMI’s Washington Montessori Institute. After 22 years teaching in Montessori elementary classes, she presently directs the school full time.
In 1994, Anami moved into its present home at 2901 Archdale Drive in the SouthPark area of Charlotte. Backing onto the 120-acre Park Road County Park, the building houses three spacious classrooms (two primary and one elementary class), and the school office. Its outdoor environment includes a deck for each classroom, playground, children’s gardens, a wooded area and grassy hillside.
Goals and Mission Statement
Anami Montessori School’s aim is to provide a quality educational program to aid the natural development of the child’s physical, emotional, intellectual and social personality. The school’s goal is the construction of a fully integrated human being who will ultimately be able to happily and effectively contribute to society. Our means of accomplishing these goals includes emphasis on encouragement, respect for the individual, individual choice and personal responsibility
The mission of Anami Montessori School, recognized by the Association of Montessori International, is to provide an exceptional Montessori environment designed in accordance with the developmental characteristics and needs of children; and to aid, nourish, and guide the natural development of each child - physically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
Philosophy
An important aspect of the Montessori philosophy is that within each child is the person he will become. In order to develop the child’s fullest potential (physically, intellectually and emotionally), he must have freedom. This comes through order and self-discipline.
Montessori education succeeds because it is based on the principles of the natural development of the child. The method meets the needs of the individual, regardless of the child’s learning style, social maturity or ability. Each Montessori classroom is a prepared environment (with carefully arranged sequential learning materials) where children are free to exercise their natural drive to work and learn. Their natural love of learning is encouraged by providing them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, meaningful activities under the guidance of a trained adult. It is through their work with the materials that the children develop concentration, motivation, persistence and self-discipline.
The mixed ages and diverse backgrounds of the children in both the primary class (for 3-6 year olds) and the elementary class (6-12 year olds) allow for individual and social development. The more experienced children share what they have learned with those newer to the class.
The Montessori teacher, a guide and observer, has the goal of intervening less and less as a child develops. She helps promote self-confidence and self-discipline through encouraging the child and building an atmosphere of calm, order and joy in learning. The teacher is more active with the younger children at each level, showing them the use of the materials and presenting activities based on an individual assessment of each child. The teacher develops an understanding of when to observe and when to intervene during a rigorous, specialized course of training at one of the AMI training centers (located in the United States and throughout the world).
The Montessori child is free to learn because he has acquired an inner discipline of concentration, thoroughness and perseverance from exposure to order. The groundwork for a lifetime of confident, joyful and interested learning is laid as the child develops social and intellectual discipline.
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