Preschool Overview

The ÉMIM Preschool is comprised of the Daycare (children 18 months to 3 years) and the Prekindergarten (3-5 years). The Preschool has place for 41 children.

We offer a bilingual, educational program that follows the Montessori Method in conjunction with the regulations of the Ministère de la Famille de Québec (MFQ)

The ratio in the daycare is 1:8 and in the PreK, it is 1:10. At all times, we respect the teacher to student ratio.

All of our educators are qualified and experienced. In each class, we have at least one Francophone and one Anglophone educator. All of our educators have passed criminal background checks and are certified in first aid.

Our Mission

Our goal at the ÉMIM Preschool is provide a safe, healthy and intellectually stimulating environment for all of our students. We aim to support our students in their social, emotional, personal and educational development and in their ability to achieve independence, make decisions and solve problems. As dedicated and passionate educators, we collaborate to provide an environment that encourages children to explore, learn, discover and create in an atmosphere that encourages positive communication between the parents and the school.

Respect

At ÉMIM, we respect each child’s individuality and unique personality. Differences are embraced and we strive to create a learning environment that responds to each child’s individual needs and interests. Children are encouraged to follow their unique path towards independence and our program fosters opportunities for students to reach their full potential in their own way.

Inclusivity

At ÉMIM, we value all cultures, languages, religions and races. We regularly discuss the importance of acceptance and diversity with our students and create an environment that respects people from all over the world. In addition, ÉMIM is a school that welcomes children with varying physical, intellectual and behavioral capabilities. We possess the resources to effectively integrate every student into our individualized program.

Personalized Education

We believe in the founding principles of the Montessori Method. It is an education that is an individualized approach to learning. Didactic, self-correcting materials are made available to the children and it is they who decide with what and for how long they will work. We encourage children to explore with the materials, make decisions and create a unique learning plan that responds to their interests and abilities. Children may choose from a wide variety of Montessori materials from the following specialized areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Geography and Culture, Science, Art and Music.

Freedom, Discipline and Independence

We implement Dr. Montessori’s vision of liberty, in that we believe that the young child’s goal is to become independent in all areas. We give the students countless opportunities during the day to make their own choices, to do things for themselves and to be free from unnecessary restrictions. For example, children are encouraged to use the bathroom on their own, to get dressed, to take care of their belongings, to set the table, use utensils, tidy up the classroom, take care of plants, prepare their own snack and choose their own work. From a very young age, we give our students the tools to function successfully with a minimum of unnecessary adult intervention. Age-appropriate independence is valued at ÉMIM as they learn social and personal skills, how to care for the environment and how to plan their day. Children begin to value school rules and social norms. As a result, children become self-sufficient, self-controlled, calm and disciplined.
Exploration

Young childhood is a time to explore! Not only do we focus on traditional academic skills such as letter and number recognition, working with shapes, colors and form, but we also introduce exciting and interesting activities where the children can create, explore and discover. Children are introduced to different musical instruments, art mediums, cooking, outdoor adventures, field trips, languages and theme units (The Arctic, Dental Health, Canada’s Boreal Forest, Dinosaurs, The Solar System etc.). A variety of art materials are always available to the children and they are free to be creative and artistic. Science experiments offer opportunities for the children to discover new and exciting concepts and the many geography materials help children discover new cultures.

Personal Skills

At ÉMIM, we place great importance on the child’s ability to function effectively in a social setting. Our program helps children to develop important social skills such as sharing, communication, problem-solving taking turns, fairness, cooperation and helping others. We encourage our students, from a very young age, to be good citizens and to treat their classmates as members of their school family. We engage the children in daily discussions on age-appropriate social skills and we are mindful to model effective and ethical behavior in our own interactions with students, parents and colleagues.

Joy
If given the opportunity to explore, to discover, to create and to be independent, young children are able to achieve intense happiness through working. Adults tend to believe that work is hard and exhausting; that young children are too little to sew a button, mop the entire floor or read. On the contrary, freely-chosen work for children is intensely satisfying, interesting and refreshing. At EMIM, we value and embrace our students’ intense desire to learn and to grow. We believe, like Dr. Montessori, that unless it is absolutely necessary to interfere, we should allow each student to follow his or her own path.