Liberty Prep is a one-of-a-kind institution that brings Maria Montessori's century-old teaching philosophy to Toronto's downtown core. We believe that the environment children learn in is as important as the materials they use, so we handpicked and renovated two truly unique locations that reflect our downtown Toronto neighborhoods' character. Liberty Prep brings the proven Montessori method to the urban Toronto core, filling the gap between traditional education and the skill set necessary to succeed. Reach out to discover what we do differently and how we do it.
The first three years of a child's life are the most formative. Our Toddler room is a nurturing extension of your home, with materials created to meet your child's developmental needs. Our gifted teachers support the toddlers' desire for purposeful activity, focusing on the independence they crave and the development of language and fine/ gross motor skills.
Children 3 to 6 years of age learn by doing. They have a tremendous capacity to absorb information and use their hands to problem solve and master skills through repetition. The Casa class has five learning centers:
- Practical life fosters independence.
- Sensorial materials teach by using all five senses.
- The Montessori Language area turns the abstract world of letters into concrete materials allowing children to read by 3 and 4.
Similarly, our Math area uses concrete materials to facilitate functions into the thousands. Culture combines science, history, geography, music, and art. Our practice of grace and courtesy teaches students compassion and respect for themselves, their friends, and their environment.
At six years of age, children enter a new plane of development to reason and understand abstract ideas is emerging. Building on strong reading, writing, and math skills learned in the Casa classroom; Lower Elementary students excel in an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based environment to discover the "how" and "why" of the world they live in. The mixed-age classroom offers opportunities for cooperation and leadership. Socially LE students begin to find their place outside of the classroom, taking part in their community through outdoor discovery and volunteer work.
The philosophy at Liberty Prep, first and foremost, is based on respect for your child's inner desire to learn and knowledge of her/himself. The Montessori pedagogy was founded on the principle that children are given the freedom to develop at their own pace and choose areas of study that interest them, become adults able to think creatively and with the self-discipline to be successful.
Montessori alumni, including Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales, and Jeff Bezos, the creator of Amazon, credit a Montessori education for their ability to ask the right questions, think analytically, and self-motivated. Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, believes that Montessori schools are doing a better job of teaching and producing independent thinkers than the traditional system. Elon Musk of Tesla, unhappy with his children's private school, has recently opened a school that includes many of Montessori education tenets.
At Liberty Prep, we provide students with the environment necessary to become lifelong learners, confident in their abilities, and passionate about their interests. Our integrated curriculum and inquiry-based teaching methods encourage the development of the whole child, building the critical skills necessary for success and happiness in the future.
College-educated, Montessori trained expert teachers who are committed to our philosophy and method. Our teachers are genuinely passionate about working with children and bring different interests and accomplishments to the students at Liberty Prep. Typically our teachers have at least three years of experience in a classroom, and many have over a decade of Montessori work on their resume. We understand that talented, motivated teachers are critical to delivering on our promise of excellence, so we hire and develop only passionate professionals who enjoy the work they do.
At Liberty Prep, success is a graduate who is academically accomplished, confident, and independent. Who has built on her natural curiosity, discovered and explored his interests, and has taken the first step toward becoming a lifelong learner and a world citizen.
