Montessori Literacy Initiative

The Challenge

Our nation has a reading problem. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), nearly 65% of U.S. 4th grade students read below grade level.  The reasons are complicated, but at the center of our nation’s literacy crisis is a need for teacher education programs to incorporate research about how we learn to read. Schools must implement that research into their classrooms.

VIEW NAEP’s The Nation’s Report Card

Our Response

Montessori House for Children and Elementary School has embraced the Science of Reading and aligned our Montessori curriculum with research-backed practices through our Literacy Initiative.

    • All K-6 and new elementary students are screened using Acadience Reading, which allows us to identify students who have difficulties with reading.
    • Early childhood classrooms use Heggerty, a phonemic awareness program that teaches children the sounds of English and is an early predictor of reading success.
    • Early childhood guides have completed the AMS Early Childhood Reading Certificate course.
    • Elementary guides have completed the AMS Elementary Reading Certificate, Structured Word Inquiry with Peter Bowers, and a course on how to implement The Writing Revolution in the Montessori environment.
    • Our elementary students receive explicit instruction in reading, spelling, and writing.

    • We provide regular learning opportunities for parents, including monthly Zoom office hours, where reading and writing specialists answer their literacy-related questions.
Montessori Classroom with Teacher/ Guide teaching the children in a semi circle on the floor.
Early Childhood Montessori Classroom with Teacher/Guide instructing a young femal student in the Literacy Program.
Montessori School in Richmond TX

Montessori Literacy Program

AUGUST – MAY (ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR)

Academic Day Program
8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Full Day Program
7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

JUNE – AUGUST (SUMMER PROGRAMS)
10-week Program

We are located in Richmond, TX, just West of Houston, easily within daily driving distance of Katy, Sugar Land, and Fulshear.

Hear From Our Montessori Students