Princeton Montessori School offers many choices of enriching after school Clubs for students enrolled in third year Primary through Middle School. Each club is designed to offer an engaging experience and provide opportunities for growth outside the classroom, and is taught within the framework of Montessori philosophy. Students meet weekly from September through May, with the exception of BookEnds and “First Friday” social club, which each meet six times throughout the year.
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This year’s club offerings include Science Seeds, French Language and Culture, Art & Nature, Tae Kwon Do, Rock Band, Ukulele, Chess, Debate, Bookends, Sports, Chinese Language and Culture, Creative Paper & Art, and “First Friday” Social Club.
Here is a brief synopsis of this year’s club offerings:
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Science Seeds is a science enrichment program that seeks to motivate and engage young minds, encourage out-of-the-box thinking and promote the natural acquisition of a scientific vocabulary. This club runs year-long and is split into three trimesters. Science Seeds for Upper Elementary students consists of Intro to Electronics (fall), Fun with Robotics (winter), and Computer Animation (spring). Science Seeds for Primary Third-Level & Lower Elementary consists of Art & Science (fall), Fun with Physics (winter), and The Big Science Tour (spring).
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Students will learn Chinese Culture through hands-on activities with Ms. Zhang, Primary teacher. Learning another language has multiple benefits for cognitive and social development, as well as cultivating students’ interests in a foreign culture and their understanding and acceptance of differences. Beginning foreign language students want to feel, touch, smell, and see the culture and not just hear the language.
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In French Language & Culture Club students learn through games, rhymes, songs and stories in a child-friendly, immersion-based environment, taught by Ms. Sabuhi, Primary teacher and native French speaker. The goals of the program are to accustom children to the sounds and rhythm of the French language, introduce basic vocabulary for everyday conversation and motivate the children to communicate in French and explore French culture.
In Art & Nature Club children learn drawing techniques, keep a nature sketchbook, and also complete large-scale drawings. They use our beautiful school landscape for outdoor real-life drawing opportunities. Barbara Houze is the instructor.
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Taekwondo is instructed by experienced masters and instructors from Ahn’s Taekwondo Academy. Emphasis is not on competition against other people; rather, students are challenged to improve their own skills at their own pace.
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Rock Band is designed for enthusiastic rock band performers. This program, instructed by Mr. Mitnick, is an opportunity for students to explore the entire process of staging a full rock show: selecting material, creating transcriptions, arranging charts, rehearsing with a band and performing on stage.
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In Ukulele Club students learn the fundamentals of playing the ukulele. Playing the ukulele is not only fun, but it helps develop hand and eye coordination and improves fine motor skills. In this club, children will learn how to independently move their fingers, coordinate rhythm, and read ukulele tabs. Alex Mitnick is the instructor.
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Chess club explores basic rules and etiquette of the game, how to win with grace and lose with dignity, the correlation between chess and math, thinking logic and reasoning methodology as well as chess strategies and planning. Taught by Princeton Chess Academy instructor.
Debate Club, for Middle School students, not only teaches a person how to win an argument, but promotes essential life skills such as public speaking, confidence, organization, and critical thinking. These are qualities that help children to succeed in high school and beyond. Students will learn the fundamentals of debate. Instructor from the TCNJ Debate Club.
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BookEnds is a Parent/Child reading club which meets monthly. By reading books and discussing them together, parents share a special time with their child while helping to develop a love of reading and important language and literacy skills. Instructors are Michelle Morrison and Gwen Shangle.
Sports Club focuses on learning the fundamentals of a sport with time for practice and play. In the fall, Soccer Shots will present the fundamentals of soccer. The winter will be hosted by Court Vision to teach fundamentals of basketball, and the spring will conclude with archery and cricket.
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“First Fridays” Social Outings – On the first Friday of each month Middle School students have social club! Destinations may include bowling, corn maze, ice skating, roller skating, movie, laser tag, archery or some other creative destination! Chris Scheid chaperones each outing which includes transportation to and from school, as well as dinner.
