Maria Montessori: The Extraordinary Journey from Medicine to Revolutionizing Education
Life and legacy of Maria Montessori, a trailblazer who transformed education and shaped the future of learning worldwide.
About Our School
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Our Story
The school where
you would have loved
to grow up
Starting with a big dream and a small group of children, Granada International Montessori School has been growing since 2015 with the aim of providing a quality education that nurtures children’s spirit and innate love of learning.
We believe that each person has the potential to achieve success with the right guidance- Accordingly, we have developed an educational program which addresses the intellectual, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the child.
The child is at the heart of this school. Therefore, we work to support them as citizens of the community and the world, following their natural development and needs.
We are family
It all began with a family who wanted to offer a different educational model for their children.
Today, our Montessori school has grown to encompass a professional team committed to provide a quality education while maintaining a family spirit.
Our goal
is TO EMPOWER CHILDREN
Granada International Montessori School is a private school for children aged 3 to 12.
In an effort to educate the whole child and to inspire children to be caring, socially responsible participants in their community and their world, we have carefully prepared the environment to be rich in diversity and supportive of the developing child.
VIRTUAL VISIT IN 3D
Our Vision
A bright future
We encourage our students to cultivate curiosity and acquire skills for academic success.
Montessori Education
Our educators are fully trained as Montessori teachers and assistants.
Natural Playground
Children enjoy a beautiful natural playground where they grow their own vegetables, play in soft sand, and use music installations and wooden structures.
Home-made Food
Our freshly made lunches have a vegetarian option, and change frequently to adapt to seasonal local produce.
Bilingualism
Our main curriculum is in English language, and we also teach Spanish language and culture.
WE HAVE A DREAM
Mission Statement
The mission of GIMS is to provide a holistic education to students of diverse cultures in a prepared environment, inaccordance with the principles of Montessori pedagogy: maintaining their innate love of learning, promoting independent thinking and fostering a constructive and respectful attitude.
GRADUATE PROFILE
Our students
We strive for GIMS graduates to be:
- Autonomous: Think and act independently
- Flexible: Have an open-minded attitude; able to adapt
- Knowledgeable: Have self-knowledge; and a depth and breadth of knowledge and skills across all curricular areas
- Adventurous: Be proactive explorers with a creative spirit; willing to take risks
- Collaborative: Be team players, with fellowship, and have a positive attitude in group activities
- Caring: Show compassion, empathy, and respect for others, for all living things, and for their physical environment, on both a local and global scale
- Self-disciplined: Be self-aware, have self-control, perseverance and self-motivation
- Bilingual communicators: Can communicate effectively in both English and Spanish
- Lifelong learners: Have a growth mindset and love of learning
- Responsible: Take responsibility for their actions and look after themselves, their fellow citizens and their environments, both locally and globally.
Our Core Values
A joyful childhood
At our Montessori school, we encourage our students to cultivate curiosity and acquire skills for academic success.
Children learn best when secure and motivated
As a result, at GIMS, students:
- are treated with respect;
- are given opportunities to choose, in an environment with clear guidelines;
- can explore an inspiring, prepared environment;
- experience a peaceful environment, mutual respect, with purposeful activity and an absence of fear, shame or guilt.
Children deserve a holistic education
Thus, at GIMS, we offre an education covering all aspects of their development (academic, socio-emotional, physical, spiritual)
- ACADEMIC: A rigorous, evidence-based curriculum, based on observation of the development of the child.
- SPIRITUAL: Aesthetics (clean, ordered, well-maintained learning environment), contact with nature (vegetable garden, plants, field trips), service learning (learning to help others, Practical Life, mixed-age groups),
- SOCIO-EMOTIONAL: Mixed-age classes, interaction, collaboration, mindfulness, assemblies, peace education.
- PHYSICAL: Movement (freedom to move in the classroom, outdoor games), alternative seating arrangements, outdoor facilities (safe play areas with a variety of equipment).
Children learn by doing and from modelled behaviour and attitudes
Therefore, GIMS Guides and Assistants:
- are trained in Montessori Pedagogy;
- treat children with respect;
- transmit peace;
- undergo continual professional and personal development.
GIMS parents have access to:
- Montessori training courses;
- personal growth or childrearing courses aligned with Montessori philosophy;
- regular parent education sessions.
GIMS students:
- experience an active education and are protagonists in their learning;
- engage with appropriate educational materials;
- learn in mixed-age classrooms;
- experience some consistency between home and school.
A bilingual or multilingual education
Consequently, our Montessori school offers an education that helps children appreciate and embrace diversity, improving their understanding of other cultures, thus helping to inculcate peace; and improves mental health and confidence. GIMS students:
- are given lessons in both English and Spanish;
- have access to both English and Spanish educational materials;
- celebrate the diverse cultures of GIMS families.
Facilities
We care for every detail
Because the secret is in the environment
Granada International Montessori School provides a stimulating educational space designed to foster a love of learning and an enthusiasm for continued educational growth.
Children have the materials at their reach, available for use, and allow them a high degree of independence in their work. This goes hand in hand with our philosophy of freedom within limits.
The mixed age environment provides a unique opportunity for them to learn from each other. In other words, children learn and develop at their own pace within a classroom that offers various levels of complexity.
Each of the classrooms is designed to provide an engaging, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate environment for their age group. For instance, the furniture is adapted to the height of each group. Each class offers a wide variety of workspaces, on the tables, rugs and floor.
There are parts of the classroom that are spacious and open, allowing large-scale work to be carried out, as well as encouraging group activities and movement. Therefore, to satisfy the need for order, each classroom is divided into work areas according to the materials found there: language, sensorial, mathematics, practical life...
The outdoor space is equipped with gardens, play areas, and a vegetable garden, carefully designed to meet the physical and social needs of the children.
A Seamless Montessori Journey
Our Collaboration with Montessori Community Granada
We are proud to announce our collaboration with Montessori Community Granada, a beautiful childcare center catering to children aged 0 to 3.
This partnership underscores our commitment to providing a seamless educational journey from early childhood up to secondary school, fostering a holistic Montessori approach to learning and development.
Together, we aim to create a nurturing and supportive environment for your child’s growth and exploration, ensuring a strong foundation for their future.
OUR TEAM
The people behind the project
Our team is committed to providing the best educational environment for your child.
For us, Montessori is a way of life; it extends beyond the Montessori materials and classroom. It is something that defines and permeates the whole of our Montessori school community
Rafael Román
Founder of GIMS, Management Team, Pedagogical Support.
Olga Hernando
Founder of GIMS, Management Team, Team Coach.
Marta González
Business Manager, Management Team, Administration.
Candice McKinnon
Pedagogical Coordinator and Upper Elementary Lead Montessori Guide.
Marisa Palacios
Secretary.
Eloise Katts
Lower Elementary Lead Montessori Guide.
José Cuadros
Lower Elementary Assistant teacher. Spanish Language and Culture teacher. Music and Physical Education Teacher.
Íria Rodríguez
Children's House Lead Montessori Guide.
Almudena López
Children’s House Assistant Montessori Teacher. Spanish Language and Art Teacher.
Ruth Expósito Harris
Upper Elementary Assistant Teacher, Physical Education and Art Teacher. Children's House English Teacher.
Carmen Garrido
Upper Elementary Assistant.
Alejandro Montoya
Before-school Club.
Roberto Nuevo
Maintenance.
Carmen Guerra
Special Educational Needs Support.
Ana López Villegas
Psychologist.
Zoulikha Attou
Cooking.
Nadia Sassa
Cleaning.
Silvia Barcos
Cleaning.
TBD
Student teacher, University of Granada.
TBD
Student teacher, Erasmus Plus
TBD
Student teacher, University of Granada.
In the press
Hand Heart Mind
Foundation
The Hand Heart Mind Foundation was born to enrich our school’s activities, collaborations and projects.
Its name refers to the internal process of learning according to Montessori: it begins with the hands, it is engraved in the heart and is set in the mind.
Our social activity has now grown to encompass other areas to support families. Find out more about our non-profit projects!
OUR partners
We collaborate with other Montessori Schools in Spain, educational influencers, school associations and educational projects that are aligned with our learning philosophy.
From The Blog
News & Articles
Read more about why we love what we do.
Maria Montessori: The Extraordinary Journey from Medicine to Revolutionizing Education
Life and legacy of Maria Montessori, a trailblazer who transformed education and shaped the future of learning worldwide.
Maria Montessori: el extraordinario viaje de la medicina a la revolución educativa
Vida y legado de María Montessori, una pionera que transformó la educación y dio forma a la educación en todo el mundo.
Life and legacy of Maria Montessori, a trailblazer who transformed education and shaped the future of learning worldwide.
September Menu September Here is the menu for September If your children are eating school meals, please continue to chat with them about what they ate, which parts they enjoyed or the aspects they found challenging. And keep encouraging your children to taste and try new flavours, even if it is the tiniest mouthful! The […]
Menú de septiembre Septiembre Aquí tenéis el menú de septiembre. Si tus hijos están comiendo en la escuela, continúa conversando con ellos sobre lo que comieron, qué partes disfrutaron o los aspectos que encontraron desafiantes. ¡Y sigue animando a tus hijos a degustar y probar nuevos sabores, aunque sea con un bocado pequeño! Los criterios […]