Three frameworks.
Built into one program.
Most early childhood schools pick one approach and build around it. We use three — because each one does something the others don't, and together they cover the full picture of how young children learn.
Designed by Lata Nathani with 35+ years in Montessori and early childhood education across DFW.
What each framework actually does
Each framework fills a gap the others leave. Together, they give children the method, the scope, and the state alignment — all at once.
Montessori
Why we use it
Montessori answers the question: how should children learn? The answer — at their own pace, with freedom to choose work, in an environment designed for them — is backed by over a century of practice and growing neuroscience research on how children build concentration, independence, and intrinsic motivation.
At Roots Prep, the Montessori work cycle runs 9am to noon in the Preschool program — three uninterrupted hours where children choose their work, go deep into tasks, and learn to manage their own time. This is the core of what sets a Montessori preschool apart from a standard one.
EYFS
Why we use it
EYFS answers the question: what should children learn? It defines seven areas of learning — Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal Social and Emotional Development (PSED), Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts — and ensures no area gets overlooked in favour of another.
Montessori is a brilliant method but doesn't specify a curriculum scope in the same structured way. EYFS fills that gap. Lata Nathani introduced this framework to DFW Montessori schools over a decade ago — it's not a new experiment here, it's a proven combination.
Texas TEKS
Why we use it
TEKS answers the question: where does the child need to be when they leave us? Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills defines exactly what a child should know entering kindergarten in a Texas public school. Without this alignment, even an excellent Montessori + EYFS program could leave gaps that show up when children move on.
Every child who completes our Preschool program has been prepared to meet Texas kindergarten readiness expectations — not as a box-ticking exercise, but because Lata designed the curriculum so the three frameworks naturally overlap at the right points.
What a Preschool day looks like
The three frameworks don't sit in separate boxes — they run through the same day, the same activities, the same interactions between teacher and child.
Below is a typical Preschool day. Every block carries all three frameworks simultaneously — that's the point of integrating them rather than scheduling them as separate subjects.
Children arrive, settle, and choose free exploration in the prepared environment. EYFS Physical Development and PSED happen naturally in this transition period.
Uninterrupted. Children choose from the prepared Montessori materials — language, maths, sensorial, practical life, cultural. The teacher observes, presents, and follows the child.
Shared meal, social development, outdoor movement. EYFS Physical Development and Communication & Language are prominent here.
Rest for younger children. Older preschoolers move into afternoon enrichment — storytelling, art, music, cultural exploration. EYFS Expressive Arts & Understanding the World.
For families who need it. School-age children in Aftercare get a snack, then a mix of homework time and open play until pickup.
How the curriculum adapts by age
The three frameworks are present from 6 weeks through Grade 6 — but the emphasis shifts as children grow.
Montessori primary caregiver model. EYFS PSED and Communication as dominant areas. Sensory-rich environment. Baby follows their own schedule.
Montessori practical life takes centre stage. EYFS PSED and Physical Development. Language explosion period — rich vocabulary environment throughout the day.
All three frameworks at full integration. 3-hour work cycle. All 7 EYFS areas. TEKS kindergarten alignment. The most complete expression of the Roots Prep curriculum.
Snack, homework time, and open play — with TEKS-aligned enrichment activities woven in throughout aftercare.
Themed weekly curriculum designed to keep learning active through summer. EYFS Understanding the World and Expressive Arts themes. Age-appropriate groupings.
Lata Nathani
Lata Nathani has spent 35+ years in early childhood education — most of it in Montessori schools across DFW. She's not implementing a curriculum she read about. She built the framework at Roots Prep because she saw what was missing in every other approach she'd worked with.
She introduced EYFS to DFW Montessori schools over a decade ago. She knows where it works, where it doesn't, and how to align it to Texas TEKS without turning a Montessori classroom into a test-prep centre.
See the curriculum in action
A 45-minute tour includes a classroom walkthrough with Lata or a member of the teaching team. Watch the Montessori work cycle live — it's the clearest way to understand what we're describing here.