The Elementary Community cultivates your child’s imagination, reasoning skills, social development and great intellect by providing individualized and small group lessons and projects.

Beyond building the child’s skills in reading, mathematics and writing, Elementary lessons help the student discover the interconnectedness of knowledge and life on earth. At this stage, children have the ability to think abstractly and require variety in activity, rather than repetition. They are imaginative, creative and possess the knowledge to question and reason. Beyond the standard academic curriculum, students benefit from lessons with specialists in music, art, movement and Spanish.

The Great Lessons

The Elementary curriculum presents a foundation for the traditional subject areas in the form the “Great Lessons,” stories accompanied by the presentation of pictures, charts, stories, timelines, experiments and concrete Montessori materials that aid the child’s understanding of each concept.

The Great Lessons provide a framework for the elementary curriculum and are designed to show:

1. The development of the universe and the world
2. The coming of life on earth
3. The coming of human beings
4. The development of the alphabet
5. The development of the decimal system

Following the foundation of the Great Lessons, curriculum focuses on language, mathematics, geometry, biology, geography, earth and physical sciences, history, music, foreign language and art.

Freedom Within Limits

One of the greatest experiences in the Elementary classrooms is that children operate within a framework of “freedom within limits.” They are free to choose their work. Along with that freedom comes the responsibility to use their time well, focused on challenging, purposeful work that supports the lessons.

Elementary students naturally gravitate to group work during this critical time for social development when they are exploring concepts of fairness, justice and human relationships. Talking and working in groups is encouraged, as long as the children are productive. Learning how to live with one another in a respectful, joyful and harmonious way is an underlying lesson of the Elementary classrooms, and guides encourage students to resolve disputes using independently applied conflict resolution skills.

Morning and after care options are available at 7:30 a.m. and until 4:40 p.m. Learn more »