“The passage to the second level of education (age 6-12) is the passage from the sensorial, material level to the abstract. A turning toward the intellectual and moral sides of life occurs at [this age]. ”
~Dr. Maria Montessori
During the second plane of development there is a great transformation in the child, like a new birth. They want to explore society and the world, to learn what is right and wrong, and to explore meaningful roles in society.
The experience of the Primary program continues in the elementary program, where the Montessori materials are a means to an end. These scientifically-designed materials are intended to stimulate the imagination, to aid abstraction, and to present a universal view of the human work and purpose.
Students in the Junior Elementary class build upon skills and concepts introduced in the primary environment. Montessori materials, along with timelines and impressionistic charts, are used to introduce new concepts.
Mathematics, language arts, geography, history and the cultural subjects engage the reasoning mind and active imagination of the elementary age child. Throughout the week, teachers incorporate Spanish language and music into the work period.
The Elementary environment is designed to meet the child’s growing social interest and provides opportunities for both individual and group work. The Elementary program is designed to encourage exploration, research, collaboration and sharing.
The Elementary curriculum offers a continuum built on the Primary program. The environment reflects a new stage of development and offers the following:
- Integration of the arts, sciences, geography, history, and language that evokes the imagination and abstraction of the elementary child
- The sciences of zoology, botany, physics, chemistry, and geology introduce students to accurate, organized information with respect to intelligence and interest
- Historical knowledge as part of a large-scale narrative unfolds to reveal the origins of the earth, life, human communities, and modern history in the context of the wholeness of life
- The mathematics curriculum is presented with concrete materials that simultaneously reveal arithmetic, geometric, and algebraic correlations
- Emphasis on open-ended research and in-depth study using primary and secondary sources as well as other materials
