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Primary and Early Elementary Curriculum
Beginning in the primary classroom, students are taught practical skills as their development of knowledge about language, mathematics, science and geography is nurtured. We use Montessori materials to provide concrete hands-on experiences complimented by additional literature, science, and historical content.
In the early elementary program, core subjects - history, geography, literature, mathematics, and science - will be taught conceptually while building writing and reading skills through our integrated approach. In addition to core content areas, primary and early elementary students will be involved daily in musical and physical activities, as well as practical life skills that will allow them to become increasingly self-aware, productive and confident citizens.
While we recognize the importance of automating skills, our model of education does not consider worksheets and memorization of facts a productive means of teaching or learning. Instead, teachers and students are engaged together: listening, discussing, writing, reading and demonstrating their progress. Our students will articulate their knowledge in their writing and speaking.
Projects, investigations, experiments, journals, and portfolios are evidence of student learning. Outlines, drafts, and essays will become the model for writing in the early elementary grades. Mathematics will be taught and tested with a careful articulation of concepts and a proper amount of attention given to procedures.
In multi-aged classrooms, students become confident and trusting of each other, reinforcing the model of a nurturing environment with learners working at their own pace, within the framework of shared goals. Older students model more complex tasks and assist younger students where appropriate. Instructional goals are achieved individually and through participation with peers. Leadership and mutual respect become evident as students work together to achieve in a small, community-based setting.
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