Upper Elementary Program

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As at all Montessori levels, the Elementary program is based on the belief that children learn best through movement and work with their hands, and provides cognitive, social, and emotional support to help them reach their full potential.

This includes addressing their needs as they enter a new period of development characterized by:

• A transition from concrete to abstract thinking

• Growing interest in socialization

• Thinking and memory that is enhanced by creativity and imagination

• An interest in fairness, social justice, and compassion

The classroom is a happy community. Students are focused. They take joy in their work. They invent, explore, experiment, confer, create, prepare snacks, and curl up with books; sometimes they might even reflect in a peaceful, meditative corner. Meanwhile, teachers circulate throughout the room, observing the students and making notes about their progress, ever ready to offer support or introduce new material, as appropriate.

Expectations are both exquisitely clear and engagingly open-ended.

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Upper elementary is an exciting time for students. They have become more independent and have moved beyond the “younger” divisions. They are well on their way to building a strong academic rapport and are displaying much more independence. Learning is more rooted in a formal curriculum and although academics are the key priority, students continue to enjoy a well-rounded approach to learning through hands-on, student-centered materials and extra-curricular activities.

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