Children's House Program Overview
The Montessori primary program is designed to be a three-year program composed of children ages three to six years. In this setting, the children naturally respect each other’s work and personal space. They take an active role in maintaining their environment, which is divided into four main areas: practical life, sensorial, language and mathematics. The basic academic curriculum is enriched by science, art, music, geography, and movement experiences. Each activity responds to the children’s fundamental need for movement, independence, and language.
The things that make the primary classroom unique are: individualized lessons, mixed age groups, hands-on learning and a child-centered environment. Each student receives multiple one-on-one lessons each week in response to observations of interest made by the guides. Mixed age groups allow children to be observers - watching older children work with materials that will be in their future, workers - repeating lessons on their own until they feel they have mastered the skill, and then teachers - demonstrating their own abilities by sharing their expertise with others. The Montessori materials provide materialized abstractions of concepts ranging from algebra and geometry to cursive, providing the children an opportunity to explore academic topics with their hands and mind. The Children’s House is called by that name intentionally. Montessori was very thoughtful in designing an environment that is made for and occupied by the children. Adults in the environment are trained in the Montessori Method and allow the children to be the owners and keepers of their space.