The Primary Program

Introduction

The Primary Class for children ages 2.5 - 6

Children of mixed ages come together in an environment prepared to meet the needs of the whole child -- the mind, body and spirit. The children work at their own pace with self-chosen, concrete materials which encourage and stimulate them to investigate their world, concentrate and learn spontaneously. Working individually or in small groups, they explore the areas of practical life, sensory/motor, math, language, reading, geography, science, music and art. The teachers carefully observe the needs of each child and present new activities at the moment when the child is most ready for them. Each day the entire class joins together for singing, movement, listening to stories and learning about their world and how to get along within it. At the end of each day the children take part in free play on a well-equipped playground. Spanish and Orff music classes are offered to students attending five days a week. Field trips to fun and interesting places are scheduled throughout the year.

The Extended Day Program for 5 and 6 year olds

Kindergartners attend a half day program with the younger children, plus a two or four hour session with only 5 and 6 year olds designed to meet the intellectual, physical and emotional needs of kindergartners. They engage in advanced lessons in language, math and the cultural subjects, participate in group activities to build their knowledge and ability to communicate, and enjoy the social experience of bringing a lunch and eating with their friends by candlelight.

The Montessori Primary Classroom

The Montessori Classroom is a carefully prepared environment. The physical environment is orderly, precise, and attractive. It invites learning without being over-stimulating. It is controlled, allowing the children to experience success, but also allows for creative extensions of the exercises so they become truly meaningful to each child. The psychological environment set by the teacher is encouraging and supportive of purposeful activity. Children have a freedom within limits to pursue their own needs while learning to respect the needs of others.

The Practical Life Exercises aid in the child's development of concentration, coordination, order and independence. These exercises, related to the care of self and the environment, stress development of a step-by step approach to work activities. They are essential for establishing the good work habits that are necessary for later academic success.

The Sensorial Exercises aid in the child's development of perception and sensory awareness. The sensorial materials isolate all the different senses and are developmental, leading to finer and finer distinctions. These perceptual skills provide the child with the tools for all learning.

The Language Program provides the child with the concrete foundation for all further language work. Games emphasizing auditory and visual perception skills are begun with children 2.5 to 3. This basis for a phonetic approach to the sounds of our language leads directly to writing and reading. Learning usage and the function of words and a stress on reading for meaning leads to greater creativity in expression and enthusiasm for both reading and writing.

The Math Program introduces the child to the world of numbers in concrete form. The child not only learns numbers and counting, but is also introduced to all four operations and to the function of the decimal system. The exploration of number concepts is exciting and intriguing to the child.

Self-development of each child occurs as a result of the development of responsibility through independence. A positive self-image results from successful, self-corrected experiences related to the needs of each child.

Social Development of the children occurs as a result of interaction within a three-year span. Children are helped by others and have the responsibility of helping others. Through daily anticipation in both small and larger groups, this attitude of sharing, mutual trust and cooperation in work as well as in play develops positive social skills.

Physical Development is emphasized in all classroom activities because movement is constantly involved. Activities which develop large and small motor skills, grace and body awareness are stressed. In addition, each class is involved in special physical activities during group.

The Montessori Approach for the Young Child

Dr. Maria Montessori was born in 1870 and, despite extreme social pressure, became the first female Doctor of Medicine in Italy. Through her work with handicapped and socially deprived pre-school age children, she made a startling and revolutionary discovery. If a young child is placed in an environment rich in materials that meet his developmental needs and he is given the freedom to choose his activities according to these needs, he learns spontaneously, effortlessly and joyously. As a result of her further study, observation and experimentation, she found the principles of her method to be applicable to all children.

In such an environment, the child unfolds, exhibiting traits formerly thought to be impossible of the pre-schooler, such as tremendous concentration and attention span, self-discipline, a high degree of large and small muscle coordination, a real desire to help and share with others and a love of peace and silence.

The essence of Montessori's discovery is that a child between the ages of 0 and 6 learns in a different way altogether. He absorbs skills and concepts from his world and actually incorporates them into his being. The best example we can relate to as adults is language. Our mother tongue is literally a part of us. We cannot forget it, or remember learning it or imagine never knowing it. Whatever a child learns at this important age, be it math, courteous behavior, or the musical scale, becomes a part of him not to be forgotten.

Why freedom to choose? The child learns with his "absorbent" mind in different stages of development, which we call sensitive periods. He does not take an avid interest in everything at the same time. That would result in chaos, not intelligence. Nature has an orderly plan that is unique to each child. Using the example of language again, we can see that when the baby becomes interested in or sensitive to language, he is insatiable until he has mastered it. He asks over and over, "What's that?" because he is fulfilling a vital need. It is the same for all other learning. The child will have a sensitive period for colors, shapes, numbers, reading, writing and a host of other things too numerous to list. If he is in an environment conducive to meeting these needs, he will select and pursue them with his whole effort until they are his forever.

Children do not differentiate between work and play. Whatever they find appealing is what they want to do. The Montessori School of Evergreen, scaled to the child and full of fascinating things to do, is irresistible. Outside pressure does not exist in the classroom. The emphasis is not on competition or production, but on mutual cooperation and the fullest possible development of each child according to his capabilities.

There is much discipline that goes hand in hand with the freedom the children experience. There is no learning without discipline, Dr. Montessori said, but the authority of the teacher is replaced by the individual inner discipline in the children as the year progresses.

In a class where the virtues of character are as highly prized as academic achievement, children grow not only in self-confidence, but also in a sense of responsibility. Intellect, physical powers, social skills and moral insight must all be developed if a child is to be prepared to meet the demands of life.

Specials

Music and drama, physical education, Spanish and art classes, taught by specialists, are incorporated into the weekly schedule for most students. These subjects are also made available as teachers integrate them into the Montessori curriculum experienced by the children each day.

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