Our programs are designed for students aged three through 16+. Classes are made up of mixed-age groups: Casa, Lower and Upper Elementary, and the Adolescent Program.
Casa
Ages three to six
The stage from birth to six-years-old is a period of creative construction. Aided by what Dr. Montessori called the absorbent mind, children of this age are able to take in their environments without prejudice, will, or concerted effort.
Our teachers help students refine their motor skills, language, and communication as they become more agile, social, and verbal in this stage.
Elementary
Lower Elementary: ages six to nine
Upper Elementary: ages nine to 12
Dr. Montessori identified the elementary years as a period when the social individual emerges. It is at this stage where children seek each other’s company and prefer to work in groups amongst their peers. It is also here where the absorbent mind transitions to the reasoning mind and children are most interested in activities that explore the “whys” of things. It is this reasoning mind that allows for great intellectual and academic progress.
Through the elementary years, the expectations for being independent increase. If functional independence is nurtured in the Casa classroom, mental independence becomes a need in the elementary classroom. Because this stage is defined by a thirst for information, our students are encouraged to self-regulate, to ask and seek answers to their questions, and to learn responsibly.
The Adolescent Program
Ages 12 to 16+
The adolescent program is the culmination of the Montessori experience. Adolescence is a period of important and often rapid social development. It is marked by self-concern, self-assessment, and increased critical thinking. As such, our program is responsive to the adolescent’s heightened need for personal dignity, social justice, and a sense of belonging.
Field School
Dr. Montessori articulated her ideas of “Erdkinder,” or “children of the earth,” as the means to educate the adolescent. In line with this, our program’s key feature is the Field School, a two-week, farm-based program that translates classroom theory into practice.
Organized around how society operates, students live in a supervised farming environment where they are given a unique opportunity to live independently and away from family. Through guided lessons, they learn to appreciate the value of money through a microenterprise, understand the interdependence of humans with nature, and live in close community with others.