Upper Elementary students are exposed to a curriculum and learning environment that invites each student to become an active participant in his or her own learning process. The transition from Lower Elementary to Middle School is a time of great change for Upper Elementary students as they move from the concrete world of their earlier years to the verge of abstract thinking found in the older classrooms.

 

The Upper Elementary Program for grades 4 – 6 builds upon the skills and content of the Lower Elementary curriculum, expanding students’ awareness of their place in the world’s history. By focusing on a variety of civilizations, students learn about significant historical contributions that have been adopted and adapted by societies through time, and they begin to understand how the past has shaped present-day societies, geographies, and current events. Students are able to delve into these subjects through guided activities and independent research appropriate to their various developmental abilities.

 

The students are gently guided through the developmental step away from young childhood and toward emerging adolescence. Our focus is on building the foundations of organization, self-confidence, cooperation, and curiosity essential to success in Middle School and beyond.  There is a welcoming environment with an emphasis on individual responsibility, problem solving, exploration, creativity, and a strong sense of community. Children often participate in group meetings, where community issues are debated and classroom rules decided.  Respect for individual differences is emphasized and supported. 

 

A unique piece of the Montessori curriculum is the integrated study of Science, History, Geography, and the Arts.  Mathematics and Language are not isolated, but are incorporated in the whole picture presented to encourage exploration and critical thinking. The Upper Elementary students are challenged to extend themselves and take academic risks in order to expand their skills.  By doing so they grow in self-confidence and are ready to take the next step academically, developmentally and socially.