“The universe is the day’s programme”
Autonomy
The mood is organised so that each child can act on their own.[/cws_sc_fa]
Working spans
Material is designed to focus the attention of children, to help them concentrate and build.[/cws_sc_fa]
Montessori material
Language, mathematics, geometry, biology, history, geography.[/cws_sc_fa]
Bilingualism
Montessori’s Cool offers children two languages and two cultures, one English, one French.[/cws_sc_fa]
Age mix
Moods at Montessori’s Cool are composed of children where ages are mixed.[/cws_sc_fa]
Material for the 6 to 12 year-olds
The Montessori programme revolves around five major lessons given at the start of the 6 to 12 year-old cycle: creation of the earth, the life of plants, animals and human life, language, mathematics and science. Each year, new pupils get together for these five lessons. Older children may attend the lessons if they so wish, experimenting with each one differently depending on their maturity and level of understanding. The teacher builds each lesson based on stories, music, diagrams and visuals, experiments and games. These five “major stories” will open up a new field every time: geography, history, language, mathematics, geometry, biology. The educator makes sure that each child addresses every point in the programme.
Language
Activities linked directly to French help children to:
- become aware of the order and structure of their language, learnt orally and partly in writing
- appreciate their mother tongue
- extend their knowledge of the language
- master rules of usage
We begin with the history of writing, which will place the whole study of French into an anthropological dimension and perspective.
Mathematics
For Maria Montessori, the human mind is mathematical by nature. We link mathematics to life and the history of humankind. Teaching materials are linked to the considerable power of reasoning and abstraction in children, who spontaneously move across to abstraction. Repetition is provided by the variety of exercises.
History
This is not history in the linear sense, retracing a series of events, wars and dates. We opt for a human approach based on the fundamental and universal needs of people, and on the way humankind has responded to these needs collectively.
We strive to show how, through the ages, humans have built communities, tribes, civilisations and nations.
Geometry
Our approach promotes the creation of a relationship between elements and reasoning (equivalence, angles, Pythagorus theorem)
Biology
Plant biology: the needs of plants, the different parts of plants and their functions.
Animal biology: the same approach is used for animals.
Human biology: the body’s needs and care
The great river: major functions
Geography
Geography: physical, geophysical, human and economic.
Children are introduced to the history of the universe, the great story that is the launching pad for all the work with 6 to 12 year-olds. The aim is to trigger curiosity, interest and wonderment. The educator simply gives a starting point and the desire to find out more, leading to questions and the research needed to answer them.
[cws_sc_button title=’See Teaching Project for 6 to 12 year-olds’ url=’./projet-pedagogique-6-12?lang=en’ new_tab=’0′ size=’large’ alt=’0′ full_width=’0′ customize=’0′][/cws_sc_button]