Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future… Let us treat them with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them.
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori built her vision and philosophy of education on the developmental theory that human development from birth until maturity at age 24 encompasses four planes of development. Between the ages of 6 and 12, according to Dr. Montessori, children are in the second developmental plane, which she labeled as Childhood. During this time, children create their intelligence, and more importantly, a conscience, searching for moral order, and a sense of right and wrong.
Children in the second plane of development need strong moral role models because they learn best by observing the adults in their lives. This is why adults model the behaviors that they would like to see in the classroom. They want children to walk in the classroom, so they walk themselves. They want children to use quiet voices, so they also speak using quiet voices. The moral conscience children build now will help see them through those tricky teenage years in the next plane.
Our Lower Elementary program provides collaborative communities that foster order, respect, and a child’s innate desire to learn. Multi-age classrooms allow children to work together and learn from each other. Our teaching method respects individual differences and learning styles. Specially designed materials lead from concrete experience to abstract knowledge. Our curriculum is integrated so that individual subjects are part of a larger design.
During the Lower Elementary program, students build on their emerging understanding of concrete concepts and skills. They independently explore mathematics, physical science, biology, geography, and history to form a greater understanding of the world in which they live. They work in a collaborative environment to discover their unique interests through the use of daily work plans. As students progress through Lower Elementary, they build upon previous knowledge by revisiting concepts with wider scope and greater detail.
Lower Elementary students develop fundamental academic skills through the completion of specific work every day. They have the chance to work independently, work with a partner, and work in groups. They practice respect and develop self-discipline while attending structured lessons that help them move through the curriculum at an appropriate level of challenge as they move from concrete concepts to abstract understanding.
Because we want to make sure that children are prepared for the next stage of their education when they leave Montessori Academy, our English Language Arts and Math curriculum areas are aligned to Pennsylvania State Standards. We do not participate in state testing but administer the nationally normed Terra Nova each spring to monitor student progress and the effectiveness of our curriculum.
The school day is from 8:30 – 3:00.
Bus transportation is provided by the school district of residence for Pennsylvania students whose home school district is within 10 miles of Montessori Academy.
Before and After School Care
Montessori Academy offers before school childcare from 7:00 AM and after school childcare until 5:30 PM for an additional charge.