Learning Areas: the 5 “Big Lessons”
Maria Montessori notes that around the age of 6, the child develops a great desire to know and understand the world around him. Presented through stories, fables with concrete experiences, frescoes and symbolic images that feed the imagination, the 5 Great Lessons will provide a very exciting way to discover the world.
- The history of the creation of the universe: introduction to the notions of astronomy, meteorology, chemistry, physics, geology, geography. (Use of a balloon, stars and experiments with solids, liquids, etc.)
- The history of the evolution of life: biology, botany, habitats, animals, and life “before” (fossils, evolution, extinction…). Use of a Time Line, and the Evolution of Microorganisms.
- The history of human evolution: culture, sociological evolution, inventions and discoveries. Use of a Time Line of Man and Tools.
- The history of writing: reading, writing, language, grammatical structures. Uses of symbols, hieroglyphics, the first alphabets, the invention of printing…
- History of numbers ((history of mathematics): numbers, geometry and “concrete applications”
L’éducateur francophone se chargera de la partie française du langage et l’assistant hispanophone de l’espagnol
Teamwork
Moderato’s Elementary Education Principles
Multi-grade classrooms in elementary school (and more so than at any other age) improve learning experiences. Spontaneous collaboration takes precedence over comparison and competition.
As always in Montessori, the child is an active participant in his or her own learning: the child sets his or her own academic goals with the educator.
Civic education is also very important: education in tolerance and cooperation, education in non-violent conflict management, awareness of responsible citizenship.
Our elementary class is primarily based on the Montessori philosophy but no longer uses exclusively Montessori teaching materials as before. In order to facilitate the transition to a “traditional” pedagogical system, other complementary pedagogical tools will be gradually proposed to the child until the age of 9 (worksheets, lessons in small groups, regular validation of acquired skills in the fundamental subjects) in the respect of the official programs of the National Education.
Grammar Exercises
Work with the Clock
Sports
In the Montessori pedagogy, sports are not a part of the program as many schools in rural areas do not have the need to implement sports in their program. However, in an extremely urban environment, we believe that it is essential for children to be able to exercise and become aware of their bodies and their potential (see other school activities in the pedagogy).