“Our aim... is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his utmost core. We do not want complacent pupils, but eager ones: we seek to sow life in the child rather than theories, to help in his growth, mental and emotional as well as physical and for that we must offer grand and lofty ideas to the human mind, which we find ever ready to receive them, demanding more and more.”
      —Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential

The elementary program is for children that are 6 to 9 years old. This stage of the child’s development is marked by an emerging moral sense, an ability to begin comprehending abstraction, and a desire to understand the larger world. The curriculum is designed to respond to the child’s natural desire to learn, and to integrate the academic subjects. There are  studies of earth history, zoology, botany, and geography that culminate with a time line of life activity. This study of the natural world is complimented by lessons of human cultures and their history, art, music, and language.

Children also have daily lessons to develop their skills in reading, writing, math, and geometry. For these lessons the students continue to use Montessori materials to gain a concrete understanding of their lessons, but increasingly these serve as a bridge towards more abstract thinking. Opportunities for independent learning grow naturally out the classroom lessons. The children are encouraged to pursue research projects and make presentations to their classmates about subjects that interest them.

At the elementary level, the students work in a mixed age classroom with a student/teacher ratio of 10:1. Students  are able to work at their own pace, and the teachers  design the program to respond to each child’s particular academic and social skills. The importance of peer relationships is valued in the classroom environment and social skills are practiced and developed through cooperative group learning.