Maria Montessori once said,
“It is the spirit of the child that can determine the course of human progress and lead it perhaps even to a higher form of civilization.”
The Curriculum
Students at the Upper Elementary level engage in individual work as well as collaborative activities in both small and larger groups. Mathematics, Language Arts, and Cultural Studies (History, Geography, Botany, Zoology, and Physical Science) represent the major areas of study, along with Music, Art, Spanish, Creative Movement and Physical Education integrated as important areas of special studies.
Time management, organization, and setting reasonable, responsible goals are a priority at this level. It is a time when children cross the bridge between using hands–on, manipulative materials and the abstract understanding of concepts. Studies encompassing group projects and the use of community resources, such as libraries, online resources, and field studies become important new elements in the Upper Elementary curriculum. Our students move through the major curricular themes of concrete presentations towards greater depth, detail, and abstract understanding.
With mixed age groupings, our children engage in individualized and small group instruction with cooperative learning opportunities. These groupings provide the opportunity for the older students to act as role models for the younger students and the younger children function as a form of review for the older students. Children at this age find their studies to be more in depth, but nonetheless challenging, stimulating, and fun.
The beauty of MCH’s Upper Elementary lies in our warm classroom environment, our personalized approach to education, and our dedicated teaching faculty. As with all class levels, students find inspiration and encouragement within our walls. The students receive a comprehensive, progressive education and are encouraged to embrace their strengths and areas of interest, as well as to master key skills in all academic subjects.
Stewardship
As students progress to the Upper Elementary classroom they will become the stewards of our student body, beginning as classroom leaders and by continuing a cycle of peer mentoring and cooperation. All Upper Elementary students routinely participate in activities such as community service projects and weekly classroom interaction with both the Primary and Lower Elementary programs.