Adolescent

“Education between the ages of six and twelve is not a direct continuation of that which has gone before, though it is built upon that basis. Psychologically there is a decided change in personality, and we recognize that nature has made this a period for the acquisition of culture, just as the former was for the absorption of environment…. Knowledge can best be given where there is eagerness to learn, so this is the period when the seed of everything can be sown, the child’s mind being like a fertile eld, ready to receive what will germinate into culture…. Interest will no longer be there if the seed be sown too late, but at six years of age all items of culture are received enthusiastically, and later these seeds will expand and grow… – María Montessori.

Unlike the 3-6 environments, where the child is introduced to “small” ideas that gradually widen into larger concepts, the elementary child is introduced right away to large concepts – the largest of all being the beginning of the universe. Then they can be shown how all the smaller ideas fit into the larger framework.

“The passage to the second level of education is the passage from the sensorial, material level to the abstract. The need for abstraction and intellectual activity makes itself felt around the seventh year. Until that age the establishment of the relationships between objects is what is important to the child”.

The curriculum covers the full range of all the required subjects while maintaining essential Montessori principles and a lot of emphasis is placed on the interconnection between different areas of study.

Traditionally, there are Five Great Lessons that are used to paint a broad picture before moving to more specify study.

The Great Lessons are an important and unique part of the Montessori curriculum. These lessons are bold, exciting, and designed to awaken a child’s imagination and curiosity. The child should be struck with the wonder of creation, thrilled with new ideas, and awed by the inventiveness and innovation that is part of the human spirit.

Core subjects include Language, Mathematics, Science, Geography, Biology, and History. Integrated with these are activities such as Art, Valenciano, Spanish, Sports and Music.