Montessori in Upper Elementary (ages 9-12)

Montessori continues grouping students in three year cycles. Students from the age of approximately 9 years to 12 years move into the Upper Elementary.  These older students have spent 3 years in the Lower Elementary Montessori defining new concepts and expanding their knowledge base. Imagination continues to be a focus which helps foster a life long love of learning.

The students no longer consider themselves as little children. They are sophisticated students, ready to use their wealth of knowledge in learning and exploring the world.  There is no cap placed on the students’ learning.  The Upper Elementary students are encouraged to question and seek. The universe is their limit. The teachers serve as a facilitator, helping students master basic concepts and seek new information.

Beginning Adolescent Community

This student is at the threshold of the beginning of adolescence.  During the next phase of their life, the student will awaken to a new understanding of the world.  Until now mom, dad, family, and self were the student’s center.  Now the student begins to realize there is a bigger world and friends are very interesting.  The student finds that others view the world differently.

The student develops a moral awareness of his or her own responsibilities to do the right thing.  He or she may ask, “Who am I? Why am I here? What are my abilities?  What can I offer the world?”  Relationships with other students take on a new meaning.  This becomes a prime opportunity to learn about getting along with peers because this student has a heightened interest in how he or she fits in with a group. 

Community Meetings

Community meetings are held regularly as a means to work on relationships with each other and within the group.  Taking turns speaking, sharing ideas that might be different than others, solving conflicts, solving problems that arise in sharing space, planning, setting goals,  are some examples of conversations held during the community meeting.  The student learns that there is a protocol for working with others.

 
Practical Life

There is a continuation of Practical Life through the Upper Elementary years.  Taking care of one’s personal space and classroom continues to be a priority.  There are new expectations of the student to manage his or her time and work.  Assignments now have due dates.  Lessons are longer which might require note taking.  Homework is required every night. In addition, the students, as a group and as individuals, begin to have daily responsibilities beyond the classroom such as carpool duty or hanging the flags for the school.

 
Language and Cultural Subjects

Montessori curriculum continues to be interrelated in Upper Elementary. Before, a wide range of subjects were presented to show the vastness of the universe. Now the lessons pull history, geography and sciences together showing their interrelatedness.  The student spends large amounts of time researching a variety of new information. The student will go to a deeper level of understanding.

Finding out where and how to seek information becomes part of this new challenge. There are multiple resources such as encyclopedias, books, and internet. Maybe there would be an appropriate field trip that would provide more information.  After collecting information the student must organize it, develop written reports, develop verbal and visual presentations sometimes individually and sometimes within a small group.

The practice of language and writing skills, computer skills and personal talents come into play. The presentation might be accomplished in various formats: video, power point, poster, skit, artistic rendering.  Foods, games, and costuming might be used to demonstrate cultural differences.  Learning how to observe, record, measure, report and demonstrate experiments become part of the science work as well as overlap into the mathematical field.

Mathematics

Mathematically the student is moving quickly to an abstract level of learning.  Although all new concepts are presented with concrete materials, the student often demonstrates the ability to work on an abstract level. Place value for decimals, fraction equivalency, fraction processes, area, properties of shape, logical reasoning, and strategies for problem solving are a few of the major focuses of the math curriculum.  As in all of Montessori materials, there is a holistic approach to mathematical concepts.

 
Good Shepherd Curriculum

One of the most unique elements of Good Shepherd Montessori School is the Christian curriculum.  Because the student, at this level, is able to view the world more objectively and has a love for history, some of the Old Testament stories are explored, questioned and discussed. These old stories are woven into a tapestry showing God’s continued love and plan for each person’s life. The student views the history of the Judaism. Christian values are also frequently discussed and practiced throughout the regular part of the day in community meetings and relationships with one another. Every attempt is made to create a loving Christian environment for all students and staff.

 
Specialty Classes

Upper Elementary enjoys P.E. three times a week, Music class, and Art class with specially trained teachers.

 
Traditions in the Upper Elementary at Good Shepherd Montessori School

Over the years the students have developed traditions that they and the school have grown to love.  Each year the students produce and present a one act play complete with sets and costumes.  The students also plan the message for Elementary chapel each week.  This allows them to remember wonderful lessons they learned when they were younger and teach what they know to the younger students. The students plan the theme and help take pictures for the yearbook. 

These are just a few examples. Who knows what new traditions will develop as the years go along?  Because of the flexibility of Montessori, the sky is the limit.  It all depends on the interests of the students.