The Montessori Elementary Program

Our Montessori Elementary Program encompasses a carefully prepared learning environment that fosters personal and academic growth, independence, confidence, responsibility and a passion for learning.

It is designed to inspire and challenge students to discover the best of who they are and to achieve their full potential. Adhering to the curriculum provided by the Ministry of Education, we guide our students towards success in their own unique strengths and talents.

What sets Montessori apart in the Elementary years (ages 6 – 12) is the individually paced curriculum that challenges children academically and safeguards their well-being and sense of self.

Engaging as contributing members of a respectful community, they learn to question, think critically, and take responsibility for their own learning — skills that will support them in later education and in life. 

As at all Montessori levels, the Elementary program is based on the belief that children learn best through movement and work with their hands, and provides cognitive, social, and emotional support to help them reach their full potential. This includes addressing their needs as they enter a new period of development characterized by:

• A transition from concrete to abstract thinking
• Growing interest in socialization
• Thinking and memory that is enhanced by creativity and imagination
• An interest in fairness, social justice, and compassion

The Curriculum

The Montessori Elementary Curriculum is very closely aligned with BC's Ministry of Education's new curriculum. The redesigned curricula are described as concept-based and competency-driven. It places more emphasis on the deeper understanding of concepts and the application of processes rather than on the memorization of isolated facts and information. This goes hand in hand with Montessori pedagogy.

Core Competencies are at the centre of the Ministry's curriculum redesign. They are sets of intellectual, personal, social and emotional proficiencies that all students need to develop in order to engage in deeper learning.

The Core Competencies include critical and creative thinking, communication, as well as social and personal awareness and responsibilities.Our Montessori Elementary program is designed to develop and nurture these core competencies in each student.

The teaching team is a highly experienced group of educators collaborating in the development and delivery of a Montessori elementary education program of the highest quality.

They are fully qualified with their Montessori Elementary Guide certifications, Early Childhood Educator certifications and Independent School Teaching certifications. We are fully licensed and governed by the BC Ministry of Education.

Mixed-Age Classroom

Our Elementary program operates much like a one-room schoolhouse for children from Grade One to Seventh Grade. Montessori classrooms allow students the opportunity to learn and grow not only from the adults in the classroom, but more importantly from one another.

The Montessori approach allows children the freedom to develop at an individual pace while addressing their specific strengths, challenges and interests.

Individualized lessons and daily activities are designed to peak each child's interests and abilities. Lessons are perfectly tailored to each student.

For example, each student receives 1:1 reading time twice a week and levelled, interest-based books are sent home as part of the Reading Program.

A student may be ahead of or behind his or her chronological peers, but the classroom has teachers and materials available that are appropriate to the needs of every student, regardless of where he or she falls on the spectrum of abilities.

There is no skipping or failing of grades because a student remains with his or her chronological peers whatever the academic needs.