Extended Hours Program (Before and after school programs, for MDS students only)

Montessori Vacation Program (holiday and vacation for MDS students only)

Summer Program (Ages 3 to 5 and 6 to 9)

The MDS Primary Program educates children using the methods developed by Maria Montessori. Dr. Montessori brought to her work with children a scientific approach that taught her to observe children to see what materials and actions best met their needs. Here at MDS, our teachers create environments designed to meet the children's developmental needs and then act as catalysts between the materials and the child, leading to the child's learning.

The goals of the Primary Program are to help every child develop and learn at his or her own pace, to keep the child's innate curiosity and desire to learn alive and to facilitate the child's self-creation as a life-long learner.  We encourage the child to develop independence while at the same time to become a member of a caring classroom community. Here, respect for all things is central. Children see that everyone learns in his or her own way.  In this way, each individual child's self-confidence grows.

Mixed Age Group
Three, four and five-year-olds work together in the same classroom. This allows the younger children to learn from older children as well as from adults. The older children learn to help those younger than themselves and to have patience with those less skilled than themselves and to develop as leaders. The mixed age grouping allows children to stay together with the same teacher and assistant for three years, allowing a strong bond of caring and respect to develop. The children develop strong social skills in this open environment. For best results, children should enter the Primary Program when they are three.

Freedom of Choice
Children move through the Primary curriculum propelled by their own curiosity. The teacher is trained to engage children in all areas of the curriculum and to guide the child to approach materials to further the child's learning. Each classroom has a complete set of Montessori materials available to the children at all times

Hands-on-Materials
Dr. Montessori observed that children learn more completely when using their hands.  Rather than listening to someone explain how something works, a child learns by doing.  A three-year-old masters the art of pouring by practicing, first with dry beans and then colored water.  Spills and dropped pitchers reinforce the need to pour carefully without anyone having to tell the child what he needs to do to be successful.  Children use beads as they learn to add and subtract; counting units, tens, hundreds and thousands long before putting pencil to paper.  Children trace the sandpaper letters, and learn the sound each letter makes.  Using the cut-out letters of the moveable alphabet, they blend the sounds of the letters thus learning to read.

Absorbent Mind
Dr. Montessori described the three to six year old child as having an "absorbent mind".   The child is consciously "drinking in" all information and experiences encountered.  Every experience is a learning experience.  Thus, in the Montessori classroom the use of materials leads to the mastery of skills

The Montessori curriculum for three to six year olds is an all encompassing one.  Practical Life and Sensorial materials help the child develop the ability to concentrate, enhance motor development and recognize similarities and differences using all of the senses.

Language materials guide the child through varying levels of abstraction that lead the child to "explode" into reading.  From basic counting, through symbol and quantity recognition, skip counting, and introduction to the decimal system, the Montessori Math materials lead the child to addition and subtraction

Cultural materials offer the child knowledge in the areas of geography, history, science, art, music, and how other people live.  Communication skills and problem solving are important components of our program. An introduction to Spanish is also integrated into the Primary Program. The children learn to garden and care for our farm animals.

The MDS Elementary Program

At about the age of six, children are ready to grow beyond the experience and knowledge acquired in the Montessori Primary Program. Three aspects of development have a significant impact of their educational needs. Children aged six to nine:

• Begin to question why and how, rather than simply accept statements as fact.

• Often are very concerned with moral behavior and will question the right, wrong and justice of rules and guidelines

• Enjoy creating organized social activities with friends, complete with rules and hierarchies

In the MDS Elementary Program, children focus on in-depth studies of core subject areas.  In language, students do word study, spelling, grammar, sentence analysis, penmanship, reading and writing.  In math, students study addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and geometry.  The Elementary Program also offers cultural studies in history, geography, science, music, and art. Children are free to explore these studies to the extent that they choose.  As the child has transitioned to the period of the "reasoning mind" and has more interest in the world and how he or she can connect with it, the Montessori classroom changes to accommodate these new interests.  MDS Elementary children enjoy field trips relevant to specific areas of classroom study and continue their study of Spanish as a second language. They plant and care for gardens and share the care of our farm animals with the Primary students. Elementary students cook various meals through out the school year.

Creating an Ethical Framework
The principles of Montessori education empower the children to chart their own course.  This is their school, their classroom.  With the guidance of teachers, students determine rules and guidelines for behavior in the classroom and on the playground.  They have the responsibility for the care of the classroom and pets and making the environment safe and pleasant for all who share it. This responsibility will help the children understand and discriminate right from wrong. Children first learn respect for themselves, their environment and each other.  Children are free to learn and explore, as well as develop a social framework.

Social Development
As the students are busy exploring the world and developing a moral conscience, they are also practicing their social development in groups by creating small societies.  In the MDS Elementary Program, three or four ages are present together in one classroom.   This allows the children to work in pairs or groups on large projects or to have older children mentor younger children. As part of our commitment to peace in education, the children also learn how to settle conflicts in a non-confrontational manner.  They also enjoy cooperative games as part of the physical education program.

Children of this age have an enthusiasm for learning that is best fostered in a peaceful, creative and open environment.  The Elementary Program at MDS has been created with the child's developmental aspects in mind.

By using our Extended Hours Program, children can be at MDS before and after formal school hours on school days. Before-School children gather in our multipurpose room in the office. The program opens at 7:30 a.m. and children may arrive anytime until 8:20 a.m., when our school day begins. The After-School children gather in one of our Primary classrooms when school is dismissed at 3:00 p.m. The After-School Program is available until 5:30 p.m. Parents may use this program on a contract or drop-in basis. Our goal is to create an enjoyable, safe and relaxed before-and-after-school experience that maintains the same rules as the classroom, thereby offering a consistent program for the child.

In order to offer working parents a consistent environment for their children on certain days when school is closed, we offer MVP days. One of our classrooms is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for children who cannot be at home. This program is open to parents on a contract as well as a drop-in basis. The schedule is the same as that offered during regular school days. The program is designed to be an extension of our Extended Hours Program; offering consistency of approach for children and peace of mind for parents.

MDS offers Summer Programs for 3-5 year olds and 6-10 year olds. These are open to MDS students and to the general public. Both programs are eight weeks in length. Children can attend less than the full 8 weeks.

The program for the younger children integrates the Montessori approach with summer time fun. Activities focus on music & movement, nature, creativity, community building and peace and harmony.

The program for the older children is a blend of learning and fun. The children research the program theme, create projects related to the theme, cook, garden and play outside. The summer program for older children also includes field trips related to the theme.

We recommend that students joining our educational programs in the Fall attend the prior Summer Program as an introduction to our school.

Brochures are available by request.

Note: Children joining the Primary Program must be able to use the toilet independently.

Primary Summer Brochure

Elementary Summer Brochure