Children really begin to collaborate and are given the freedom to
discover new horizons. Traditional subjects are linked together and
introduced with hands-on materials. Lower elementary students (ages
6-9) are more involved with concrete materials. Upper elementary
students (ages 9-12) strengthen their understanding of
abstract concepts.
The elementary program meets five days a week, from 8:30 a.m. –
3:00 p.m. In addition, both before- and after-school care are
available to all elementary school children.
Our elementary classes are divided into two multi-age groups:
- Lower Elementary (ages 6-9)
- Upper Elementary (ages 9-12)
In the AGBMS elementary program, 6-9 year old children
(lower elementary) explore the vast world of learning that they
touched upon in the Extended Day Program. Social interaction is a
very large part of this environment. Children learn how to
cooperate and negotiate as they work together. Children learn
how to work independently while structuring their time according to
the goals on their individual weekly worksheet.
The 9-12 year old children (upper elementary) continue to apply
and further develop their research skills. Being the oldest
children in the school, these students understand their job as role
models. As students progress through the three-year cycle,
they work less and less with the concrete Montessori materials, as
they strengthen their ability to understand abstract concepts.
A highlight of this program is spending a week at Nature’s Classroom
Institute, an outdoor education center located in Mukwanago,
Wisconsin, about an hour and a half north of our school.
After line time in the morning, elementary children have a
three-hour individualized work period. This time may be spent
working on their own, in a small group, or with a directress in a
presentation. Montessori philosophy is based on mastery. Once a
student has demonstrated mastery of a concept, the next, more
advanced concept is introduced. Because children move ahead as
quickly or as slowly as they need to, a student can stay with a
concept as long, or as short, as necessary.
