Margaret River Montessori School

Junior Primary (3-6 cycle)

Children in our Junior Primary learning environments will work to develop themselves as independent people, to grasp reality and to acquire a fund of facts and impressions.

The prepared environment, structured to aid this development, provides five areas of activity:

Practical Life- These exercises allow for the child’s development of self control, concentration, inner discipline, organisation and coordinated movement. They satisfy the child’s need for purposeful activity and are aligned with tasks seen in the home environment.
These activities promote:
• caring for the self (doing up buttons, shoe polishing)
• care of the environment( table washing, leaf cleaning, polishing metal and wood objects) )
• care for each other ( setting the table)
• control of movements( pouring, sewing and pegging exercises)

Sensorial- These materials are designed to bring order to a range of sense impressions that the child has acquired. They provide a key to the environment, bringing an awareness of differing qualities ( ie. The dimensions of size, colour, sound, mass etc)

Language- Language development is an integral part of all activities and areas in the learning environment. The sandpaper letters and moveable alphabet help refine the child’s knowledge of sounds in words and letter formations. The children are introduced to the foundations of grammar in a meaningful way.

Mathematics-The focus is on the decimal system and its operations. The foundations of geometry and algebra are also laid through the manipulation of concrete materials.

Culture- The cultural area includes elements of:
Geography: The nature of the earth and its people
Biology: the variety of plants and animals
History: The sense of progression and current events
Art and Music: experiences of these and an introduction to their styles
Movement: fitness and skills programs.

LOTE-All full time children are introduced to Japanese language and culture.

Middle and Upper Primary: 6-9 Cycle and 9-12 Cycle

Our School has classes catering for both these primary levels of Montessori Education.

Montessori described the Primary Level as “cosmic education” to denote the breadth of its scope. This level aims to expose the children to the structure and understanding of all subject areas. It is divided into two stages: 6-9 years (Middle Primary) and 9-12 years (Upper Primary).

The children at this level are characterised by their social orientation, their questioning minds and their energy for research. They learn through their intelligence and their imagination, and want to know why and when. The curriculum covers all of the following areas:

History gives an overview from the beginning of life through to the study of the child’s own country. This includes natural evolution, prehistoric man and research into early civilisations. The preparation and potential for human kind are emphasised.

Geography looks into the structure of the earth, its relation to the sun, zones of vegetation, the work of wind and water, and the nature of elements. Economic and political geography are also covered.
Biology reveals the diversity of forms and functions in botany and zoology and culminates in their classification. An ecological viewpoint results from these studies.

Language The history of speech and writing, grammar, syntax and composition are studied, through whole language literacy based activities and Montessori materials.
LOTE: Children at the primary level continue their studies of Japanese language and culture with the guidance of the specialist teacher.

Maths includes operations, powers of numbers, the decimal system, other bases, negative numbers, fractions and algebra, and the transition from concrete to a more abstract approach. The Margaret River curriculum also includes experience with space measurements. Geometry investigates two and three-dimensional shapes and the calculation of areas and volume.

Art and Music techniques and range are further explored. The School has specialist teachers in both Music and Visual Arts.

Physical Education Bat and ball skills, cooperative games, coordination, balance, fitness and modified team games enjoyed by the children. Other forms of physical activity are offered as appropriate.

Computers give the opportunity to become aware of the capabilities, limitations and relevance of computers and to become computer-literate at a functional level. The Children use the computer as a practical life tool in the various learning areas and for research and presentations.

Spirituality Religious education is not given in a formal sense. However, the children are encouraged to develop their own spirituality and to feel part of the purpose of the cosmos with a responsibility towards cooperation and peace. As we live in a Christian society these festivals are primarily observed. However, the children are also exposed to the beliefs and festivals of a variety of other religions.