Just as in the primary years, both the lower and upper elementary classrooms are geared toward the three-year cycle. During this plane of development, known as the 2nd plane (ages 6-12), children are growing by leaps and bounds. Some of the key aspects of development in this period are in social thinking, moral understanding and expanded intellectual prowess.
During the second plane, children develop the ability to reason, a thirst for knowledge and understanding, the ability to think abstractly and to imagine things that are not in front of them (ex. What happened 1000’s of years ago). They change from being completely egocentric to allowing others into their bubble. They find pleasure in collaboration and growth of peer relationships as well as developing a sense of fairness and justice. They also develop their sense of right and wrong, leading to the beginnings of moral responsibility.
In lower elementary (1st - 3rd grades) the 3-year cycle allows for children to transition and explore using concrete materials, some of which were present during their primary school years. They find comfort in the familiarity and use those as a springboard for learning new and more complex concepts. The children are working to master basic concepts in all areas of the curriculum, from language to math, from science to geography, from culture to their Jewish identity, from holidays and parsha to davening, Hebrew grammar and vocabulary, halacha, chumash and Rashi.
As the children move from first grade to second they deepen their exploration of these topics and find great joy in working on projects with friends. They develop more elaborate presentations and start relishing in the idea of presenting what they have learned to the class. The once timid learner, found in the younger 1st year, gives way to the emerging confident student, feeling very at home in the elementary classroom.
Similarly to the 3rd year of the cycle in the primary classroom, the 3rd year children (3rd grade) focus on refining their skills and mastery and enjoy mentoring the younger students. This allows them a greater satisfaction and deeper understanding of what they have learned. They become the leaders they had aspired to be in their classroom and they take ownership of their learning and the ebb and flow of the daily work the class is doing. They begin to emerge as abstract thinkers, preparing themselves for the next 3 year cycle of upper elementary.
As in the 2 previous cycles, the upper elementary is structured in the same way, providing 3 age levels in one class. The 4th grade child, transitioning from lower elementary, is now ready to learn more complex concepts and delve further into the concepts they have already learned. Social connections continue to deepen and collaborative work continues to grow and become more complex. The 5th graders, in year 2 of the 3-year cycle, expand their knowledge and understanding of the connection between different areas of the classroom. They continue to expand their knowledge and become more confident in their own ability to learn. They start to take on leadership rolls, helping the younger fourth graders acclimate to their new setting. As they progress into their 3rd year, the 6th graders take on larger amounts of leadership, creating elaborate projects and orchestrating larger scale activities, requiring the use of knowledge in many different parts of the curriculum. The strength and independence of these children allows for a rich and exciting learning environment for everyone in the class and supports the development of all the children within the upper elementary.
The completion of an entire cycle of 3 years is imperative to the success of the Montessori Method. In primary, lower and upper elementary, each year of the 3-year cycle is crucial to the development of a stronger, happier, more confident child. The culmination of each of these cycles gives way to the next, allowing for future leaders and innovators.
During the second plane, children develop the ability to reason, a thirst for knowledge and understanding, the ability to think abstractly and to imagine things that are not in front of them (ex. What happened 1000’s of years ago). They change from being completely egocentric to allowing others into their bubble. They find pleasure in collaboration and growth of peer relationships as well as developing a sense of fairness and justice. They also develop their sense of right and wrong, leading to the beginnings of moral responsibility.
In lower elementary (1st - 3rd grades) the 3-year cycle allows for children to transition and explore using concrete materials, some of which were present during their primary school years. They find comfort in the familiarity and use those as a springboard for learning new and more complex concepts. The children are working to master basic concepts in all areas of the curriculum, from language to math, from science to geography, from culture to their Jewish identity, from holidays and parsha to davening, Hebrew grammar and vocabulary, halacha, chumash and Rashi.
As the children move from first grade to second they deepen their exploration of these topics and find great joy in working on projects with friends. They develop more elaborate presentations and start relishing in the idea of presenting what they have learned to the class. The once timid learner, found in the younger 1st year, gives way to the emerging confident student, feeling very at home in the elementary classroom.
Similarly to the 3rd year of the cycle in the primary classroom, the 3rd year children (3rd grade) focus on refining their skills and mastery and enjoy mentoring the younger students. This allows them a greater satisfaction and deeper understanding of what they have learned. They become the leaders they had aspired to be in their classroom and they take ownership of their learning and the ebb and flow of the daily work the class is doing. They begin to emerge as abstract thinkers, preparing themselves for the next 3 year cycle of upper elementary.
As in the 2 previous cycles, the upper elementary is structured in the same way, providing 3 age levels in one class. The 4th grade child, transitioning from lower elementary, is now ready to learn more complex concepts and delve further into the concepts they have already learned. Social connections continue to deepen and collaborative work continues to grow and become more complex. The 5th graders, in year 2 of the 3-year cycle, expand their knowledge and understanding of the connection between different areas of the classroom. They continue to expand their knowledge and become more confident in their own ability to learn. They start to take on leadership rolls, helping the younger fourth graders acclimate to their new setting. As they progress into their 3rd year, the 6th graders take on larger amounts of leadership, creating elaborate projects and orchestrating larger scale activities, requiring the use of knowledge in many different parts of the curriculum. The strength and independence of these children allows for a rich and exciting learning environment for everyone in the class and supports the development of all the children within the upper elementary.
The completion of an entire cycle of 3 years is imperative to the success of the Montessori Method. In primary, lower and upper elementary, each year of the 3-year cycle is crucial to the development of a stronger, happier, more confident child. The culmination of each of these cycles gives way to the next, allowing for future leaders and innovators.
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