Elementary Program

Studies have shown Montessori graduates transition well and excel academically and socially in traditional educational environments. Coming from the unique Montessori multi-age environment, they make friends easily and have a balanced outlook on life.

The classes are small. The learning is monumental.

At Alexander Montessori, the Elementary Program is separated into Lower School for ages 6-9 (Grades 1-3) and the Departmentalized Middle School Preparatory Program for ages 9-12 (Grades 4-5). Students are working toward becoming responsible citizens who have achieved independence, self-direction, academic success, and an awareness of the needs of others. By this age, the focus of a child’s Montessori education takes “help me to help myself” and adds “so I may help others.”

In the Elementary Program, children deepen their hunger for learning and master the internal tools to discover knowledge on their own. Having achieved a sophisticated sense of wonder, Montessori students continue to follow their intellectual curiosity at their own pace, often ahead of grade level, and beyond their traditionally educated peers.

 

Benefits of a Montessori Elementary School Program

Students are continuously evolving, learning new skills and exploring new ideas. Bringing an attitude of awe to the interdependence of the natural world and interconnectedness of all life, students approach traditional subjects such as biology and geometry, geography and physics, grammar, writing, and integrated art with impassioned, “what if” thinking.
Rather than forcing students to regurgitate facts, Teachers are creatively sowing the seeds of imagination, while ensuring skills are practiced and evaluated appropriately through regular testing. Academic success is reported to parents via progress reports, conferences, and the annual Stanford Achievement Tests (SAT's) featuring national and independent school percentile scores.

Alexander Montessori Elementary School in Coral Gables and Cutler Bay, FL is the the only school in its area to feature a special ESOL Program for non-native, English-speaking students, and offer a Reading Lab directed by a certified Specialist. As members of this diverse and vertically integrated school, students grow up understanding tolerance and showing compassion. Children learn to lead and partner with others of any age and point of view as a natural expression in school and the world.

Girl sitting on floor smiling at camera

Lower School Program (Grades 1-3)

The Lower School, for ages 6 to 9, continues the vertical grouping begun in Preschool. First- through third-Graders share a homeroom, learning from one another and teaching each other, guided by a curriculum that maximizes each child’s potential, while fostering a sense of belonging. In Lower School, children attend music and physical education classes in large groups with friends, and work individually toward their own intellectual goals. Combining the best of Montessori principles with conventional education methods, specially-trained Teachers use hands-on materials, peer teaching, and creatively guided instruction to meet each child’s interest and ability. When children work at their own rate, they excel at their own pace, often above grade level and beyond traditional expectations.

Teacher sitting next to student

Middle School Preparatory Program (Grades 4-5)

Middle school Prep classes for students ages 9 through 12 emphasize independent work, and working at one’s own rate. Students change classes for subject areas including science, language arts, language enrichment (composition), social studies, mathematics, Spanish, computers, fine arts, and physical education. Specialized Teachers in each subject area hold high academic standards and maintain a focus on internal discipline and self-direction. Students find unlimited learning to be its own reward and are prepared for success in any future educational environment. Critical executive functioning skills, such as organizing one’s self for work, time management, and prioritizing assignments, are developed throughout this program.

To further ensure a smooth changeover to a traditional middle school environment, Alexander Montessori provides a customized transition program for students in the 4th and 5th Grades. Students consistently go on to attend the best middle and preparatory high schools in the area, often excelling beyond their peers. Because Montessori education instills a love of learning and a tried-and-true approach to acquiring knowledge that never ends, our students are sought after by leading prep schools and accepted into the nation’s top colleges and universities.