Primary Program

The Primary Program recognizes and nurtures the needs of children ages 3 to 6.  Mountaineer Montessori School provides a secure environment where children adapt to social interactions with each other and with adults.  Within the classroom children explore independently.
The Primary morning session is Monday through Friday from 8am to 11:50am.

The Primary extended day session for ages 5-6 is Monday through Friday from 8am to 2:50pm.

Primary Curriculum

Practical Life: The Practical Life activities enable the child to learn about and take responsibility for themselves, their environment and each other.  The mastery of everyday tasks such as zipping, tying, buttoning, sweeping, dusting, mopping, etc., are important steps towards building self-confidence.  The work activities introduce the child to order, and develop their concentration and coordination, which facilitate independence.

Sensorial: The sensorial exercises promote awareness and development of the senses. When children are allowed to touch, feel, hold, smell, listen, see and taste, they absorb concepts. The sensorial materials are designed to refine the senses, and as confidence and self-assurance develop, the sensorial lessons are applied to hands-on learning in all other areas in the curriculum.   The foundational concepts of plane and solid geometry are introduced in the sensorial area, preparing them for a more abstract exploration they will encounter in the elementary.

Language: Children learn about language through self-expression.  Conversation is encouraged in the Montessori classroom.  The introduction of exciting new words in all activities increases the child’s vocabulary.  Reading and writing skills are introduced and reinforced through a multi-sensory, sequential approach, providing scaffolding on which to build.

Math:  Through the use of manipulatives, children learn to count, to understand the relationship of quantity to symbol, and the basics of numbers.  In addition to these concepts, mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) are taught.

Cultural:  In the cultural area of the classroom the children learn about geography, needs of people, cultures from around the world, the humanities, biology, zoology and physical sciences.  The children become familiar with a much bigger sense of the world outside themselves.