Primary Program
Ages 2 1/2 – 6
Our Primary Program and curriculum support the development of young children during this special time. Our curriculum is meticulously curated and is composed of our prepared environment in the classroom and is enhanced with our gardening program and cultural enrichment activities.
Fostering our children’s natural curiosity.
Our Primary program and the prepared environment of the classroom are designed to provide experiences that support the development of young children during this special time. The movement-oriented nature of the classroom activities facilitates all learning styles. Guided by teachers who fully understand the stages of growth and development, children are able to follow their own interests at their own pace.
Children in this environment quickly become explorers and discoverers. They are able to move freely about the room, choosing activities to do alone or with others. The teachers are always close by, helping one child select an activity, going with another to view a project, encouraging two children in their cooperative effort, and having lessons with individuals and small groups. The children are busy and happy. Each child’s natural curiosity leads them to explore, and the carefully-prepared activities, along with the guidance of the teachers, engender feelings of success and self-satisfaction.
Five distinct areas make up the Primary-level Prepared Environment:
Practical life activities enhance the development of task organization and cognitive order through care of self, care of the environment, coordination of movement and exercises of grace and courtesy.
Sensorial activities enable children to order, classify, and describe sensory impressions in relation to length, width, temperature, mass, color and other measurements of the world.
Mathematics makes use of manipulative materials to enable children to internalize concepts of number, symbol, sequence, operations, and memorization of basic facts. Using self-correcting materials, children learn not only number recognition and place value, but also problem solving and development of a visual image of mathematical concepts.
Language arts include spoken language development, written expression, reading, the study of grammar, creative dramatics, and literature. Basic skills in writing and reading are developed through the use of sandpaper letters, the movable alphabet, and vocabulary enrichment activities, which allow children to link sound and letter symbols effortlessly and to express their thoughts through writing.
Cultural activities guide the children to explore the basics in geography, history, and life sciences. Art, music and movement education and cultural immersion for Spanish language are part of the integrated cultural curriculum.
The Primary environment is designed to support the social, physical, and cognitive skills of each child. Its important task is to provide students with an early foundation that includes:
a positive attitude toward learning
inner trust and confidence
a sense of order
pride in the physical environment
an abiding curiosity
a habit of concentration
the ability to make decisions
self-discipline
a sense of responsibility to other members of the class, school, and community
This foundation supports the continuum of learning, which will enable students to acquire more specialized knowledge and skills throughout their school career. Children learn together in the mixed-age community. A three-year cycle enables the teacher to build a rich relationship with each child and their family.
In addition to our prepared environment, our Garden, Cultural and Arts Enrichment programs are naturally woven into our Montessori curriculum
Greenhouse & Gardening Curriculum:
Crescent’s expansive open gardens are seen as a natural extension of our classroom. Our children have a garden program where they learn about the life cycle of plants, fruits and vegetables of the season. In 2020 a small greenhouse was built in our garden. Along with several flower beds, compost bin an abundance of tools and books, our garden curriculum allows our children to connect with nature and the food that they eat.
Music Curriculum:
The Primary children enjoy weekly music classes, songs are our sung daily in class and our garden is outfitted with a newly built music wall.
Spanish As A Second Language Curriculum:
Spanish is taught as a second language in our classroom. Children are provided materials in the classroom in Spanish and taught and sing songs in Spanish.
