Primary Program
Primary Program
3 - 6 years
Mandarin Chinese Dual-Language Immersion
Our Primary classroom is comprised of a mixed-age community for children ages 2.5 – 6 years old. In a true Montessori environment, this cohort develops independence in learning and a sense of unity with their classmates. The youngest focus on Practical Life, an essential area of the curriculum upon which all other areas are built, and Sensorial. As children progress through the room over 3-4 years, they are introduced to materials in literacy, mathematics, geography, botany, and zoology. All lessons in the classroom are presented by a Montessori-certified Guide, who works with children individually as well as in small groups. In this environment designed for children of this age, the size of the furniture is at their level and arranged for freedom of movement. The materials are designed to be attractive to encourage repeated use and your child will discover the joy of learning with autonomy as the materials feature build-in controls of error which allow your child to self-correct without the aid of an adult. Throughout the course of learning in the Primary classroom at Maylan, children are immersed in Mandarin Chinese by native speakers, who offer lessons and engage in conversations with children in the classroom to develop spoken fluency and written literacy. Through mindful observation, the role of the Guide is to “follow the child” – so your child is secure in learning at their own pace with developmentally appropriate lessons and milestones. By the time your child completes the Primary classroom, they will be ready to join Elementary school!
Pratical Life
Practical Life activities in the Casa support the child’s development of self-construction and functional independence in all aspects: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. It sets the foundation for the rest of her life as it enables her to be engaged in activities that are useful to her own wellbeing and that of the community around her. The areas of Practical Life include: Preliminary Activities, Grace and Courtesy, Control and Coordination of Movement, Care of the Person, and Care of the Environment.
Sensorial
Everything that we learn is conveyed through our senses. Before we are able to imagine and abstract ideas, we must first have some tangible experience that sets the foundation for work that takes place in the mind. Humans are sensorial beings and explore the world through all of the senses we have available to us including touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing. The purpose of the Sensorial materials is to categorize the plethora of sensations the child has taken in through her experience in the world. They do not introduce new sensations, but help the child develop and refine the senses that have already been lived. All of the work achieved in Sensorial sets the foundation for the later work of mental abstractions and imagination.
Language
Language is about connection. Across ages, cultures, and nations, language allows us to communicate with one another around the globe. Whether verbal or non-verbal, human beings are capable of sharing their thoughts with one another in order to care for a family, trade, and enjoy the pleasure of another’s company. There are three streams of language in the Montessori Primary classroom: Spoken Language, Writing, and Reading. While language materials do occupy their own space in the classroom, language is rich and abundant in all areas of learning within the classroom. Children will discover their own style of communication through abundant exposure to a variety of language activities, developing necessary skills for written authorship, spoken fluency, and total literacy in reading.
Math
Concepts are introduced one at a time with concrete, sensorial materials. The idea is presented in whole and then broken down into parts. Language pertaining to mathematics is learned through practice with materials and repetition. The child works at his own pace, never rushed or hurried – allowing for maturation and solidification of each idea before adding the next. The child learns through exploration and discovery.
Science
In this area, children learn about living/non-living, plants/animals and earth/universe. Sometimes children go outside to explore the nature, and sometimes they bring things in classroom to learn with materials on the shelves.
Geography
In this area, children learn to distinguish living vs. nonliving organisms, learn introductory zoology and botany, and an introduction to our planet and our universe. Children are given opportunities to learn through concrete experiences through outdoor activities and indoor in-house field trips.
History
Children learn about both physical geography and cultural geography in this class. The Sandpaper and Painted globes introduce the world and pertaining language. From there, each continent is explored through puzzle maps where children have the opportunity to learn the names of all the countries in the world. We also offer geography folders which include images and content relevant to cultures around the world.
Art
Children love art! We offer various media for children to engage in self-expression through the arts. This includes visual art materials, opportunities to role play through Grace and Courtesy lessons and language lessons, and musical expression.
Music and Movement
Music is an essential characteristic of human beings. In the Primary classroom, children are exposed to materials to create music (the bells), language to identify pitch and volume, and movement activities that accompany. This helps the child to gain an appreciation for music as well as a part in its creation for themselves.
Our Learning
Environment
