The Montessori curriculum for children aged 6 to 12 has evolved significantly over the past century through the contributions of educators who have carefully observed and experimented to determine:
What children of this age should learn?
When and how they should learn it?
Which materials and activities best facilitate their learning?
This curriculum covers a wide range of educational disciplines, encompassing areas such as self-discovery, life and its institutions, mathematics, language, as well as the arts and sciences. The materials and exercises within each discipline are designed to help children establish mental order. Rather than presenting educational disciplines as isolated subjects taught in distinct time blocks, the Montessori curriculum is structured to be interconnected, interrelated, and open-ended. Children are guided to recognize how each topic relates to others within the same subject area and across various disciplines. These connections occur at different times and in diverse ways for each child, resulting in an educational experience that feels like a cohesive whole, personalized to the interests and learning styles of individual students.
The curriculum begins with the introduction of great lessons. Rather than overwhelming children with isolated details, these narratives provide them with a broader vision that aligns with their developing intellectual abilities.
These great lessons serve as a framework for subsequent lessons and activities, ensuring the curriculum’s coherence. Teachers, guided by the students’ interests sparked by these lessons, then develop lessons to harness and deepen these interests. The classroom environment is thoughtfully designed to offer children the space and uninterrupted time needed to explore their interests, often leading to significant work.
The curriculum spans the following interrelated disciplines:
Self-discovery
Life and its purpose
Leadership and management
Language
Mathematics, including Geometry
Mathematics
History
Cultural
Geography
Biology
Creative Arts
Physical Education
Languages other than English
This curriculum allows children to discover and appreciate their inherent God-given gifts and understand their purpose. It is intentionally designed to cultivate gratitude and a sense of responsibility toward the Earth and all its inhabitants, with a deep reverence for life. Through engagement with this curriculum, some children may uncover their life’s calling, such as environmental stewardship or tending to the needs of others. As children increasingly recognize the blessings they’ve received, their response often involves a desire to provide service and make a positive impact.