Program and Curriculum

Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural drive to work and learn.

Toddler Program (18 months - 3 years old)

Through direct observation, Dr. Montessori concluded that the first three years of life is a period of rapid absorption of the environment by the child. In our Toddler room we provide a tranquil environment in which your child will be able to explore, concentrate and master new skills. This nurturing setting is enhanced with Montessori materials and practical life activities which allow your child to grow purposefully. These activities are presented by a highly trained Montessori directress. Her assistant is also Montessori trained and facilitates opportunities for the child to learn to care for himself and interact with other children and adults. Toilet training is an integral part of the program. The Toddlers spend time outside each day learning through exploring their natural environment. Children who stay for the full day will nap and then join the afternoon program.

Casa Program ( 3 - 6 years old)

The Casa program provides a 3 year sequential Montessori curriculum for children aged 3 - 6 years old.  The Casa classes enroll children of mixed ages with a full time AMI/TMI teacher and trained assistants.  The children remain in the same class for all three years.   Much of the Casa emphasis is on discovery through working with the materials in the 5 areas of the curriculum; Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Culture.  In the first two years children attend classes 5 mornings a week from 8:30 am – 11:30 am (for an extended day of supervision see Children’s Centre).  The third culminating year of the Casa is a full day from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

Elementary Program (6 – 14 years old)

The Montessori Elementary represents a new stage in the development of the cognitive and social dimensions of the child.  The child, who has had the experience of the ‘prepared environment’ of the Casa program, is now equipped to experience the new and exciting dimensions of the Elementary Classroom. 

Children work in small groups as well as individually to explore the world at large, what Montessori calls Cosmic Education – the sciences, the arts, and the universe.  The program offers an advanced curriculum for children aged 6 – 14 (grades 1-8).

The Elementary is divided into two age groupings, which coincides with the developmental stages of the child.  Children of the 6 to 9 are now ready to explore the ‘how’s and why’s of things’ and as such, they require an environment that stimulates their sense of wonder, that affords them opportunities to use their imagination, and that provides them activities for exploration and repetition.  Academic and cultural subjects are presented in a way that helps to move the child from the concrete representation of things, to the abstract understanding of ideas and knowledge.

Specialized pedagogical materials are used to teach the children history, geography, math, geometry, language, life and physical sciences, art and music.  The children then work with these materials, with the opportunities for repetition and exploration, in order to build confidence and mastery of the concepts being taught, and to acquire new skills.  When the children reach the 9 to 12, they are ready to solidify the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the 6 to 9, and to use these as a foundation for the new and advanced concepts they will be presented at the appropriate time.

Reference is made to the Ontario Provincial curriculum Guidelines of the Ontario Ministry of Education where these are seen to be beneficial and meaningful for all our staff and students.

French

French is presented as a living language at the primary level with assistants speaking French throughout the day. All French speaking staff at Phoenix speak only French to the children and other staff, encouraging the children to use French on a daily basis. At Phoenix Montessori, we use the successful AIM Language Learning approach in the Elementary.

Physical Education

The Physical Education program at Phoenix Montessori is designed to provide knowledge, skills and motivation for a lifetime of health, exercise and sportsmanship. All children have use of the gym and outdoor fields.

Elementary classes have organized gym classes three times a week for a total of more than 160 minutes. Units for elementary include soccer, basketball, hockey, yoga, volleyball, badminton, softball, running and fitness. Skills and rules of each game are taught with sportsmanlike conduct being emphasized at all times.

Music

Our Music program provides all our students from Toddler through 6th year Elementary instruction with Orff instruments, recorders, and choral music and movement. Elementary students may participate and perform with our school choir.

Guitar lessons are offered by a private instructor during recess and guitars can be provided by the school.

Drama

Although the Casa children perform songs and dances at our Christmas and Spring pageants, drama is formally introduced at the Elementary level. The Elementary children prepare and present productions to the school community and their families. Each of the Elementary French classes presents their own play on an afternoon in April.

Much of the Casa emphasis is on discovery through working with the materials in the 5 areas of the curriculum; Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Culture. 

Academic and cultural subjects are presented in a way that helps to move the child from the concrete representation of things, to the abstract understanding of ideas and knowledge.