Learning in contexts
On the basis of her observations, Maria Montessori developed a comprehensive curriculum which corresponds to the characteristics and needs of children in the second stage of development - e.g. their great willingness and joy in learning, interest in large contexts and the causes of things, stability, etc. The curriculum goes far beyond the official requirements of current curricula and guidelines - it includes more than 800 introductory presentations.
From concrete to abstract
Most presentations start with concrete materials - the well-known Montessori materials, picture boards or experiments - followed by further activities from the areas of language, mathematics and geometry, geography and geology, history, biology, art and music. Due to the concrete materials and possibilities for action, many contents are offered much earlier than required, e.g. the introduction to arithmetic with fractions from grade 1.
From the whole to the detail
Due to the Montessori methodology, the presentations follow a different sequence than the curricula prescribe. According to the principle of Cosmic Education ("Give the child the whole universe"), we always start with the whole; new presentations can then each be placed in this overall context.
Achieving the goals of the primary school
We can confirm from experience that children - if there are no learning or other disorders - achieve the mandatory goals of primary school or secondary level 1 in this way at the end of grade 4 as well as at the end of grade 6, but by a different route and in a different order.
Learning at your own pace
In accordance with our educational goals, however, at Montessori EcoSchool the individual with his or her personal prerequisites, interests and own learning pace is always in the foreground: we give each child the necessary time to permeate the contents, understand them and make them their own. This also means that despite all the pre-structuring, each child should still have enough time to discover their personal learning and research interests and to pursue them in a variety of ways. This is particularly possible through our all-day programme. It also means that some children get more time when they need more time to absorb the required learning material.
Premature transfer to another school
Children can best benefit from our pedagogical concept if they go through it in its entirety - i.e. until grade 6. Should they wish to move to another school earlier - e.g. because of a move - we prepare the children accordingly. However, parents must inform us of this as early as possible.
Following the state guidelines
In implementing our educational goals and learning content in grades 1-4, we are guided by the educational standards for the primary level and the core curriculum in Hesse as well as the current mandatory goals of the primary school. In grades 5 and 6, we are guided by the educational standards for secondary level I - Gymnasium (G9).
