The Elementary Program is divided into two Lower Elementary Classrooms (grades 1-3) and an Upper Elementary Classroom (grades 4-6).
The Elementary level child is highly social, curious, imaginative and eager to explore the world. In an ascending spiral approach to education, the children visit and revisit integrated curriculum topics allowing for deeper investigations. In keeping with brain development, students move from concrete manipulation of related materials to the abstraction of concepts and acquisition of academic skills. This promotes a research based curriculum method that encourages each child to develop life skills in selecting a topic of interest, organization of time and materials for research, presentation of findings both written and oratory, self-evaluation and projection of ideas for further study.
In the Lower Elementary classroom, daily work includes math, reading, grammar, science, history and geography. Daily journal writing and research projects are a way for students to develop self-expression and practice learned skills.
Students in the Upper Elementary classroom build upon these foundations delving deeper into such subjects as Anatomy, Ecology and Cultural Studies. Time management skills are practiced through the coordination of weekly and monthly assignments. There are many opportunities for students to make presentations to their classmates and in this process, practice organizational and leadership skills.
All classrooms become communities working in an atmosphere of collaborative engagement. It is a place that allows each student to contribute their talents and skills while expanding their interests.