The Primary Montessori Curriculum

Through the use of uniquely designed materials the child learns to perform the basic actions that lead to functional independence activities that involve Care of the Self, Care of the Environment, Health and Nutrition. The goal is for the child to develop concentration, the repetition of these activities in addition to developing independence, coordinated movement, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and a sense of order. This area is the foundation for all other areas. 

 The materials and activities in this area are designed to give the child a working knowledge of syntax and grammar and enrich his/her vocabulary, as well as practice in public speaking. The idea is always to move from the concrete to the abstract, each activity building upon the next until the child demonstrates through speech and other activities, his mastery of the language. 

 The materials in this area are physical representations of mathematical concepts – this includes geometry. It is important for the child to access to mathematical experiences through sensorial manipulation. Qualities of the other three core areas can be found in the approach to mathematics and the idea is to give the whole concept first and then move on to the details. There are six basic groups of mathematics instruction and each one is presented in a three-step pattern: a concrete experience of the concept, followed by isolation of the concept and finally a combination of the concrete with the abstract. 

 The materials in this area are physical representations of mathematical concepts – this includes geometry. It is important for the child to access to mathematical experiences through sensorial manipulation. Qualities of the other three core areas can be found in the approach to mathematics and the idea is to give the whole concept first and then move on to the details. There are six basic groups of mathematics instruction and each one is presented in a three-step pattern: a concrete experience of the concept, followed by isolation of the concept and finally a combination of the concrete with the abstract.