Elementary
Whole Child Education for Grades 1 to 6
Montessori elementary education is self-directed and inquiry-based. The individually paced curriculum challenges children academically while supporting their well-being and sense of self.
Montessori goes beyond academics to educate the whole child. Students learn to question, think critically, take responsibility for their own learning, and to be contributing members of a respectful community.
What is Happening at this Age?
The Elementary years mark an exciting shift in development. Children enter what Montessori called the "second plane," a time of expanding curiosity, imagination, and social awareness.
At this stage, children are eager to understand the world, how it works, how people relate to one another, and where they fit within it. They begin to ask big questions and are ready to explore ideas in greater depth.
Learn more about your child’s development at the Elementary age and the difference from the previous stage of development.
What Children Learn
Montessori’s approach for the Elementary child is called “Cosmic Education,” and it responds to the sensitive learning periods of children this age. These are:
- The sensitivity for culture, which is a quest for knowledge and understanding.
- The sensitivity for imagination, which permits the child to explore and conquer new realities that interest him, from the vast expanse of the cosmos to the invisible cells of life.
- The sensitivity for morality, which outwardly reveals itself in his social relationships and interactions, and inwardly reveals itself as the voice of conscience.
Within this framework, students learn geography, biology, history, language, mathematics in all its branches, science, music, art, and more by exploring their interests to mastery.
A Look Inside the Classroom
Montessori classrooms are very different from conventional classrooms. A Montessori Elementary classroom is spacious and open. It is designed for small-group lessons and for students to work in pairs, small groups, or individually.
Students are free to move around the room as needed. They may be working at tables, on the floor, or tucked away in a quiet corner. MIR has ample outdoor workspaces, allowing students to take advantage of California’s beautiful weather and learn from the environment.
Each classroom includes a student bathroom. We believe children understand their biological needs and are fully capable of addressing them without disruption to their education.
The MIR Elementary Program supports your child’s:
Learning in Action
Observe Lower Elementary students at work
Observe Upper Elementary students at work
Our experience with children in elementary schools has shown us that the age between six and twelve years is a period of life during which the elements of all sciences should be given. It is a period that, psychologically, is especially sensitive and might be called the "sensitive period of culture" during which the abstract plane of the human mind is organised.
Maria Montessori
Enrollment Options
School hours are 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.
Morning childcare is available from 7:45 to 8:30 am, and afternoon childcare is available from 3:30 to 5 pm.
School Calendar & Year-Round Care
MIR follows a traditional school-year calendar, including standard holidays and staff in-service closures.
For families who wish to continue their child’s Montessori experience year-round, summer programming is available for enrolled students.
