The Primary Community

The Primary program at St. Paul’s includes children in the age range of 3 to 6 years together in a mixed-age classroom.

The student–teacher ratio is 1 teacher for every 11 children, with a Lead Guide and an Assistant Guide in each classroom.

Goals:

• Provide a Montessori experience for students which includes learning experiences in the major curriculum areas:
• Practical Life – practicing real life skills, strengthening fine motor abilities and sense of order.
• Mathematics – understanding concept of quantity, learning number symbols, experiencing place value, introduction to mathematical operations
• Language – verbal, auditory, letter sounds, fine motor skills, phonograms, building words, creating stories
• Cultural Subjects – exploring the day to day experiences of humans around the world
• Geography and Science – exploring animals, plants, land, water, simple scientific laws, and maps
• Art – self-expression through a variety of mediums: playdoh, clay, crayons, paint, water colors, chalk, cutting, gluing, colored pencils
• Music – daily singing in the classroom and weekly music classes with our Music Director, Ms. Rebecca
• Movement – practicing gross motor skills through purposeful movement with the whole body, both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Provide Outdoor Education as an extension of the Montessori curriculum

In the Toddler Program, we are working on skills that will prepare the child to be able to understand academic concepts. In order for the mind to process learning, learning must first be done through the hands. Toddler children are provided with a fluid learning environment and hands-on activities that meet their developmental needs in the areas of cognition, gross and fine motor skills, language, independence, and social skills.

Our Toddler Program also focuses on toileting independence. Children have many opportunities to learn about the needs and sensations of their bodies, as well as working on undressing and dressing themselves independently.