Instruction

• Instruction is based on the theories and philosophy of Maria Montessori and the Community Montessori Belief System.
• A mixture of direct instruction, spontaneous lessons, connection to real life learning, discovery, and authentic engagement leads to problem solving, increased knowledge and life-long learning skills.
• Multi-age environments create opportunities for natural teaching and learning through peer interaction.
• Age-appropriate materials and activities are inviting and engage learners in their understanding of skills and concepts.
• Without the use of letter grades, authentic assessment is conducted through observations, tracking of skills, and age-appropriate computerized assessment.
• Classroom job responsibilities, gardening, cooking, building, moving gracefully, speaking politely, doing social work in the community are all a part of their experience.
• Children are given the opportunity to take care of themselves, each other, and the environment.

Curriculum

• Community Montessori’s learning beliefs are based on Eight Constructs: social, emotional, physical, moral, intellectual, aesthetics, creative, and “school success”.
• Our Eight Constructs are the basis of educating the whole child and go far beyond rote academic learning.
• Our academic curriculum is based on the Montessori program scope and sequence and the Indiana state standards.
• We work with a learner based on development, progression and then plan individual plans of growth to support his/her learning style.
• We focus on process over product and understanding over memorization.
• Daily activities consist of class meetings, individual work, group activities, peer interactions, and cooperative learning.

Parent partnership

Community Montessori believes our connection with our families is of the utmost importance because a parent is the first and most important “teacher” of any child. We know how crucial this open dialogue must be to ensure the success of every learner. Some ways we encourage this partnership:

• Four Parent Partner Conferences scheduled throughout the year to communicate growth and goals at home and school.
• Consistent and ongoing communication verbally and through e-mail/voice mail.
• Families participating in “work at home” projects based on the individual needs of the child/teen. (Formal nightly homework is not assigned by the teacher.)
• Parents/families involved in the classroom as “classroom assistants”, career/hobby presenters, “going-out trip” mentors, and project organizers to further understand and enrich the educational program.
• Parents/families attend monthly Parent Involvement Partnership (PIP) workshops that communicate our educational philosophy/programs.
• Parents are expected to spend 10 minutes a week with their child in the classroom to further understand his/her growth and progression.
• Families commit to spending a minimum of 10 hours a year volunteering in some capacity for Community Montessori.

Accountability

• When age/developmentally appropriate, children/teens are expected to be accountable for their daily work and assignments.
• Families are expected to be accountable for consistent and ongoing “work at home” to enhance and expand their educational progression.
• Teaching staff is accountable for the whole learner – all Eight Constructs, through constant dialogue and Parent Partner Conferences.
• Community Montessori Charter School is accountable to Ball State University for meeting annual benchmarks of goals established for improvement and growth.

Early Education (3-6 year olds) 3-6 Year Old General Scope and Sequence

Home-like environment encouraging children to do things on their own. Environment made just for the child’s independence, with materials, wall hanging, and furniture at his/her level. Freedom is given (within limits) to repeat, explore, and engage. A child’s concentration is respected, adults are careful not to interrupt children and use low voices in their presence. Children prepare and serve snack – incorporating math and language skills Children are active, participants and choose activities independently – incorporating problem solving skills. Children are supported physically, emotionally, and socially encouraging risk taking and building confidence. Children are given “lessons” based on their individual, developmental needs, leading to increased acquisition of knowledge.

Elementary (6-12 year olds) 6-12 Year Old General Scope and Sequence

Children are maintainers of the environment – classroom job responsibilities, animal care, plant care, dish washing, lunch preparation/clean-up, etc. Children are supported physically, emotionally, and socially encouraging risk taking and building confidence. Children work with educational materials that contain additional steps and have multiple uses. Children are encouraged to work out social conflict through peer dialogue, listening, empathy, and appropriate word choices. Learning is connected to purposeful and real-life situations to further engage each child. Children obtain more responsibility by “going out” of their classroom and the building to find out information and connect learning to real world experiences. Children become more accountable in tracking “work” through work plans, notebooks, and assignment sheets.

Secondary learning (12-15 year olds) 12-15 Year Old General Scope and Sequence

The design of the Community Montessori Secondary Program is an integration of the current research and human development, the trends and issues in education, and the beliefs and philosophy of Maria Montessori. The mission of the program is to provide opportunities for teens to be self-confident and gain self-knowledge, to belong to communities, to be adaptable, to be academically competent and challenged, and to create a vision of their personal future through empowerment.

Role of the Teacher(s)

A communicator/model of studio (classroom) culture An active listener An objective mediator A non-biased consultant A guide, coach, mentor and facilitator A co-creator of a safe and stimulating environment A positive/developmental role model A co-communicator with families

Role of Learner/Teen

Active learner, self-engaging, and self-directed Vital member of the studio, school, local, and world community Leader of parent/teacher partnership Understanding power/peace issues Planning/preparing for future Responsible for actions and decisions Use feedback to analyze behavior Use of materials in a purposeful/intentional manner Free time development Trying to understand total self Meaningful tasks/purposeful work/best effort Metacognition – learning how to learn strategies Personal learning plans/logs Self-expression and self-knowledge “Respectful” communication towards peers and adults

Prepared Environment(s)

Value all learning styles Whole person development Create many opportunities for leadership/participation Self-sufficient/entrepreneurial – learning economic independence Strong sense of community and social interaction with peers Self-expression, self-knowledge, and self-assessment Concrete materials for various learning styles Daily living/life skill development Understanding, appreciation of nature/outdoors In-depth learning that is meaningful and challenging Balance of group and personal work Multi-age involvement/collaboration – real world/authentic Available opportunities for community service Career exploration Technology as a purposeful priority Creative expressions Environmental awareness – activities/concepts that allow work on and with the land

Curriculum

Eight constructs – moral, emotional, social, school success, wellness, aesthetics,creative expression, intellectual. Indiana State Standards - Core 40 College credits Who Am I curriculum Big Question curriculum Long-term cooperative learning projects – ex. Heroic Journey Seminar development – ex. community based, Socratic, peer, etc. MES Goals – moral, emotional, social Internship development Career development Community service Multi-disciplinary concepts Integration of content/concepts Use interests to reach goal areas

Secondary learning (16-18 year olds)

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