Lower Primary (ages 6 to 9)

Mental growth, reasoning, and imagination.

A period of intellectual growth and mental independence.

At this age, children begin searching for moral order and develop their conscience or sense of right and wrong – every child becomes a social explorer, developing their imagination and reasoning skills.

Children at the lower primary level begin to show a genuine interest in others, whether it is within their local community or in a more global sense of awareness. They develop a very strong sense of justice and perceived fairness and following the rules becomes very important.

Nurturing social explorers in the second plane of development.

Dr Maria Montessori described this phase as a ‘calm phase of uniform growth.’

Montessori based her educational philosophy on the idea that children develop through a series of four planes. At this age (6-9), children enter the second plane of development, which is a period when children crave intellectual independence while developing ethics and social responsibility.

Want to know more about Montessori’s planes of development?

Planes of Development

Exploring cosmic education through great stories.

Cosmic education is a cornerstone of the Montessori Philosophy and, at its core, tells the story of the interconnectedness of all things, and describes the role of education as comprehensive, holistic, and purposeful.

Through the five Great Stories, the students are presented with a holistic vision of knowledge, drawing on material from the various disciplines. They learn about the creation of the universe through these stories, which integrate the studies of astronomy, chemistry, biology, geography, and history.

1. First Great Story: Coming of the Universe and the Earth
2. Second Great Story: Coming of Life
3. Third Great Story: Coming of Human Beings
4. Fourth Great Story: The Story of Language
5. Fifth Great Story: The Story of Numbers

By offering the child the story of the universe, we give [them] something a thousand times more infinite and mysterious to reconstruct with [their] imagination, a drama no fable can reveal.”

– Dr Maria Montessori

Exploring the big picture in the prepared environment.

Using unique Montessori learning materials, our children expand their understanding of language and grammar and continue to develop their mastery of mathematics.

In this space, we undertake more abstract work, allowing the children to look at the ‘big picture’ – the world and their place in it. The child’s work moves from concrete to abstract, calibrated to the child’s level of development. Lessons are given after carefully observing the child’s interest and ability level and finely tuning to meet the child’s need for meaningful and interesting effort.

From study to independent research.

Through the study of the fundamental needs of all humans, children become conscious of the interconnected yet diverse nature of humanity.

The children are encouraged and assisted to undertake a more detailed, research-based exploration of areas that interest them, with organised excursions bringing the world to their attention.

Curriculum

The Montessori National Curriculum is approved by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

The primary academic curriculum covers:

• • Language (English & German)
  • Mathematics, Geometry and Measurement
  • Cosmic Education (Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, and Technologies)
  • Arts
  • Health and Physical Education

“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.”

– Dr Maria Montessori

A Day In The Life…

Have you ever been curious about what a day in the life of a lower primary student looks like? Here is a video, which may give you some insight.

A Staff Perspective

Find out how Ian, one of our Lower Primary Teachers, feels about his work at The Montessori School Kingsley!