“If the teacher meets the needs of the group of children entrusted to her, she will see the qualities of social life burst surprisingly into flower, and will have the joy of watching these manifestations of the childish soul.” —Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence
The programs at Nature’s Way follow Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational philosophy. Though all of our communities are unique, they share fundamental characteristics:
- Classrooms are carefully prepared environments that are calm, orderly, and joyful. Our communities are led by Montessori-certified guides (teachers) and assistants.
- Multi-age groupings in each classroom encourage cooperative and collaborative learning and allow for broad emotional, social, and cognitive development for each child. Younger students learn from watching older students and are motivated to excel. Older students reinforce their knowledge by teaching what they have learned to younger students and are called upon to be models and mentors in their individual classrooms, as well as schoolwide, creating a strong sense of community.
- Guides work with students for a two- or three-year cycle, beginning in Early Childhood, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of each child’s individual needs and learning styles.
- Positive discipline, a philosophy of respectful discipline designed to teach children to become responsible, respectful, and resourceful members of their communities, is utilized schoolwide.
TODDLER COMMUNITY
Our Toddler Community encourages and promotes independence in the youngest members of our school (aged 2 through three-and-a-half) through practical life skills and sensory development.
EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY
Our Early Childhood Community fosters independence and instills a love of learning for children ages three through six by engaging them in purposeful work with real materials.
LOWER ELEMENTARY
Our Lower Elementary Community provides six- to nine-year-olds with foundational knowledge in an inquiry-based, self-paced environment that promotes cooperation, time management, and problem solving.
UPPER ELEMENTARY
Our Upper Elementary Community feeds the hunger for knowledge of nine- to twelve-year-olds by promoting abstract thinking, self-discipline, and leadership skills, as well as teaching them to use both logic and imagination.
ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY
Our Adolescent Community at Nature’s Way responds to the unique developmental needs of seventh and eighth grade adolescents with an ambitious and innovative program that promotes scholarship and excellence.
MUSIC
All Nature’s Way students are exposed to the joy of music through singing, playing, and listening, learning the concepts of music theory and appreciation in age-appropriate ways.
ART
All Nature’s Way students participate in art, from an early introduction to the elements of art and design through more complex skills such as calligraphy and printmaking.
SPANISH
Nature’s Way students are introduced to Spanish from the very beginning, with toddlers through adolescents learning the language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world.
EXTENDED DAY
Students may continue to play and study in our Montessori-appropriate extended-day program, before and after school hours.