Montessori Primary Philosophy

VanDamme Academy offers a Montessori-based K-1 program for children ages 5 to 7. We believe that the Montessori approach to teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic is uniquely suited to children of this age group. The Montessori materials, which can be used in many ways and across several subjects, are ingeniously designed to help students grasp abstract concepts by working with physical objects.

During the school day, the teacher gives presentations to small groups of children while the rest of the students choose from their repertoire of lessons. We have a complete set of Montessori materials for the students to choose from. Students work on individual or small-group activities within unstructured blocks of time as opposed to set school periods. The teacher ensures that students work consistently on a balance of subjects. There is time set aside every day for the students to be read aloud to, for group time, and for outdoor playtime.

For a more detailed look at the Montessori primary curriculum, please click here.