How is the Junior High different from the Montessori elementary classroom?
Students in Junior High will have considerable freedoms, including freedom of thought and movement, as they do in the elementary. One key difference is that the early adolescent, due to her stage of development, needs more structure and accountability. Without sacrificing the respect and trust that is integral to the Montessori method, she will be given firm boundaries and guidelines within which she is able to direct her own learning. Furthermore, the Junior High program encourages more exacting academic standards. We attempt to balance the teenagers need for a social identity with his need to gain competence in a variety of skill areas. In order to allow you the freedom to choose your childs future high school, we need to make sure that your child is prepared. This means that Junior High does entail more required work, and considerably more homework than the Montessori elementary.
