The Leadership program
The third and final year of the Children’s House program is the culmination of the entire cycle. Students in this program serve as classroom leaders, assuming even greater autonomy in the classroom while also serving as models for younger children. These classroom leaders become prepared to excel at the Elementary level, working on larger and more challenging projects than ever before.
In Wake County public Kindergarten programs, children spend the Kindergarten year reviewing their colors and learning the numbers. Much of the information taught in public Kindergarten is the same as what Montessori children are introduced to at age three. Because public programs must serve a wide variety of children with varying levels of education, the Kindergarten year in public schools is largely a redundant review for many children. Instead of spending the Kindergarten year learning new skills or developing their leadership potential, children from a variety of backgrounds have their first exposure of public education be one of learning to sit passively at desks and to tune out boring and basic information. We have observed that traditional education commonly dampens curiosity and suppresses a child’s in-born desire to learn.
Academic outcomes at Renaissance
To be clear, we believe the purpose of education is not simply academic achievement but the development of the whole person. That said, authentic Montessori as practiced at Renaissance will typically nurture high-achieving life-long learners. Because Montessori nurtures children’s innate curiosity, it is not uncommon for those who complete our program to excel in respect to their traditionally educated peers. Many remarkable individuals – ranging from scientists, to artists, to business leaders – got their starts in Montessori classrooms. (See some lists here, here, and here.) The founders of Google have even directly attributed their success to their Montessori backgrounds.
So, as a parent, what kinds of outcomes can you expect for your child? Because every child’s interests and strengths are unique, it is not possible to promise that every child will experience each of the items below in exactly the same way. Some children will exceed these examples in certain areas and explore other areas at a different pace or in a different order. Every child’s developmental timeline is their own, and that is exactly as it should be within authentic Montessori practice. We are proud of all the children we work with. Here are some typical outcomes we see as children move through their Children’s House years at Renaissance.
The purpose of this list is not to introduce anything new to Montessori practice. It is to identify the specific, highly visible outcomes that cause parents to feel the value of their investment — the things a family notices and talks about. These are not just kindergarten-year goals, nor are they a checklist to be completed. They are experiences our Lead Guides work toward offering every child, every year. Many children arrive at these milestones by the end of kindergarten, each in their own time.
Language
By this stage, many children are writing down their own thoughts, including stories and short essays.
It is common for children to be able to read and write about subjects that interest them, whether that is Paris, famous buildings, or animals. We invite the children to create their own illustrated books on subjects of personal interest to send home.
Reading and writing vocabulary commonly exceeds the basic three-letter CVC words. Many Renaissance Leaders can spell and sound out unfamiliar polysyllabic words. While the spelling will not always be correct yet, the children are typically able to decompose these larger words into phonetic units. Learning to decode words into their component sounds is a principal building block to vocabulary development.
Leaders typically understand many of the fundamentals of grammar. By the end of kindergarten, many children will know the triangle family (article, noun, adjective) along with the verb and adverb symbols. They are moving toward understanding subject and object in a sentence. Plurals, including the use of the letter S and the articles for singular and plural nouns.
Mathematics
Leaders in our Children’s House program build a strong foundation in mathematics. They are commonly veyr familiar with the decimal system and the basic operations of addition and subtraction.
Most Leaders become comfortable with short multiplication and short division, as well as a basic understanding of equations through word problems. Many children are introduced to squaring and cubing numbers. Addition work often extends to three or four addends, working up to the ten thousands.
By the end of kindergarten, many children are able to both solve and create their own word problems, not just complete worksheets — for example, composing their own simple story problems the way an adult would write one.
Fractions are typically introduced at age five using the red fraction circles, starting with the concept of whole, half, and thirds, and building over time toward reading fraction notation and adding simple fractions together.
Geometry work typically includes naming solid and plane figures, matching three-part cards to objects, and, over time, writing their own labels for materials rather than relying solely on pre-printed cards. Children also have opportunities to identify triangles by touch alone (in a mystery bag) and to begin exploring tessellation work with the constructive triangles.
Culture and Science
Children commonly are able to recognize iconic cities from a street scene, not just an isolated image of a landmark — for example, identifying a photo of a Paris street as Paris rather than only recognizing the Eiffel Tower in isolation.
Leaders are introduced to some of the world’s most famous paintings and sculptures, along with information about the artists who created them. Children are invited to make their own art works.
Children explore the major holidays of the world’s main religions.
Children learn about the continents, including the animals and plants found on them.
We introduce Leaders to the flags of the world, the names of countries and states, and the concept of north, south, east, and west on a map, connecting all of this to personal and cultural touchpoints in a child’s life, such as a grandparent’s home country.
Children are introduced to basic solar system knowledge. Children typically understsand the role of the sun in the energy cycle, and, the names of the planets, and their order. Children are introduced to the role that the earth’s orbit plays in seasonal changes.
Children learn about the parts of the Earth, including the core, mantle, and crust, and how vulcanism contributes to continental spreading.
The parts of the earth, including the core, mantle and crust and how vulcanism contributes to continental spreading.
Time is taught concretely: children practice reading an analog clock with an emphasis on the second hand. They also typically come to understand the twelve-hour structure of the clock face and the five-minute intervals between numbers, and build a real, felt sense of how long a minute actually is, through activities like holding a note, standing on one leg, or holding one’s breath for a full minute using sand timers or a second-hand clock.
Summary
Staying at Renaissance for the third year won’t just ensure that your child is exposed to more information than their traditional kindergarten educated peers. Staying at Renaissance for the third year offers your child a depth of experience and opportunity for growth beyond what a traditional kindergarten classroom provides. Students in our Leadership program are experiencing the culmination of the three-year cycle, being given opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery, each in their own way and at their own pace.. Our graduates are magnificent individuals, and it is truly wondrous to see their personalities blossom beautifully in this final year.