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    • Elementary School
    2807 Oceola Street
    Columbia, SC 29205

    Preschool
    1000 Greenlawn Drive
    Columbia, SC 29209

    Question 2

    The Montessori curriculum is arranged in three-year blocks (grades 1-3 and 4-6). What are the benefits of having children spend three years in one class? 

    Children enter elementary school with different strengths and weaknesses. For instance, some children begin first grade reading independently. They might not need phonics instruction but would benefit greatly from reading with advanced readers. If a child enters first grade with impressive math skills, he or she can work with older students on math materials geared to his or her level of understanding.

    Also, as children progress through the program, they have the opportunity to assist younger students. Being a peer tutor is one of the special rites of passage in a typical Montessori classroom. This experience allows a student not only to demonstrate his or her mastery of a subject but also it fosters the student's sense of community sharing.

    Finally, one of the joys of being a Montessori teacher is to observe the academic and personal development of a child. During the three years a child spends in one of our classrooms, the teacher becomes very familiar with each student through careful observation and interaction with the child.