The primary classroom is a specially prepared environment for children from 2.8 to 6 years of age. Having children of multi ages working together in one setting develops independence, leadership and promotes socialization. The teacher in a Montessori classroom is trained to recognize the windows of learning or sensitive periods that occur in young children and uses didactic materials to maximize the intellectual growth of each individual. The curriculum is based on five vital areas – practical life, sensorial, math, language and culture.

Practical life activities are a powerful aid to life. These exercises foster logical and sequential thinking. Lessons include the care of the person, care of the classroom and outdoor environments, grace and courtesy as well as movement. The sensorial area includes materials designed to develop the abilities of categorization and comparison. The math materials help the child internalize concepts of number, symbol, sequence, the operations of the decimal system and memorization of basic facts. Language is interwoven throughout all areas of the curriculum. Specific language activities include oral language, music, written expression, grammar and reading. The mechanics of proper penmanship are introduced and reinforced. The study of world cultures imparts a rich fabric of information about history, geography, and natural science. The arts are integrated into the daily life of the classroom allowing children to use creativity as a medium of expression. The primary classroom extends into the outdoor environment where the children explore the physical world and play together.

The child who has completed the primary Montessori program has built an optimal foundation for further learning. This child has absorbed concrete concepts and is entering the second plane of development, characterized by movement toward abstract learning.  Whether continuing in a Montessori elementary program, or entering a traditional classroom, a student who has completed the primary cycle demonstrates academic acuity, confidence, independence and a love of learning.