Current Northside 9-12 parents can login here to the 9-12 classes
“The purpose is not to create walking encyclopedias of knowledge…
The ‘stuff’ the students learn is almost incidental to the enrichment of the context they gain for understanding themselves and their place in the universe.”
In the 9-12 Montessori primary classroom the mixed-age grouping continues to encourage family and community, while providing mentoring opportunities in which the older student helps the younger, thereby reinforcing their own skills.
In this classroom, Montessori materials continue to be at the forefront of our learning experiences. Students at this level explore and have practical experiences with Mathematics, chemistry, physics, and the earth sciences. There are also many hands-on projects, which provide opportunities for research, group work, discussion and exercises with increasing levels of challenge.
Our 9 – 12 classrooms have materials with which the children can manipulate and internalise mathematical concepts such as multiples, factors and divisibility, operational work with fractions and decimals, binomials, trinomials, and the squaring and cubing of numbers. Students continue with the study of plane and solid geometry, as well as the study of measurement. Within geometry students use concrete materials in areas that include: equivalency, area, volume, and the Theory of Pythagoras.
The language area continues to develop the students’ use of grammar concepts and the functions of words. They are exposed to the diversity, intended audience, structural features and richness of different genres. Students share projects, write research papers, and complete word study activities using dictionaries, thesauruses and etymology resources.
Through the use of Montessori’s Great Stories (Cosmic Fables), charts, nomenclature (definition cards and diagrams), research and experiments the students see how one aspect of geography links with others to create a connected environment. Students study physical geography (the natural world) and political geography (the impact of humanity on the world). Aspects of geology, biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy and history are interwoven throughout.
The creative arts are also covered in 9 – 12 through specialised lessons. The students research art and music history, create personalised pieces and study different genres, terminology, and techniques.
The complete primary years have given the student the freedom to develop as a unique individual. The students have been provided with opportunities to acknowledge their strengths and to develop a strong understanding of self. They have experienced the challenges and rewards of working alone and within a group of other children of different ages and have seen their skills and talents develop. Through peer teaching, peer mentoring and conferencing (where they set and discuss goals) the students develop their leadership skills while reinforcing their understanding and ownership of their learning.
Our aim in the 9 – 12 is for students to see learning as an active, personal and life long adventure. We want them to know themselves and their role in the wider society and for them to be as prepared as possible for new opportunities beyond the Montessori primary years.