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Academics

The Craig Montessori School educational program is based on the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori. Educational environments are designed to meet the intellectual, physical and emotional needs of children at various stages of development. At Craig Montessori, children stay with a teacher for three years. Each class includes children of different ages, abilities and developmental levels.

The curriculum at Craig Montessori is based on the MPS district Learning Targets, which are aligned to Wisconsin State Standards. The staff guides students on their paths to becoming independent, self-confident learners with strong skills and good decision-making abilities. Please click on the image below to download the Learning Targets brochures.

Children's House (K3-K5)

Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3)

Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6)

Adolescent Community (Grades 7-8)

Fine Arts

Human Growth and Development

Special Education

Children’s House (K3-K5)

Within Craig Montessori’s Children’s House, 3- to 6-year-old children use manipulative materials to train their hands and minds. Certified Montessori teachers provide individual lessons, which enable each child to advance at his or her own pace. Lessons and activities are grouped into five general categories, including practical life, sensorial, language, cultural subjects (history and geography) and mathematics. The lessons foster independence, confidence, self-esteem and self-control, laying out a foundation for academic success.

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Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3)

Children in lower elementary classes continue their work with educational materials as they develop skills for abstract academic work. These learners demonstrate reading across the curriculum, realizing that literacy is a vital element of every subject. Students exhibit an understanding of math concepts, use scientific reasoning and begin to understand their role in society. To help communicate the importance of cross-curricular literacy, the Craig Montessori staff teaches children to communicate knowledge in all subject areas through constructed written responses.

During these years, written and oral communication skills are strengthened; specifically, vocabulary development and usage, correct capitalization and effective punctuation. In the area of mathematics, children develop problem-solving strategies, grasp the value of decimals and fractions, interpret data through graphing, learn algebraic relationships and begin to understand estimation, statistics and probability concepts. Science lessons focus on developing an appreciation of nature, understanding the life cycles of living things and discussing technology’s impact on the world. Students study different cultural traditions as well as states and regions as they advance their social studies skills.

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Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6)

Students in the upper elementary grades demonstrate higher level thinking and develop their interpersonal communication skills, which are addressed in the human growth and development and general Montessori curricula. By including upper elementary children in community service projects, they gain a greater understanding of their place in the Milwaukee community.

During these years, students establish stronger language arts and reading skills by focusing on vocabulary development, reading for meaning and effective sentence and paragraph structure. Mathematics activities include interpreting graphs and charts, applying skills to word problems and continuing discussions regarding in-depth algebraic relationships. Students further their scientific knowledge by learning scientific terms, constructing sketches and models, interpreting scientific observations and investigating a variety of topics through hands-on experiments. As part of the social studies curriculum, learners discuss the foundation of the U.S. government and examine major events in our nation’s history.

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Adolescent Community (Grades 7-8)

Craig Montessori’s adolescent curriculum promotes the acquisition of intellectual, practical and leadership skills. Challenging academics, enhanced by service projects, travel and physical activity, ensure that students are well prepared for the social and intellectual demands of high school and beyond. In this plane of development, students become “humanistic explorers,” interested in the quality of society for themselves and other people. At this level, young people develop a respect for and commitment to a code of civility.

During their adolescent years, students read with fluency, accuracy and expression while connecting literary themes to personal experiences. They also evaluate materials from different sources for accuracy and value. Language arts lessons equip students with the ability to judge effective writing and presenting create multimedia research projects and exhibit strong writing skills. As they approach graduation, adolescents explore all strands of mathematics while justifying their strategies and using appropriate mathematical terms as they prepare for higher level mathematics in high school. Science instruction focuses on important scientific events throughout history. In order to fully grasp new concepts, students are encouraged to pose questions and predict results. The U.S. government is discussed in greater detail as students continue to examine our nation’s history during social studies lessons. Students are introduced to a market economy and discuss various social issues. In addition, they compare the modern world to ancient and medieval civilizations.

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Fine Arts

At Craig Montessori, fine arts and creative expression are incorporated with daily lessons at all development levels. Students work with shapes and colors, develop hand-eye coordination, practice penmanship and are encouraged to decorate and illustrate their written work. Arts exploration continues through eighth grade under the guidance of Craig Montessori’s teaching staff, community partners and talented parent volunteers, as well as our own art teacher.

The Montessori music curriculum includes theory, performance and music appreciation. Students have numerous opportunities for vocal music expression and performance in their classrooms and at special events throughout the year. MPS traveling music teachers also offer lessons in piano, violin, wind instruments, band and choir.

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Human Growth and Development
The Human Growth and Development curriculum at Craig Montessori guides students to make healthy choices as they transition to new stages throughout their lives. Lessons equip students with the knowledge, values and skills to be responsible members of the community who respect personal decisions.
 
During their early years, children focus on healthy relationships, communication skills and appropriate emotional expressions. They also discuss cultural diversity, body image and violence in the media. As they progress in their elementary education, students learn about anatomy and what constitutes sexual abuse. Students are taught to protect themselves and encouraged to take advantage of community resources.

Upper elementary instruction features education regarding gender roles, puberty and reproduction. Students also discuss the basics of sexually transmitted diseases, abstinence and pregnancy prevention. As students mature during their adolescent years, they are provided in-depth information on topics introduced during their upper elementary years. At Craig Montessori, it is our hope that by the time each student graduates, he or she will have developed a personal standard for human behavior and healthy relationships based on their individual family, spiritual, social and educational experiences.

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Special Education
At Craig Montessori, children who receive Special Education services are included in regular classroom settings and receive specialized instruction in accordance with their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Related services are provided as needed. These may include occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language services and further guidance by the school psychologist(s) and school social worker(s). Students who require Special Education are monitored for academic progress and taught skills and strategies that will support achievement in the regular education classroom.

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