Primary Program

Tidewater School offers a comprehensive and well-rounded curriculum. Students are introduced to a wide variety of work throughout the day. Our subject areas are fully integrated and provide learning opportunities that build and strengthen academic skills, social/emotional and physical development, and creative expression. The Montessori materials, joyfully presented and freely chosen, provide for independent exploration, individualized instruction, student joy and engagement, and are at the heart of the work we do.

Primary classrooms include Pre-K and Kindergarten children in the same multi-age group. This allows for individualized instruction where children work at their own pace and participate in classroom community activities. Younger students benefit from learning from other students as well as adults in the classroom, and older students develop self-assurance and confidence as a result of authentic responsibility and leadership.

The Practical Life area of the curriculum is the backbone of the Montessori classroom. It is the foundation for developing independence and provides learning opportunities that develop skills basic to future learning and opportunities to link growing bodies to growing minds. Students are taught to care for themselves, their environment, and each other, thus develop an authentic sense of accomplishment and confidence and the ability to say, “I can do it myself.”

The power to communicate is one of childhood’s greatest works. Tidewater classrooms foster and nurture language development through rich literary experiences, lively conversations, group discussions, games, and listening. Montessori materials such as sand-paper letters and the movable alphabet lay the foundation for reading and writing, while activities such as World Tour and group work augment listening and speaking skills.

The sensorial area of the classroom is designed to help students develop and refine their senses. Students learn to differentiate, compare, reason, and problem solve through the use of all of their senses. Sensorial materials invite the child to touch, listen, see, hear, and feel. It is an area that sets Montessori classrooms apart from many traditional preschool settings.

Concrete materials, a focus on the development of the mathematical mind, and building on our students’ natural interest and curiosity around numeracy are at the core of mathematics in our Primary classrooms. Students explore quantity and symbol, the four operations, the decimal system, and develop the beginnings of mathematical inquiry.

With a focus on respect and appreciation for diversity and culture, Tidewater students are introduced to maps and globes, air, land and water, flags, and the peoples and cultures of earth. Our World Tour is a celebration of culture and an opportunity for our students to hone their fledgling research and presentation skills.

At Tidewater School, we deeply understand the importance of a connection to the natural world and outdoor play. Time outdoors can lead to improved mental and physical health, increased cognitive skills, and gains in social/emotional development. Our students enjoy lots of free time outdoors on our playground and surrounding woods.