Educational program

Math

Teachers mainly use the Montessori methodology when teaching mathematics and its application. Children work with specific illustrative Montessori materials. These materials guide children in a natural and concrete way to understand numerical operations and formulas. From concrete materials, children move on to abstract materials and then practice what they have learned in workbooks or worksheets. Mathematics is also taught through project-based learning so that children soon see mathematics as a part of our lives and its use is meaningful to them.

The educational content is divided into four thematic areas. These are

• numbers and numerical operations (where children learn and consolidate arithmetic operations)
• dependencies, relationships and working with data (recognising and becoming aware of certain types of changes and dependencies and analysing them from tables, diagrams and graphs)
• geometry in plane and space (identifying and representing geometric figures and modelling real situations, exploring shapes and space); and
• non-standard application tasks and problems (applying logical thinking, solving problem situations and everyday life tasks).

Information and Communication Technologies

The Montessori method respects the developmental needs of children at different stages, so children of younger school age work mainly with specific tools and computer work takes up minimal time during the child's working week.

In Grades 4-5, it is already useful for children to become familiar with the benefits, environment and safety of the digital world. They learn to work with, sort and evaluate different sources of information. Working with computers, children form algorithmic thinking and strengthen their systematic approach to problem solving. They process the acquired information in a creative way, both in terms of content and graphics. The subject focuses on practical work skills and habits and complements their whole basic education with an important component necessary for a modern person in later life and in society.

The skills acquired help children to present the results of their work in other subjects in both written and digital form. Children share their knowledge and projects in different subjects through interesting and entertaining multimedia presentations.

Cosmic education

Cosmic education is an integral element of Montessori pedagogy. It is designed as a coherent comprehensive subject from 1st to 9th grade.

In the lower grades, it defines educational content related to man, family, society, homeland, nature, culture, technology, health and other topics. It keeps a historical and contemporary perspective and aims at skills for practical life. The children's own experience based on concrete or model situations is important in acquiring the necessary skills, ways of acting and making decisions. The process moves from the whole to the specific. Teachers introduce each topic step by step and children have the opportunity to explore in more detail those topics that interest them.

We emphasise the connection to real life and to the children's practical experience. For this purpose we use thematic projects - the story of the origin of the universe and solar system, the planets of the solar system, the story of the origin of life on Earth, the story of the origin of man, the story of writing and numbers and the world. 

In projects, Montessori pedagogy is put into practice, which conceives of language and mathematics as a means of learning about the world, the cosmos. Children have the opportunity to know it in context, which enables them to have a global view of the world. They apply their knowledge of reading, writing and grammar, create stories, letters or other literary works and construct word problems and count. They have access to encyclopedias, books and Montessori materials, as well as real-life materials.

In Middle School classrooms, cosmic education links the fields of science and social studies, specifically history, civics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography and man and the world of work. The main goal of this subject is to understand our world through a holistic world view - from historical, social and natural science views. The lower and upper elementary thematic projects are deepened to include the story of the great river - the human body and a national history project.

The main methods of work are the research approach and the use of scientific methods. The exploratory nature of the curriculum enables students to acquire important skills, in particular to observe systematically and objectively, to experiment and measure, to keep records, to form and test hypotheses, to analyse results and draw conclusions from them. We also encourage working with information resources and collaborative projects among students, developing logical reasoning, the ability to ask questions and seek answers, and to solve practical problems.

We supplement lessons with trips, theme days, excursions, talks, visits to museums, zoological or botanical gardens. We also pay attention to exceptionally talented pupils and try to make children find topics that interest them and want to explore them in more depth.

Art & Culture

The Montessori method leads children to a creative and imaginative approach to education and to life in general. It does not kill children's creative spirit and ability to perceive the world through different perspectives and ways of doing. Art education and music are important means for us to develop human creativity. We link the arts with other subjects in all areas of education.

We encourage children to perceive images and sounds independently, to understand them and to express themselves. Children are introduced to different art techniques and learn to understand the artistic process as a way of knowing, communicating and expressing their perceptions and feelings. In art classes, children explore a variety of art media, from drawing and painting to ceramics and sculpture. They learn about the art of different cultures and the history of different art movements.

Children have access to an art studio and we offer a range of creative and music clubs beyond the classroom.

Physical Education and health

We give children plenty of natural exercise. Whether in PE classes, in the school garden, in the after-school center or during lessons. Children in Montessori classrooms can move freely, walk, sit and study on the floor or at a table or lie and work on the floor or in a rest area.

In PE we focus on developing gross motor skills, coordination of movement, confidence, cooperation, team building and good sportsmanship. Children learn to warm up properly, understand their bodies and have control over them. They are gradually introduced to the basics of many disciplines - gymnastics, athletics, conditioning and rhythmic exercises and movement games. They try individual and team sports, hiking and outdoor activities, learn to ski, skate and swim.

We motivate the children to improve their speed, endurance, strength and agility, while encouraging empathy and a willingness to help less able classmates. The instructors also teach children about safe exercise and hygiene in a relaxed way.

We want to encourage children to develop a lifelong habit of sport and exercise in general and to become aware of its connection to a person's mental health.