Middle Renaissance
To understand the Middle Renaissance classes, we need to start with the Early Renaissance described above and expand upon it in every way. Academically, physically, and emotionally, children in upper elementary—grades 4, 5, and 6—are reaching whole new levels. These children are characterized by a strong reasoning mind and an incredibly social core.
If the word that describes Renaissance’s early elementary curriculum is “understanding,” the word that describes the upper elementary curriculum is “abstraction.” As the children this age become stronger conceptual thinkers, the curriculum continues to accommodate their developmental needs. All subjects—math, science, history, art, music, language, Spanish, and geography—are taught with a foundation in concrete materials giving rise to abstract knowledge.
In Middle Renaissance grades 4-6 at Renaissance Academy, students are gently guided through the developmental leap away from young childhood and toward emerging adolescence. Our focus is on building the foundations of organization, self-confidence, cooperation, and curiosity essential to success in Middle School and beyond. Our teachers provide a growing academic challenge while remaining respectful of the ever-complicated emotional responses of children as they deepen their understanding and empathy towards the world and its people.
Social skills lessons, grace, courtesy, cooperation, and conflict resolution continue to be part of the regular curriculum. Students are aided in their efforts to define themselves and explore new areas of interest. All students engage in enrichment activities and team sports both during and after school.
The Middle Renaissance program provides a full expression of the Montessori principles of self-directed, individualized learning in a truly integrated curriculum. By the time students complete the Middle Renaissance program, they have evolved into twelve-year-olds performing advanced science experiments, communicating effectively, reading great literature and calculating the squares of binomials and trinomials.