Primary Program
Open to all children ages 3 - 6
During the preschool and kindergarten years, children become enthusiastic explorers of their environment in their quest to learn everything they can about the world. The Primary classroom allows children to engage in an enormous variety of activities designed to help them continue their social-emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. Young children are guided to activities that build confidence and social skills. Older children are leaders, mentors, role models and helpers for younger children, and the younger children look up to and learn from their older peers.
In the Primary community, children joyously explore the world together. Under the expert guidance of highly trained and experienced teachers, the children’s environment is carefully prepared to meet their developmental needs. Each activity in this environment has a purpose, and the materials are tailored to match the intrinsic rhythm of each child’s developmental path. Lessons are presented from simple to complex allowing for confidence building on the road to mastery.
Curriculum
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Children discover the meaning of the four operations of arithmetic, working with numbers into the thousands – far beyond kindergarten standards.
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Children learn to use all their senses to explore their world – and hone their burgeoning vocabulary to describe their observations and experiences.
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Engaged by the adult activities that preschoolers and kindergarteners urgently want to participate in, they develop gross- and fine-motor skills, independence, and confidence.
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Children learn the conventions of the classroom and are afforded freedom within limits. With clear guidance, children develop remarkable focus and self-control.
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Social skill development is thoughtfully integrated into every aspect of our programs, leading children to exhibit considerate, helpful, and polite behaviors.
Ad Astra emphasizes individualized instruction, focusing on individual learning styles and pace. This child-centered approach allows teachers to tailor their teaching methods to the needs of each student, to ensure that students receive the support they need to succeed.
Ad Astra teachers focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts and principles. Ad Astra is not a Montessori school, but we value the experience that our Montessori-trained educators bring. Their experience in child-centered learning fosters critical thinking skills by providing a learning environment that helps students develop the skills necessary to think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions.