At the age of 12, children join our newly established Montessori Adolescent programme – a “Place of Study and Work” that fosters the developing sense of self in students 12 to 16 years through real and meaningful work. The coursework is designed to give students a sense of purpose and belonging as they explore the philosophical questions: Who am I in relation to society? What is my role? What will be my future?
Students in the Montessori Adolescent Programme are presented with the opportunity to consolidate, broaden and deepen their knowledge through real world application of subject content across different disciplines, including Mathematics, Language and Literature, Spanish, Visual and Performance Arts, Humanities and Science Occupations, Physical Expression, Production and Exchange, and Community Work. The Adolescent environment is about working together to serve the socio-economic needs of their community and the work is approached in an intra-disciplinary manner, providing both academic rigor and practical experience. The goal is for young adults to experience a life that is lived rather than taught, to foster a sense of stewardship of their environment, ownership of their learning, and eventually, economic independence as they prepare for adult life.
A key part of development at this stage is for Adolescents to learn what it takes to reside in a social group and serve their community. To support these developing needs, the Adolescent Community participates in three overnight trips throughout the course of the year, each with its own objectives.
The Odyssey Trip
The Odyssey Trip embraces the idea of a journey of social-emotional growth. The adolescents dive deeply into community life through an eight to ten day camping trip, taking on all aspects of their daily life, from planning to preparing to cooking to caring for each other. The students’ bond through their collaborative work and their desire to thrive as a member of a unit.
Spanish Exchange
An aim of the Adolescent Programme is for students to reach a proficient level in Spanish. Throughout the course of the year, the Adolescent students attend Spanish lessons three times per week, developing vocabulary, grammar, and conversational skills. As a way of integrating the students’ language development with meaningful engagement with Spanish culture, the students embark on a one-week trip to Spain. Besides practicing their Spanish, the students will meet other Montessori adolescents, expand their community, and learn new ways to interact in the world.
X-Term
The last two weeks of the academic year are reserved for the X-term. Unlike any of the other cycles of study, the topic of this term is chosen by the Adolescent students. Beginning mid-January, the students have the assignment of planning a two-week unit of study that immerses the community in a specific topic. As part of its design, the adolescents are encouraged to plan a two-to-three-day trip for the end of the term. It is up to the students to choose the destination of the trip, to plan the activities, and to work and engage in the producing and selling of goods through their small business to earn the required funding for the trip.
Our Montessori Adolescent Programme is at:
Hampstead (NW3 5NW).
