Curriculum Summary: Adolescents Aged Twelve to Eighteen

Dr Montessori’s blueprint for an adolescent community is not a straightforward inventory of school subjects. She describes knowledge as a means for ‘opening up ways of expression’, addressing the ‘formative forces’ in the evolution of the human soul and making the ‘individual a part of … civilization’ (1976 [1948] 115). Moreover, Dr Montessori envisioned the prepared environment for adolescents as a place in which adolescents develop, not only intellectually, but also physically and socially. (1976 [1948]: 97-109).

The Montessori adolescent curriculum is divided into three main domains. These are creative expression, cognitive development, and preparation for adult life. These three domains are closely interwoven across the curriculum, with the cognitive development and creative expression domains having a particularly strong cross-curricular orientation.

Creative Expression

The domain of creative expression is made up of subjects oriented to personal expression, specifically linguistic, artistic and imaginative expression. This domain also has a cross-curricular orientation in the Montessori adolescent program, because creative expression of all kinds can become the means adolescents use to explore and represent knowledge and skills gained in any area of the curriculum.

The seven subjects in this domain of the curriculum are:

• language for creative expression

• music

• visual arts,

• media arts,

• dance,

• drama

• sports

As students study in the domain of creative expression, they are taught skills in all areas of the arts, including literature and creative writing, visual arts, crafts, music and performance. They are then given opportunities to use these skills to demonstrate and display knowledge and understanding gained in any area of the curriculum. For example, to display what they have learned while undertaking a research project on ancient Alexandria, a group of students might present a dramatic representation of the character of Socrates, another might create artworks relevant to the historical time in which Socrates lived, while another might perform a musical recital that relates to that time.

Cognitive Development

The domain of cognitive development is made up of subjects that comprise the knowledge students need in order to make a contribution to society. This domain has a cross-curricular orientation, traversing all areas of the curriculum.

First, this domain covers an area of study, which in the Montessori context, is called moral education, and which focuses on the development of a moral compass and the study of the source of spiritual equilibrium so as to be able to comprehend civility, citizenship, civil society, and community life, along with one’s role and mission in the world. This area of study includes opportunities for students to explore and reflect upon specific topics related to the fundamental needs of humans alongside opportunities to participate in, and contribute to, the immediate community. Through these activities, students have the chance to extend the domain of grace and courtesy into learning how to engage with members of their own and the wider community, in everyday interactions, financial interactions, problem-solving, debate and discussion with civility and a concern for the needs, dignity and well-being of all involved. Through their community participation, students develop a social conscience and a sense of social responsibility, as well as opportunities to develop independence, leadership skills and skills related to making ethical and wise choices.

Second, in order to make a positive contribution to society, citizens must be numerate and literate. For this reason, studies in mathematics, English language and other languages are included in this domain. As part of their civic responsibility, students also are expected to become familiar with the content and standards of the mandated curriculum that all students in the state or country are required to study and achieve.

The subjects studied in this domain are:

• moral education, including civility, citizenship, civics and community life (civil society and moral development), personal development, social & community health, physical education & movement, and religion & spirituality

• mathematics, including arithmetic, geometry, algebra and measurement

• language, English language, as well as at least one language other than English

In this domain Moral Education, English and Mathematics are studied in discrete lessons, as a means of building and consolidating foundation knowledge and skills. These subjects are also embedded in all areas of the curriculum, wherever acquired skills are needed to engage productively with curriculum content.

Preparation for Adult Life and Contemporary Culture

The domain of the Montessori adolescent curriculum that prepares students for adult life and contemporary culture includes the subjects of science and history. It also includes the occupations, the work of the adolescent community.

In the Montessori adolescent community, the Science curriculum is organised under two headings.

The study of the physical universe, the Earth and living things, incorporating studies in:

• Earth and space sciences: cosmology, including astronomy; geology and physical geography, including the geology and geography of prehistoric periods

• Biological sciences: biology, including studies in botany, zoology, ecology, physiology, comparative anatomy and health sciences (including nutrition and exercise science)

The study of human progress and civilisation, incorporating studies in:

• Physical sciences: physics and chemistry

• Contemporary sciences: mechanics and engineering, design & technology, digital technology, history of science and technology, including genetics

The study of human progress incorporates engagement with machines and instruments collected in the museum of machinery. In this museum students have the opportunity to explore and engage with a variety of machines, instruments and inventions that have made human civilisation possible (Montessori 1976 [1948]: Appendix B). These include manual, mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment, from the past and the present, including, for example, microscopes, radios, engines, computers, cars, televisions and mobile phones. In the museum, with the support of experts, students have the opportunity to explore the parts of machines, to discover how they work and to reassemble and modify the machines for specific purposes. Again, echoing the learning style of the child in the first plane of development, the ability of the adolescent to focus, to lengthen periods of concentration and to be concerned with accuracy and precision is enhanced if the activity they are engaged in requires exact and challenging work with the hands.

In the Montessori adolescent community, history is studied within the broader context of the humanities, which include geography, anthropology, politics and economics. This study is organised under two headings:

• The study of humanity

• The study of the building of human civilisation

The Study of History and the Humanities

Through the study of history and the humanities adolescents can understand how humans have progressed through time. For this reason, students study in depth the history of particular historical periods, and are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture, including an exploration through visual and dramatic arts, music, food, culture and daily life of these periods of time. In this way they engage with the knowledge both emotionally and cognitively. This area of study includes the following topics:

• geographical exploration

• relation of humans to the environment

• contact between different peoples

• war, religion and the love of one’s country and culture

• a detailed study of an historical period

• a detailed study of one person’s life

• a detailed study of the present day

• a detailed study of our nation

• law and government in our nation and other nations

• literature

The occupations, or work of the adolescent community includes:

• practical daily life tasks, including maintenance of the community environment

• working the land, including, for example, care of the natural environment, horticulture, agriculture and animal husbandry

• contributing to the micro-enterprises of the community

• design menus and prepare nutritious meals for the community

• consider needs and opportunities to improve community works, systems and related infrastructure

• communicate design ideas for community improvements and innovations

This work is undertaken collaboratively. From the Montessori point of view, work of this type does not hinder a student’s study; instead, it enhances the quality of the study as students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to solve problems and to contribute to the community. The occupations enable students to build independence, to the point where they experience what it means to be economically independent in society. They also learn that collaboration between humans ‘results in … a happy social life that will facilitate individual progress’ (Montessori 1976 [1948]: 113). While working collaboratively on occupations that contribute to the life of the community, students are also learning to discipline themselves, and to work towards shared goals.

The three areas of this domain of the curriculum together achieve the aim of fostering in adolescents an admiration, for and understanding of, the life and work of humanity.

In this domain students also study English and mathematics wherever these subjects intersect with the study of science and history, and with the occupations. In other words, students learn the English and mathematical skills needed to study productively in this domain.

Creative Expression (cross-curricular):

• language for creative expression

• music

• visual arts,

• dance,

• drama,

• media arts.

Cognitive Development (cross-curricular):

• moral education including civility, citizenship, civics and community life (civil society and moral development), personal development, social & community health, physical education & movement, and religion & spirituality

• mathematics, including arithmetic, geometry, algebra and measurement

• language, English language, as well as at least one language other than English

Preparation for adult life and contemporary culture

Science curriculum

• The study of the Earth and living things, incorporating studies in:

• Earth and space sciences: cosmology, including astronomy; geology and physical geography, including the geology and geography of prehistoric period

• Biological sciences: biology, including studies in botany, zoology, ecology, physiology, comparative anatomy and health sciences (HPE)

• The study of human progress and civilisation, incorporating studies in:

• Physical sciences: physics and chemistry

• Contemporary sciences: mechanics and engineering, history of science and technology, including genetics

History and the humanities curriculum

• The study of humanity

• The study of the building of human civilisation

These studies incorporate studies in geography, anthropology, politics and economics.

Occupations

• practical daily life tasks, including maintenance of the community environment

• working the land, including care of the natural environment, horticulture, agriculture and animal     husbandry

• participating in the micro-enterprises of the adolescent community

• participating in governance, as a citizen, of the adolescent community - community council

• assisting in the preparation of nutritious meals for the community

• considering needs and opportunities to improve community works, systems and related infrastructure

The themes that govern the approach to pedagogy implemented in the Montessori adolescent community are synthesis and integration. First, the characteristics of the adolescent student, in the third plane of development, are considered by Montessori educators to be a synthesis of the characteristics of both the first plane child and the second plane child. For this reason, Montessori adolescent pedagogy integrates concrete and active learning experiences with opportunities for reflective and contemplative study of increasingly abstract concepts and ideas. Second, the pedagogy integrates intellectual and ethical development, creative expression and the academic disciplines, giving students the opportunity to apply discipline knowledge, judgement and creative skills to problem solving in projects that require physical activity, ethical choices, self-expression and abstract application of interdisciplinary knowledge. The focus of the pedagogy is the adolescent’s civic, ethical and social development as well as the adolescent’s adaptation to the demands of the changing natural and human world.

To facilitate the interdisciplinary approach, teachers who work with the students in the adolescent community are qualified to teach across a group of related subjects and are experts in these areas. The students also work with teachers who are experts in practical and specialised skills. These specialised teachers work on their own projects, giving the students opportunities to work alongside them to achieve practical and real-world goals that are meaningful in the adult world. There are also teachers with expertise in Montessori education, as well as adults with expertise in adolescent physiology, health, and psychology.

Learning experiences include opportunities to address individual learning needs through individual and small group tutoring, as well as opportunities for collaborative learning through group work, project-based learning, seminars, workshops, discussion groups, book groups, research tasks, practical projects, and community work.

As an individual-centred and constructivist practice, Montessori educational philosophy and practice recognises that students may achieve at points that differ from their peers. Montessori classrooms /learning environments, with their 3-year-age range known as cycles that correspond to developmental stages, provide students with the experiences detailed within the Montessori curriculum. Learning experiences are not based on the expectation that all students will achieve at the same time or by a specified end point, teachers use their knowledge of the child and the curriculum and the suggested achievement bands within their state or country to inform their support and monitoring of student progress. 

In summary, the pedagogy can be described as expansive. It combines both active and reflective approaches to learning through interdisciplinary studies in the context of collaborative projects in which adolescents work alongside specialists to achieve socially and economically meaningful goals.