A PAssion for ExcEllEncE, chArActEr, UnivErsAl vAlUEs, GlobAl UndErstAndinG & sErvicE to hUmAnity

The Lab School of The Montessori FoundationA Non-Profit, College-Preparatory, International Baccalaureate Montessori School18 months through 12th Grade

NewGate School is an independent, international, college-preparatory Montessori school for children 18 months through the 12th grade. In 1984,

the school was founded as Countryside Montessori. It was renamed NewGate School in 1994. NewGate is now recognized as an International Baccalaureate World School. It serves as the Lab School of The Montessori Foundation, an international center for the development of innovative teaching programs used in Montessori schools throughout the world.

NewGate is a small, close-knit and caring community. We are always looking for students and families who share a joy of learning and believe that education should be a journey, not a race.

We are happy to provide tours upon request, and we offer a weekly Open House every Tuesday at 9:30 am.

Please call us at (941) 922-4949 for more information or visit our website at: www.newgate.edu.

NewGate School does not discriminate in its admission or administrative and educational policies, or other school -administered programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation.

What is NewGate School?

They say it ‘takes a village’ to raise a child. For me, NewGate has been that village. It’s more than just our school, it’s our community.” —KatrinaCostedio,NewGateparent(7years)

INTerNaTIONaL BaCCaLaureaTe WOrLd SCHOOL

COeduCaTIONaL/NON-SeCTarIaN

INTerNaTIONaL MONTeSSOrI aCadeMY

COLLeGe-PreParaTOrY

eNrICHed SCIeNCe & MaTH

LaNGuaGe arTS & LITeraTure

FOreIGN LaNGuaGe STudIeS

arTS, draMa & MuSIC

reSearCH-BaSed CurrICuLuM

NaTure STudY & GardeNING

COMMuNITY-ServICe PrOGraMS

PeaCe eduCaTION

SuMMer & exTeNded-daY PrOGraMS

What is Montessori?What we now refer to as the Montessori Method was developed over a hundred years ago by dr. Maria Montessori, one of the leading minds of the 20th century. She revolutionized the way children are educated by developing environments and materials that are exciting and hands-on, allowing the spark of genius inherent in each child to shine.

For more information about dr. Montessori and the Montessori approach, we invite you to visit The Montessori Foundation’s website: www.montessori.org.

Æ Montessori schools hold a profound respect for each child as a unique individual. We look at students from a holistic perspective, supporting their social and emotional development, as well as their academic progress.

Æ We create warm and supportive communities of students, teachers, and parents. Your child will never get lost in the crowd!

Æ Montessori students are known for their warmth, kindness, self-confidence, and respect for others and for all life. We teach peace.

Æ Montessori is consciously designed to recognize and address a fairly wide range of different learning styles, helping students learn to study most effectively.

Æ We challenge students to develop a passion for excellence in whatever they do.

Æ Montessori students tend to develop self-discipline and an internal sense of purpose and motivation. These habits truly pay off in college and throughout the rest of their lives.

Æ Montessori schools reflect an international curriculum and diverse student body. We give our students a global perspective.

Æ Our students learn through hands-on experience, investigation, and research. They become actively engaged in their studies, rather than passively waiting to be told what they need to learn.

WHAT MAKES A

MONTESSORI EDUCATION

SPECIAL

Æ Montessori students learn to feel at home in the natural world. Ecological studies and outdoor education are essential to us.

Æ Our curriculum is carefully structured and integrated to demonstrate the connections among the different subject areas. Every class teaches critical thinking, composition, and research. History lessons link geography, anthropology, architecture, the arts, science, and technology.

Æ Montessori classrooms are exciting environments for learning. We do not teach to the test, nor focus on memorization. Our goal is to help students to understand and apply what they learn.

Æ In Montessori, our older students become involved in the local community through internship experiences and community-service programs.

Æ Montessori teachers do much more than give their students lessons. They become mentors, friends, and guides.

Æ Montessori students learn to see mistakes as natural steps in the learning process.

Æ Our students learn through collaboration and work together on major projects. They strive for their personal best, rather than compete against one another for the highest grade in the class.

One thing I love most about Montessori is that the curriculum is tailor-made for each child. My son is highly motivated to work in the classroom because he can choose which lessons he’d like to do every day. He gets his work plan approved by his teacher, and off to work he goes!” —DebbyHradek,NewGateParentfor5Years

NewGate Is aN INterNatIoNal school Beginning with Spanish, students study a second language. additional languages are beginning to be introduced.

Our curriculum gives students both a sense of place—the history, economy, social issues, and culture of the local community, Florida, and our nation —and a global perspective through ongoing studies of other nations from many perspectives: cultural, social, economic, political, and historical. elementary and Secondary students can meet and collaborate by video chat with fellow students in Montessori schools around the world. There are also opportunities for students and interested parents to study and travel to our sister Montessori schools abroad.

NewGate Is a DIverse school commuNIty We draw together children and families from all segments of the Sarasota-Manatee community, in an independent school that does not seek government funding. We build support for financial aid into

our budget to provide assistance for families who could not otherwise afford the school, while encouraging support for additional needs-based financial assistance from the local community and national sources.

sustaINabIlIty We place emphasis on creating a sustainable environment, beginning with our school facilities. Students have ongoing lessons on issues in environmental sciences. among other projects, we are organizing an extensive organic garden.

a close-KNIt, moNtessorI PartNershIP-baseD school commuNIty as a partnership-based Montessori community, we represent a ‘Circle of equals.’ The school is led by The Montessori Foundation, with school policies and decisions based on its core values and principles of Montessori best practice. under those guidelines for Montessori school communities, monthly community meetings provide one of several forums for every voice to be heard in a culture of kindness and respect. We

NewGate is an international educational center of innovation and support for Montessori schools around the world. under the leadership of The Montessori Foundation, the school is engaged in curriculum development, professional education for Montessori school administrators, and conferences. The Foundation promotes standards of best practice in Montessori worldwide. It also publishes a wide range of books and journals for parents and educators.

Through NewGate School, the Foundation provides an internationally renowned demonstration Montessori school for students from toddlers through the 12th grade.

at the Secondary level, we are developing an innovative and replicable model for Middle and High School, blending Montessori Secondary education with the International Baccalaureate Program.

Welcome to NewGate our GraDuates have beeN

accePteD to maNy PrestIGIous

uNDerGraDuate ProGrams arouND

the worlD:adeLPHI COLLeGe

arIzONa STaTe uNIverSITYaquINaS COLLeGe

ave MarIa uNIverSITYBarrY uNIverSITYBeaCON COLLeGe

BOSTON uNIverSITYBrOWN uNIverSITY

CarLeTON uNIverSITY (CaNada)CurrY COLLeGe

eCkerd COLLeGeeMBrY rIddLe aerONauTICaL

uNIverSITYFLaGLer COLLeGe

FLOrIda GuLF COaST uNIverSITYFLOrIda INSTITuTe OF

TeCHNOLOGYFLOrIda INTerNaTIONaL

uNIverSITYFLOrIda STaTe uNIverSITY

FOrdHaM uNIverSITYFraNkLIN COLLeGe (SWITzerLaNd)

HaMPSHIre COLLeGeHarTWICk COLLeGeHILLSdaLe COLLeGe

HOFSTraLOraS COLLeGe

LOYOLa (NeW OrLeaNS)LYNN uNIverSITY

MONTaNa STaTe uNIverSITYNeW COLLeGe

NeW YOrk uNIverSITYNOrTHeaSTerN uNIverSITY

NOva SOuTHeaSTerN uNIverSITYOBerLIN COLLeGe

PFeIFFer uNIverSITYquINNIPIaC uNIverSITY

rOLLINS COLLeGe

also schedule many opportunities for the school community to come together for special events and social gatherings.

We strongly encourage our families to feel at home. There is a strong sense of partnership. We work closely with our families through parent-teacher conferences, formal progress reports, newsletters, parent-teacher evenings, email, and the telephone. Because we truly get to know our students, we can carefully monitor and evaluate their acdemic and social progress within the broader context of their unique talents and personalities.

a Peace acaDemy Just as The Montessori Foundation teaches peace and partnership skills to schools around the world, we teach peacemaking and leadership skills to our students and interested

parents. Children learn how to communicate clearly and assertively in ways that express kindness and respect. They learn conflict resolution and consensus building skills and develop strong relationships. They study the world’s great peacemakers and leaders of nonviolent social change. We encourage a tradition of community service and philanthropy.

comPuter techNoloGy aND web-baseD commuNIcatIoN In addition to local guest speakers, students are able to have live conversations with fascinating men and women who represent relevant fields of interest. at the elementary and Secondary levels, students learn to use computer applications for a wide range of writing, problem solving, data analysis, and creative work.

cultIvatING eNtrePreNeurs aND leaDers NewGate teaches children to be economically literate. We help them to understand business and industry, as well as personal economics. elementary and Secondary students learn about local businesses, professions, and the roles of local government from field experience and (at the upper School) internships. Students are encouraged and assisted in forming their own small businesses for hands-on learning.

a 20-acre laND lab In addition to the school’s campus, students have access to The Montessori Foundation’s 20-acre vineyard in Bradenton for nature study and the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of grapes.

Secondary students are encouraged to become ‘who they are’ independently of others. The gift of confidence in being themselves is unsurpassable by any other lesson.” —GingerYoung,ANewGateParentfor6Years

rYerSON uNIverSITY (CaNada)

SaLeM COLLeGeSaN dIeGO STaTe uNIverSITY

SaN FraNCISCO STaTe uNIverSITY

SavaNNaH COLLeGe OF arT & deSIGN

SeWaNee: THe uNIverSITY OF THe SOuTH

SMITH COLLeGeSONOMa STaTe uNIverSITY

ST. JOHN’S COLLeGeST. LaWreNCe uNIverSITY

STaTe COLLeGe OF FLOrIdaSTeTSON uNIverSITY

TeCHNOLOGICO de MONTerreY

THOMaS aquINaS COLLeGeuNIverSITY OF

CaLIFOrNIa, SaN dIeGOuNIverSITY OF CaLIFOrNa,

SaNTa BarBarauNIverSITY OF

CeNTraL FLOrIdauNIverSITY OF FLOrIda

HONOrS PrOGraMuNIverSITY OF HaWaII

uNIverSITY OF MaSSaCHuSeTTS-aMHerST

uNIverSITY OF MIaMIuNIverSITY OF NeW eNGLaNd

uNIverSITY OF NeW HaMPSHIre

uNIverSITY OF rHOde ISLaNduNIverISTY OF

SOuTH FLOrIdauNIverSITY OF TaMPa

uNIverSITY OF verMONTuNIverSITY OF WaTerLOO

(CaNada)uNIverSITY OF WeST FLOrIdauTaH vaLLeY STaTe uNIverSITY

Wake FOreST uNIverSITYWarreN WILSON COLLeGe

WeSLeYaN uNIverSITYWeSTerN NeW

eNGLaNd COLLeGe

eXteNDeD Day ProGrams NewGate offers a before- and after-school extended-day program. These programs are led by specially trained staff. For the convenience of our working parents, extended-day programs also include special spring and winter break programs. additionally, NewGate offers summer programs enjoyed by many of our families.

safety at all times during the day (and at every level), there are staff members who are trained in first aid, CPr, and emergency procedures in the event of fire, dangerous weather conditions, and other emergency situations. We follow a positive program of safety, health education, and close supervision. Safety procedures are reevaluated regularly to ensure that our students remain safe in this ever-changing world. as a result, we maintain an excellent safety record.

allerGIes Food allergies are a growing public-health issue. NewGate recognizes that sending a child with a severe food allergy off to school is the cause of great anxiety for many parents. We have taken great care to develop procedures to manage

food allergies appropriately, including information on handling medical emergencies and taking preventative measures to avoid a student’s exposure to a known food allergen. Physicians, families, and school staff work together to formulate reasonable and practical plans that will keep students with food allergies safe.

aDmIssIoNs We invite you to come see our program in action. There is no substitue for observing a Montessori classroom hard at work. We hold weekly Open Houses throughout the year. You can simply call our office and schedule a visit. When an enrollment application is received, student visits are scheduled. Primary students (ages 3-6) visit half a day in class; elementary and Secondary students spend two days at NewGate as part of the admissions process. School records and teacher recommendations are gathered, student interviews take place, and admission testing is done. Finally, parents meet with school administrators before sending the application to the admissions Committee.

NewGate’s orGaNIzatIoN facIlItates learNINGInstead of being organized into classes of one age group, NewGate’s classes encompass a two- or three-year age span. This arrangement helps students learn how to learn and become increasingly independent. Younger students experience the daily stimulation of older role models, inspiring them to ‘do what the big kids can do.’ Older students blossom under their leadership responsibilities. The multi-grade age range allows children to learn at their own pace and progress just as rapidly as they are able.

Students can move on to advanced courses as soon as they are academically prepared for them, rather than when they reach a given grade level.

all NewGate students experience the intellectual stimulation of social

and intellectual peers without having to skip a grade and feel emotionally out of place.

Working in one class for two or three years enables students to develop a strong sense of community with their classmates and teachers. Teachers come to know students so well that they can use a child’s own interests to enrich the curriculum. a DIffereNt DaIly scheDule at the Primary, Lower, and elementary levels, days are not divided into fixed-time periods for each subject. Teachers call students together for individual or small-group lessons as they are ready.

a typical day’s work is divided into ‘fundamentals’ assigned by the teachers and self-initiated projects and research selected by the student. Students work to complete their assignments at their own pace

with care and enthusiasm. Teachers closely monitor their students’ progress, maintaining a high level of challenge.

Secondary classes engage groups of five to fifteen students in seminars, debates, lab work, or group discussion and analysis, with the emphasis on critical thinking. Teaching is focused around both the great issues of our time and those that men and women have been wrestling with throughout history.

at NewGate, teacher feedback to students and parents helps students learn how to pace themselves and be accountable for their studies, two skills essential for later success in college.

Toddler CommunityAges 18 months to 3 yearsPrimary Children’s HouseAges 3 to 6

Lower ElementaryAges 6 to 9/Grades 1-3Upper ElementaryAges 9 to 12/Grades 4-6

Secondary Grades 7-8 Grades 9-10 Grades 11-12

NEWGATE IS ORGANIZED INTO 5 LEvELS

Surroundings have a great deal to do with the creation of an atmosphere of learning. Our classrooms are our students’ homes away from home, and we make them as attractive and comfortable as possible. They are warm, vibrant rooms filled with plants, animals, art, music, and books.

Montessori classrooms tend to fascinate both children and their parents. There are interest centers filled with intriguing learning materials; fascinating mathematical models; maps; charts; fossils; historical artifacts; computers; scientific apparatus; perhaps a small natural-science display; and animals that the children are raising.

Our classrooms are carefully prepared to stimulate children’s independence

and intellectual development. You will not find rows of desks, even at the Secondary level; instead, the rooms are set up to facilitate discussions and stimulate collaborative learning.

at the early Childhood and elementary levels, students will typically be found scattered around the classrooms, working alone or with one or two others. They tend to become so involved in their work that visitors are immediately struck by the peaceful atmosphere. at the Secondary level, many classes will involve seminar discussions or field experience.

Teachers will be found working with one or two children at a time, advising, presenting a new lesson, or quietly observing the class at work.

“We do not believe in the educative power

of words and phrases alone, but seek

cautiously, and almost without the child’s

knowing it, to guide his natual activity.”

—maria montessori

I learned to teach myself. Montessori starts with hands-on learning at a young age, and that’s been with me all of my life. If I want to learn a new skill, I will do the research and trial and error to figure it out. —BenEnos,BradPaisley’sTourPhotographer(NGSClasssof2005)

I would love to go on to work in an international business or organization in Europe. I plan to continue building my life in Europe, remain here for graduate school, and then pursue a career in an international setting. —SavannahHillebrand,AttendingFranklinUniversitySwitzerland(NGSClassof2012)

notEs from AlUmni

An Environment for Learning

Learning How to Learn

Students of every age level learn best through hands-on experience, not simply by listening to their teachers’ explanations. They need opportunities to learn by trial, error, and discovery. They need time to practice and apply new skills and knowledge.

rather than give students the right answers, we ask the right questions, leading them to discover the answers for themselves. We encourage students to do their own research, analyze their findings, and come to their own conclusions. Our students are actively engaged in the learning process!

In Montessori, students learn not to be afraid of making mistakes. Few things in life come easily, and here in school, they can try again without fear of embarrassment.

We help students set increasingly high goals for themselves. academic success is tied directly to the degree to which students see themselves as capable and independent. If they knew the words, even very small children would ask: “Help me learn to do it myself!”

Our students develop independence and self-discipline, learn good work habits, and develop a sense of responsibility. They take pride in doing things for themselves.

In Montessori, even very small children learn a wide range of everyday living skills. elementary and Secondary students learn more advanced skills, such as note taking, simple household tasks; earning spending money; planning field trips; caring for animals; using public transportation; managing a budget; and maintaining a check book.

Grace and courtesy are also vital everyday life skills. We consciously teach students ethics and interpersonal skills.

even our youngest children constantly see others working courteously with one another. They learn quickly not to interfere with someone else’s work unless asked to join. They learn to walk calmly through the room, speak politely to friends, and clean up after themselves. While they may work alone or with friends, they may not disturb others.

Over the years, our students learn to accept more responsibility and how to handle themselves in a wide variety of situations. Learning how to live and work together with others in a peaceful and caring community is perhaps the most critical life skill that our students master.

young children are naturally curious and want to work with everything they can get their hands on. they absorb concepts and skills from their surroundings and peers almost through osmosis. Provide them with a challenging atmosphere and intriguing learning materials, and they will investigate what they are and how they work. learning can, and should, be as natural as breathing.

dr. Montessori passed a deep love for the world of nature on to thousands of students through a program of outdoor education, gardening, and camping experiences. We see this as the foundation of a lifelong interest in the sciences.

We want our students to be fascinated by the universe and to honestly enjoy the process of discovering its secrets and interrelationships. We want them to observe, analyze, measure, classify, experiment, and predict— and to do so with a sense of eager curiosity and wonder. Science is an integral element of our curriculum. among other things, it represents a way of life: a clear thinking approach to gathering information and problem solving.

Our program is designed to cultivate our students’ curiosity and determination to discover the

truth for themselves. We teach them how scientists go about their work. They learn how to observe patiently, make predictions, analyze results, and work at solving each problem. They eagerly engage in field trips and experiments and respond with delight to the precision of measurement, gathering data, classification, and prediction.

With encouragement and a solid foundation, even very young children are ready and anxious to investigate their world, to wonder at the interdependence of living things, to explore the ways in which the physical universe works, and to ponder how it all may have come to be.

The scope of our early Childhood and elementary science curriculum includes an introduction to botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, geology, and astronomy.

Our Secondary science curriculum encompasses the traditional life and physical sciences, with introductory studies in biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and earth science.

Science lessons incorporate a hands-on approach. For example, students study the ecology of our outdoor environment and collect water samples to be tested for pollutants. In astronomy, a class might build a scale model of the solar system that stretches out over two miles. They will chart the cycles of sun spots and solar rotation by projecting the sun’s image.

On clear winter nights, they may stay up late observing through a telescope. Some of our finest classes are taught outdoors in forests, fields, and gardens.

Hands-On Science—The Montessori Way

“We especially need imagination

in science. it is not all mathematics,

nor all logic, but it is somewhat

beauty and poetry.”

—maria montessori

The study of second languages is an essential element in helping students to develop an international perspective. We introduce conversational language to our youngest children at the Toddler and early Childhood level and carry it forward. at the early Childhood and elementary level, our primary goal in our foreign language program is to develop conversational skills, along with a deepening appreciation for other cultures. Secondary students work toward a deeper command of the written and spoken language, as well as cross-cultural understanding. Secondary students also have opportunities to travel and study abroad.

The Physical education (Pe) program at NewGate provides students with an environment that nurtures physical, social, and emotional development. Class instruction develops the student’s ability to work cooperatively with others and instills a positive view of fitness and lifetime physical activities. regularly scheduled weekly instructional Pe classes provide maximum physical development through progressive motor skills acquisition and functional learning experiences.

NewGate students strive for a higher level of fitness and health. We teach the importance of physical activity and the three components of fitness: strength, flexibility, and endurance.

Our students are exposed to a diversity of sports and activities throughout the school year, including: volleyball; badminton; lacrosse; field/floor hockey; soccer; football/flag/two-hand touch; softball; baseball; golf; tennis; and circuit training.

In Montessori, the arts are not set apart from the rest of the curriculum. They are modes of exploring and expanding lessons that have been introduced in science, history, geography, english, foreign languages, and mathematics. For example, students might sculpt dinosaurs in science, create a diorama for history, construct geometric designs and solids for math, and express their feelings about a musical composition through painting.

art history and appreciation are woven throughout our history and geography curricula. Traditional folk-arts are also used to extend the curriculum. a few examples of popular art projects include painting, sculpture, pottery, weaving, photography, and woodworking.

Our music curriculum focuses on developing basic music theory, primarily using the voice as an instrument, integrated with dance. at every level we stress appreciation for all types of music, from international folk music to the classics. Students will put together all sorts of dramatic performances for parents and one another.

Learning a Second Language

Physical Education The Arts

Our students don’t learn math by memorizing facts and solutions, which provide little true understanding or ability to use mathematics in everyday life. Math is a series of abstract concepts for most children, and learning tends to come much more easily when they have hands-on experience with concrete educational materials that show what is taking place in a given mathematical process.

as an example, consider the very basis of mathematics: the decimal system – units, tens, hundreds, and thousands. Since quantities larger than twenty rarely have any meaning to a young child, dr. Montessori reasoned that we should present this abstract concept graphically. Children cannot normally conceive of the size of a hundred, thousand, or million, much less the idea that a thousand is equal to ten hundreds or one hundred tens.

dr. Montessori overcame this obstacle by developing a concrete representation of the decimal system. units are represented by single, one-centimeter beads; a unit

of ten is made up of a bar of ten beads strung together; hundreds are squares made up of ten ten-bars; and thousands are cubes made up of ten hundred-squares. Together, they form a visually and intellectually impressive tool for learning. Great numbers can be formed by very young children: “Please bring me three thousands, five hundreds, six tens, and one unit.”

From this foundation, all of the operations in mathematics, such as the addition of quantities into the thousands, become clear and concrete, allowing the child to internalize a clear image of how the process works. We follow the same principle in introducing plane and solid geometry to very young students, using geometric insets and three-dimensional models, which they learn to identify and define. Five-year-olds can commonly name geometric forms that most adults wouldn’t recognize. The study of volume, area, and precise measurement in everyday applications around the school is introduced in the early years and continually reinforced and expanded.

Montessori mathematics climbs in sophistication through the elementary and Secondary levels. It includes a careful study of the practical application of mathematics in everyday life, such as measurement, handling finances, making economic comparisons, or in gathering data and making a statistical analysis.

elementary students continue to apply math in a wide range of projects and challenges. They prepare scale drawings, calculate area and volume, and build scale models of historical devices and structures. Precise measurement and comparison is a crucial application of mathematics, and our students engage in all sorts of calculations: determining the amount of gas used by the family car, the electricity burned when our lights are left on overnight, and the perimeter of the buildings.

Secondary students follow a sequence of college-preparatory, IB math coursework.

Developing a Mathematical Mindmontessori’s famous hands-on learning math materials make abstract concepts clear and concrete. students can literally see and explore what is going on in math. our approach offers a clear and logical strategy for helping students understand and develop a sound foundation in math and geometry.

With this goal in mind, we teach history and world cultures from age three through graduation. Our youngest students work with specially designed maps and begin to learn the names of the world’s continents and countries. Physical geography begins in the first grade with a study of the formation of the earth, the emergence of the oceans and atmosphere, and the evolution of life. They learn about the world’s rivers, lakes, deserts, mountain ranges, and natural resources.

International studies continue throughout our course of study. The curriculum integrates art, music, dance, cooking, geography, literature, and science. Students prepare and enjoy dishes from all over the world. They learn traditional folksongs and dances in music, and explore traditional folkcrafts in art. In english, they read the traditional folktales and prepare reports.

Older students begin to study world cultures in greater

depth: customs, housing, diet, government, industry, the arts, and history.

elementary students study the emergence of the first civilizations and the universal needs of humanity. also, at the elementary level, students begin their formal study of early humans, ancient civilizations, and early american history. at the Secondary level, we study history, geography, government, current events, economics, and cultural studies.

We try to present a sense of living history at every level through hands-on experience. We often build models of ancient tools and structures, prepare our own manuscripts, make ceremonial masks, and recreate all sorts of artifacts of the everyday life of a historical era.

at the elementary and Secondary levels, history courses are carefully integrated with english and the humanities. Students read the literature and examine the art and

music of the historical period that they are studying. For example, during the study of the pre-Civil War period, students typically read Frederick douglas’ Narratives and the Letters of John Brown, study the music and popular culture of the time, and visit historical sites.

We also teach practical economics. Students learn to recognize the value of a dollar: how long it takes to earn it and what it can buy. as they grow older, students learn how to compute the cost of a meal for their family, plan a weekly budget, maintain a checkbook, prepare tax returns, and understand how to use credit cards wisely. Secondary internships introduce students to the world of work and allow them to explore career possibilities that they find appealing.

History & Geography Come Alivewe are all members of the human family. our roots lie in the distant past, and history is the story of our common heritage. without a strong sense of history, we cannot begin to know who we are as individuals today. our goal is to develop a global perspective, and the study of history and world cultures forms the cornerstone of our curriculum.

The process of learning how to read should be as painless and simple as learning how to speak. Montessori begins by placing our youngest students in classes where the older students are already reading. all children want to “do what the big kids can do,” and since the work that absorbs the older students involves reading, there is a natural lure for the young child to read.

The process of learning to read begins with children learning the phonetic sounds of the alphabet, then using their growing knowledge to read and write increasingly complex words and sentences. Mastery of basic skills typically develops so smoothly that students tend to exhibit a sudden “explosion into reading.” Once they have begun, students tend to proceed rapidly.

There is usually a quick jump from reading and writing single words to sentences and stories. at this point, we begin a systematic study of the english language: vocabulary, spelling rules, and linguistics. Once reading, Montessori students tend to read constantly.

We begin to teach the functions of grammar and sentence structure to students as young as first grade, just as they are first learning how to put words together to express themselves. They master these skills during a time in their lives when it is a delight, rather than a chore.

during the elementary and Secondary School years, we increasingly focus on the development of research and composition skills. Our students write every day, learning to organize increasingly complex ideas and information into well-written stories, poems, reports, plays, and student publications.

Finally, and most importantly, the key to our language arts curriculum is the quality of the things we give our children to read. Instead of bland basal readers, we introduce them, at an early age, to first-rate children’s books and fascinating works on science, history, geography, and the arts. Literary studies continue every year thereafter through graduation.

Developing a Lifelong Love of Language & Literature

“if writing serves to correct, or rather, to direct and perfect the mechanism of speech in the child, reading assists in the development of ideas and language. in brief, writing helps a child physiologically, and reading helps him socially.”

—maria montessori

(941) 922-4949 5237 Ashton Road, Sarasota, Florida 34239

www.newgate.edu

A PAssion for ExcEllEncE, chArActEr, UnivErsAl vAlUEs, GlobAl UndErstAndinG & sErvicE to hUmAnity