In the classroom
At the center of Montessori way of learning is the purposeful classroom, filled with educational materials that engage the child’s curious mind and spark thinking—for a lifetime. The pulse of the classroom is characterized by independent and group learning, where exploration can take its natural course.
These choices are intentional stepping-stones on the path of personalized development that leads students to a bright future, guided each day by passionate, experienced Montessori teachers.
Learn more about Montessori
Explore the Programs
Our program begins with the Toddler House, where the first seeds of learning for life are planted. It continues to Primary School where working in the Montessori prepared environment, children engage in activities that teach them how to work on their own and as part of a team. In the final year of Kindergarten, the child spends each day working on individual projects or in small groups and mentoring younger students, eagerly exploring reading, writing, mathematics, geography, science and art.
Welcome to the Toddler House
Age: 18 months – 3 1/2 years
The Toddler program is for children from approximately 18 months to 3 1/2 years of age. Dr. Montessori’s philosophy guides the day-to-day routines. The environment encourages concentration, independence, self-confidence, and self-motivation in each child.
We focus on social awareness, grace and courtesy, self-calming, and acknowledgment of the child’s accomplishments. The children are free to work throughout the morning, with opportunities for activity as a group during circle time and various individual lessons. A self-serve snack area is open in the morning offering numerous practical life opportunities such as spooning, pouring juice, dish-washing and more.
Diapering and toileting procedures are also opportunities for independence, self-help and consciousness of accomplishments. Positive guidance, modeling and redirection are used to encourage and gain appropriate behavior. Words are stated simply and positively. Each child is a respected, valued member of our Toddler community.
School year
September – June| School Day | Optional Afternoon | ||||||
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All Day
9 or 12 month schedule| All Day Students | ||||||||
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Welcome to the Primary School
Age: 3 – 6 years
Children enroll in the mixed age Primary Program at age 3. For young children, the child-scaled world of the Montessori classroom invites exploration and learning. Each morning your child is welcomed by teachers and staff and greeted by classmates and friends before beginning a morning of discovery. Working in the Montessori prepared environment, with materials designed specifically for this age group, children engage in a variety of activities that teach them how to work on their own and as part of a team.
The Montessori teacher is a guide and a resource, helping your child build the confidence to take on new projects and learn new skills. The classroom is a mixed-age learning environment with children 3 to 6 years old. Preschool-Kindergarten children remain in the same morning classroom with the same teacher for their entire Greene Towne School career.
School year
September – June| School Day | Optional Afternoon | ||||||
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All Day
9 OR 12 MONTH SCHEDULE| All Day Students | ||||||||
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More About the Kindergarten Year
The Kindergarten Year is designed for children in their last year at Greene Towne as the culmination of the Primary Program. The Kindergarten child spends each day in the mixed-age Montessori classroom working on individual projects or in small groups and mentoring younger students. The children eagerly explore the worlds of reading, writing, mathematical calculations, geography, science and art. Kindergarten children work solving math problems using the bead bars, mapping the countries of Africa or writing stories, and spend as much time as they choose working on these projects. There are also activities for the entire class, such as thematic lessons, storytelling and music.
With field trips, visits to the library, and special programs such as Lunch-Around-the-World, Greene Towne Kindergartners learn about the world beyond the classroom and the people and places of Philadelphia. In this final year at Greene Towne, your child develops confidence and a sense of accomplishment, becomes a mentor and model for younger children, and a leader of the classroom community.
Daily Schedule
September – June| School Day | |||||
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All Day
9 or 12 month schedule| All Day Students | ||||
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All Day Montessori
We created the All-Day Montessori program specifically for Toddler and Primary students and their families who look for care beyond the typical school day and calendar.
The extension of our classroom environment builds a unique community specifically set-up for children who stay at school all day. A single All-Day Montessori classroom with fewer transitions during the day gives the children consistency of place, teaching staff and activity with the same Montessori philosophy and teaching methods, and designed to meet the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of children as all our programs.
Children may enroll in the All Year ADM with 12 months of school and care including the majority of school holidays and closures, 2 months of summer camp programming and 3 weeks bridging the summer breaks, or the School Year ADM with 9 months of school and care, including programming during the majority of school holidays and closures but no summer programming.
