Junior High Program

Junior High Program (12 – 14 years)

Following the Upper Elementary program, Montessori Academy of London offers a two-year Junior High program. This program meets or exceeds the minimum standards of the Ontario Ministry of Education, building on the areas of Language (Grammar, Reading and Writing), Mathematics, Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Geography, History, French, Music, Visual Arts and Physical Education.

As with the Elementary program, activities related to community engagement, independence and a global understanding supplement our Junior High program. Like all Montessori programs, the Junior High curriculum is specifically designed to meet the needs of 12 to 14 year old child (see Foundations of Leadership). Adolescents are quite different from Elementary children; they are beginning to emerge into adulthood and:

Are reaching physical maturity
Have tremendous capacity for creativity and self-expression
Desire to start joining society as a contributing member
Struggle with the uncertainties of readiness and impulsiveness
Are unconsciously inward looking
Searching for trust and role models, while challenged by offering it to each other
Are evaluating commitment
Are vulnerable and sensitive

The Junior High curriculum continues to be intellectually challenging and meet the individual needs of each student; it also prepares the student for the transition into other forms and types of education with confidence. The program gives them opportunities to try many roles on for size. They develop competence in a variety of areas, including learning more about traditional forms of academic assessment and lesson delivery (how to learn in a lecture environment and how to take tests), looking at career options and high school choices, and developing a sense of confidence about the person they are becoming.

The program is developed to teach students to manage the level of responsibility that is critical as they move into High School and post-secondary education. The students share a large part of the responsibility for everything in the Junior High program, including their meals, environment, and interpersonal relationships, including dealing with challenges in any of these areas. This new level of independence becomes the springboard for life and the real challenges they will face. Students emerge from this program confident, creative and divergent in their thinking; socially responsible and adept; and highly motivated to find the path to their own success. They truly have the capacity to be leaders of tomorrow.

Visit our Junior High Website to get a glimpse of daily happenings in the program!

Video: Junior High – The Poppy Project with Fanshawe College’s School of Design.

“The Poppy Project” was a pilot with Fanshawe College’s School of Design. Their teacher and students came up with sustainable poppy concept and thought it would be a fun project for children to help them learn about Remembrance Day. 2021 is the 100th anniversary of the Remembrance Day poppy, so it was particularly timely.

Students from Casa through Junior High participated in the Poppy Project. It was packaged as a fun “mission” and the teachers were provided instructions and materials on how to make the poppy-seed paper, which was crafted into wearable paper poppies that could then be planted. The hopes are the seeds in the paper will sprout poppies next year.

This beautiful 2-minute video by our Upper Elementary and Junior High Coordinator and Teacher Shawn Butler walks you through the JH poppy-making process.

What People Are Saying…

As I’m sure all parents do, we worried a bit about the high school transition. We are pleased to say that our daughter has managed the transition well, seems to be adjusting to the differences in the public system and is happy. …We just wanted to say thank you to everyone at MA who has contributed to her growth and development. Providing our girls a Montessori education may be the single best investment we have ever made.

– A. Walton, Alumni Parent
IQ tests of children educated according to the Montessori method revealed they enjoyed a higher level of intelligence than the children educated according to the traditional method.

Source: “The Impact of Montessori Teaching Method on IQ Levels of 5-Year-Old Children,” Ahmadpour & Mujembari. Procedia. Social and Behavioral Sciences. Oct. 9, 2015.

– Montessori Research
Montessori instilled a sense of accountability about getting work done; how to set a plan and follow it through.

– Mandy van Waes, Class of 2006, Alumni
Your school reflects unbelievable commitment and true positive leadership… The values of thoughtfulness, consideration, sensitivity and respect were so palpable – and clear to see – and permeated every aspect of what I experienced while there (visiting)… Please do convey to your staff how enormously impressed I was by everything I saw and heard, and how privileged I felt to be able to enjoy that ‘bird’s eye view’ of a very special place.

– Visiting Educator, Visitor
Grace’s Montessori education continues to pay dividends in terms of how she approaches and operates in the world.

– S. Foulon, Alumni Parent
My daughter is fairly new to Montessori and had taken to the educators and the environment ‘like a duck to water.’ I never imagined her transition would be so smooth. She loves going to school to join her friends and her learning curve since starting early this year is astounding. How many 2 year olds can tell the difference between a toad and a red-eyed tree frog? It’s a joy to take her every morning and see her get so excited about seeing everyone. I wish I had sent her older sister (to MA) when she was a toddler. The children truly flourish (at MA).

– Parent, Toddler Program Letter
In short, we love Montessori Academy of London Toddler Program and we know our sons do too. We feel that it has contributed to our sons’ vocabulary, creativity, confidence, individuality, discipline and friendships. It is providing a vital foundation for their future learning and relationship building. The choice of this school over a traditional daycare was an easy decision for our family.

– Parent, Toddler Program Letter
We value the many opportunities for parent involvement. You are able to join the children during ‘Open Class,’ where you get to take part in … and do classroom work with your child as well as other special events. Parent information nights regarding different aspects of the Montessori curriculum are also very helpful in terms of gaining new knowledge and skills on how to facilitate your own child’s development.

– Parent, Toddler Program Letter
We see how the Toddler program fosters generosity, empathy, intellectual curiosity, the love of learning, self-confidence, focus and determination in our young daughter. We feel confident that the Montessori curriculum is meeting and exceeding our child’s learning and development needs and would not hesitate to recommend to others considering the program for their children.

– Parent, Toddler Program Letter
I love that the children find activities they love within all areas, and are given many opportunities to explore the outdoors, engage in the arts, and enjoy group activities.

– Joan Haskett

Montessori Academy of London | London, Ontario

Our Programs