Avalon is more than a school, it is a community. We’ve been particularly pleased to note the high level of interaction between students at all grade levels as well as the high level of parent involvement in the school. My children have thrived at Avalon both academically and socially and this is a testament to the vision of the founders and the commitment of the staff.

N.C, Avalon Montessori parent

The loving and curious staff at Avalon took both our kids under their wings instantaneously and provided safety and security for our kids in their transition into Canadian life. They made our international move very smooth. Within a few months, both children had acquired English and were able to function socially as well as academically. We consider Avalon our family.

R.P, Avalon Montessori parent

Avalon Children’s Montessori

Celebrating over 15 years in the Beach!
Located in the heart of the Beach, Avalon Children’s Montessori School is a small independent, co-educational school that fully supports the Montessori philosophy of education. Our objective is to guide the children with respect and understanding, developing in them a love of learning that will last a lifetime.

Our aim is to create a pleasant and nurturing environment, enabling intellectual, social, moral, artistic and physical learning and development to take place. Parents, students, and teaching staff share equally in the achievement of our goals. The best way to learn about Avalon is to visit the school and see us in action.
Check out our casa, elementary and senior programs to learn more about Avalon.

Casa Program (2 1/2 – 6 years old)

The Montessori Casa program provides a prepared environment that aids the child in the learning process. Spontaneous and self-directed learning is fostered in this non-competitive environment. Children are free to work independently or in collaboration with peers, gaining important social skills. Self-esteem and confidence develop as children explore with the materials and master important developmental skills.

There are 5 different areas of the curriculum in the Casa environment. These include:
Practical Life
Practical life exercises are an essential part of the Montessori Casa classroom. The activities form a comforting link between home and school and provide the child with essential life skills. Performance of these simple, everyday activities meets the child’s need for independence, development of fine motor skills and coordination, as well as fostering self-esteem

Sensorial Education
Activities help the child make sense of the impressions they receive from the world around them. Exploring with these materials will develop and refine the child’s senses while providing a foundation for math and writing.

Mathematics
Mathematics materials provide a concrete understanding of number concepts and operations. The materials allow the child to explore the two aspects of a number – quantity and symbol. There are opportunities for further discovery of the Decimal system, and the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Language
Language is an integral part of the Montessori Casa classroom and is fostered through encouragement of self-expression, lessons and freedom of conversation.The language materials introduce the phonetic sound of each letter in the alphabet. Using these sounds, the child is able to build words, thus begins the process of reading. Along with preparatory exercises in Practical Life and Sensorial Education, language materials also foster muscle control for printing.

Art Culture
Art culture opens the child’s eyes to the dynamic and diverse world around them. These materials include the subjects of Geography, History, Zoology, Botany and Science. We also include activities such as music, art, physical education and field trips as part of our casa curriculum.

Elementary Program (6 – 11 years)

The Elementary classroom is designed to meet the needs of the child during the second stage of development, which begins at 6 years of age. Within the Elementary environment, the students are divided into multi-aged classes – Lower and Upper Elementary.

The Elementary environment offers a curriculum based on the needs of the children, with an interdisciplinary focus on the following areas: Language, Mathematics, Geometry, Culture, History, Geography, Biology, Physical Education, Art, Music, Drama and French.

In the classroom, students collaborate on projects, work in small groups and participate in the establishment of rules and regulations within the environment. Cooperative learning occurs through peer teaching and social interaction. Regular class meetings encourage students to share their ideas, questions and concerns in a safe environment.

Socially, there is great development during the elementary period. Drawn to the group, children begin to distance themselves from families. Children tend to join together and form their own peer groups. Clubs, societies and teams are spontaneously formed by children during this period.
There is great moral development at this time as children are concerned with right and wrong. They are extremely interested in justice and fairness. Dr. Montessori believed that myths, fables, and fairy tales could play a key role in moral understanding and the exploration of feelings and emotions.

Overall, the goal for the elementary student is that he/she will continue to be educated in a way that ensures opportunities to achieve, be challenged, learn and find happiness in their work. Upon completion of the Elementary component, students proceed to the Senior program.

Avalon Elementary is registered with the Ontario Ministry of Education but is not mandated by the Ontario curriculum guidelines. The curricu­lum generally meets and may exceed these guidelines. It is the individual needs of each student and the integrity of the Montes­sori philosophy that are the guiding principles of the programme. We welcome the opportunity to speak to you about the elementary programmes at Avalon.

Ask us about our learning support program!

Senior School (12-14 years) – An Alternative To Middle School

We are the first Montessori school in the Beach to offer a Senior program, prepared specifically for the adolescent child. The Senior School curriculum provides guidelines that frame the student’s educational experience while incorporating the Montessori concept of “focused freedom”. It is an alternative to middle school that supports the social, emotional and academic needs of young adolescents as they move from elementary school to high school and beyond.

Here students can test, discover, experience, share and celebrate. It is a place where students and teachers work and study together, providing community, affirmation and support. Teachers encourage students to work at their own pace while guiding them towards the overriding objectives. Scheduling permits long, uninterrupted work periods that encourage focussed concentration while allowing for the questioning, discussion and debate that animate and drive growth at this age. Time is provided for students to collaborate on both self-initiated and instructor-initiated projects.

Class meetings and discussions give students firsthand experience in teamwork, conflict resolution and personal responsibility. Additional opportunities for students to contribute and recognize their value arise from community service both within the school and the community at large.

Reflection and introspection are built into the curriculum at Avalon. With support from the teacher, students reflect on their work and their learning styles, discovering ways to build on their areas of strength and to develop their areas of weakness.
Areas of study may be teacher directed, self-directed or done in collaboration with peers. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a concept in a variety of ways, one of which may be formalized testing.

Areas of study include Language Arts, Mathematics, Current Events, Science, Geography, History, Health, Physical Education, Drama, Art, Music, and French.

Avalon’s unique approach enables students to develop the skills necessary to become globally aware, socially responsible, self motivated, intelligent leaders of tomorrow. Embracing the unique characteristics of the adolescent, our Senior School provides the means to a quality education and personal achievement. Upon completion of the Senior program, students graduate ready to meet the expectations of secondary school.

Ask us about our learning support program!