The Ellis Experience

CORE VALUES:

 ● Wonderment & the Joy of Childhood: Montessori Education values a sense of wonder and the innate desire to learn about the World and how it works, through joyful exploration and discovery.

 ● Respect, Diversity & Harmony: Montessori Education values self-respect, respect of others and respect for our environment. This requires that we understand, celebrate and protect the diversity within our community and our environment. We resolve our conflicts through empathy and honest dialogue.

 ● Stewardship: Montessori Education encourages us to first be stewards of our own actions, and then to work with others as we care for our Montessori community and our World. 

● Self- Reliance & Academic Empowerment: Montessori Education values self-responsibility and self-reliance for personal and academic growth. The individual is empowered to be a self-motivated, self-disciplined and independent learner. The ideas, interests and skills of each person positively contribute to our Montessori community and the World. 

● Peace: will prevail when we live by these core values.

 

History of Charles Ellis Montessori Academy 

The school was first opened as part of the Savannah Chatham School System in 1928. Many visitors fondly recall the early days of this neighborhood school. Charles Ellis School established itself as a Montessori magnet in 1988 becoming the first public Montessori school in the state of Georgia. In 1992 a grant was received to pilot one of the first Pre-K programs in Georgia. In 2001, the school expanded to include the Montessori Middle School program, thereby becoming the only public school in Savannah-Chatham County to consolidate the elementary and middle school programs; a model of the current K-8 schools that exist today.

Learning in the Montessori Environment - Trained Teachers and Child Directed Work

Montessori best practices promote a highly engaging learning environment where students are self-directed learners and learning opportunities are facilitated through individual and small group instruction. Students are free to move around and explore work that captures their interest and needs. Student work plans/work logs accommodate the academic needs of individual students and guide the teacher in differentiating instruction. 

Certified lead teachers are Montessori trained through an AMS accredited program. These certifications are renewed every five years. Certified Montessori lead teachers are well versed in Montessori theory and philosophy as well as the accurate and appropriate use of Montessori materials. Teachers guide children and keep them on the path of learning.

A schedule is posted in the classroom and all materials must be prepared and accessible at the beginning of the instructional day. Charles Ellis Montessori Academy follows all state and district curriculum standards and instructional frameworks. Peer instruction coaching is acceptable as an extension of Montessori practices but must not supplant direct lessons by a certified teacher. Peer instruction can be used to reinforce previous learning, can be used as an assessment tool for identifying mastery and can be utilized as another learning perspective for a student. Peer instruction must always be guided and assessed by the certified teacher. Lessons using the Montessori materials and Montessori curriculum are aligned with the Georgia Standards of Excellence to guide the student in mastering skills and concepts.

At the Erdkinder level (seventh and eighth grades) a spiral curriculum is implemented to expose students to many interrelated topics, repeatedly over time. The Montessori Erdkinder program expands upon learning fostered in Elementary programs and includes core curricular courses of language arts, mathematics, sciences, and social studies that are cognitively challenging in scope. In addition, students take specialized courses including world language courses, visual and performing arts, health, and fitness, among others and participate in field studies linked to themes, academic work, and service learning. Practical Life at the Secondary level includes student use of checklists, work plans, planning calendars, and/or study guides that promote executive functioning skills such as time management, organization, and decision-making. 

Recess is an essential part of each student’s school day. Monitored by staff, recess happens mostly on the playground or, when raining, in the classroom. While recess is a time for unstructured play it is also an opportunity for students to learn cultural games that are connected to current classroom studies. Recess cannot be denied to students in Grades Prek-5 as a punishment for behavioral issues. All students are expected to participate in recess activities unless restrictions are in place per a doctor’s note