My name is Alison and I am the founder of Antigua Montessori School, located in Guatemala. I opened the school with my mother six years ago, after obtaining my Early Childhood training from Washington Montessori Institute. The school started with just 3 students and went growing during our first year. Subsequently, more parents started hearing about the school and it went on expanding more each year. Our students also were starting to reach an Elementary age and parents were inquiring about further expansion of the school. With this, I decided to take the CGMS Elementary training. Thanks to the distance learning program that CGMS offers, it allowed me to keep on working at my school in Guatemala and keep on expanding it as I studied.
Our Elementary program was so successful that we had to open a new campus just to accommodate the Elementary students. I appreciate the training that I received at CGMS, which helped us achieve this goal. Our school is now the only Montessori school in all Central America that has a full Elementary Montessori program. It currently serves 116 Elementary students of our 176 student population. Thank you, CGMS!
Our Upper Elementary student working on the trinomial cube formula by matching the algebraic cards with the corresponding prism that it represents
Our Upper Elementary student doing extension work with the cubing material, by using it to understand algebraic functions. Here one can observe how she places a number value to the variable “x” and it goes on increasing, yet you can visually see with the material the pattern of the algebraic function.
Elementary students receiving a Cosmic lesson on Earth’s Preparation for Life. This lesson places the foundation for chemistry in the classroom, describing how the molecules of water, ammonia and methane (with the help of the energy from the sun) were basic in forming the first amino acid of glycine (CHON chain) on Earth.
Elementary students receiving a Geometry lesson with the Yellow Area Material. The plumb line is used to demonstrate the altitude of the triangle
Guatemala is a country with beautiful weather all year round. The campus of the school is designed in such a way, that every classroom has direct access to the outdoor environment. Children and Montessori guides can easily incorporate outdoor activities in their daily routine. Here, Elementary students are having a meeting and discussing topics outside of their classroom.
Our campus is large and has many spaces and classrooms. These are new students coming in from our Preschool campus. They are receiving an orientation tour from their guides the first day of school.
Lower Elementary students working during their morning cycle. True independence is seen when the children are working by themselves as the guide (seen with two girls on the right of the picture) is available just as an aid for those who seek assistance with a task.
The school is surrounded by three volcanoes, one of which is active. As seen in the picture, the “Fuego” volcano is letting out a small eruption as the students and guides go by their daily routine.
The school also has a fully equipped Science Lab, in which the students can perform different experiments and hands on activities that complement their work in the Cosmic Curriculum. Here we can observe two first year students learning how to measure liquid, they are also observing the properties of a fluid and comparing it later to a gas and a solid.
Essay writing is something that is ongoing in our classrooms. The students select different topics of interest with regard to the Cosmic Curriculum and publish their investigations. Students are constantly publishing informative, opinion based and narrative essays.
Upper Elementary student working on the Phylogenetic Tree Model. This material serves as a visual representation of how living organisms are classified into kingdoms according to their evolution pathway. The student not only learns how they are different and classifies them by their differences, but also how all life is connected and has a common evolutionary origin.
Elementary students entering the school on a beautiful November morning. The campus offers always an inviting entrance, surrounded by beautiful landscapes, green areas and opened classrooms.
Upper Elementary student working on the photosynthesis formula. Using the chemistry material, she has constructed a glucose molecule with oxygen molecules as by products. She is recording her work on paper with a diagram of the molecules involved.