Laurie initiated the "summer program" so she could spend some time enjoying former students at A Growing Place and share with them those marvelous Montessori materials that prepare them for whatever they will encounter the following year in their schools - math, language, music, whatever.

The ages chosen were 5-12 as those young people seem to work well together in this kind of setting. The length of time is 2 weeks.

Summer program participants spend more time outdoors than the preschoolers do during the winter. We emphasize a very special Montessori pattern - that of collecting botanical specimens and then "painting" them with our watercolors, making our own botanical notebooks and using the knowledge and terminology we have been learning over the years.

The 5- and 6-year olds who have been in the AGP classroom the preceding spring simply see the summer program as an extension of school. They go on with whatever they have been doing - but enjoy the added enrichment elements.

The social atmosphere is a wonderful example of Montessori at work as there is much companionship, working together, and older children serving as examples for the younger ones. Laurie says, "I've not seen other such situations where older children voluntarily avoid competitiveness and choose to encourage the younger ones."

AGP owns Montessori materials for ages 6-12 children. This is the time when those advanced materials get most of their use, although the older preschoolers sometimes work on them too in the spring.

The summer program group generally numbers 11-16. Laurie is the directress; the helpers are one or two of the AGP "old kids" - age 12-16. Having those older children present is very happy for the younger ones and is a choice on the part of the older one(s). Around age 12 young people go through a sensitive period for caring for young children. So some great lessons in preparation for parenting come as a result of helping with the summer program..

The 2009 Tentative Summer Program dates are August 3 through August 14.
The hours will be 9 to noon or 9 until 3:30; children can come for 1 or both weeks and attendance times can be adjusted within those general limits. Cost for the year 2009 is $165 for morning or afternoon and $325 for "full day" (six and a half hours). A $50.-- deposit is to be included with the application. The $50.-- deposit will be applied to tuition amount.

Applications are available here. (Older siblings of children who are attending or have attended AGP are sometimes included also.)