Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 17/99) - Even though they only have three elementary students enrolled, educators at the Montessori private school are thrilled to be able to offer them an education.

The Yellowknife school, which teaches the Montessori method, was recently granted elementary school classification. They now can offer grades 1 to 3.

"Montessori elementary is a logical extension to the Montessori method of teaching," said Montessori board member David Milburn.

"We worked very hard for this. Our long-term goal is to expand the school into another three-year cycle past Grade 3."

For 22 years, in Yellowknife, the school has been administering the Montessori method to preschool-aged children. They currently have 27 students aged three through six, plus the three elementary students.

The director of the new elementary program, Foday Dumbuya, said the independent nature of the method helps children develop self-esteem and to form their own judgements. The aim is to encourage active, self-directed learning. Teachers act more as guides than instructors.

"The department of education doesn't have a problem with children learning more, they have a problem with children learning less," said Dumbuya.

"What we're doing here is combining the NWT education curriculum with the Montessori curriculum."

To gain elementary status, a private school must meet more than 14 criteria for the department of education.

Among them, the school's curriculum must meet NWT standards. They also have to teach a required number of hours in each subject, and teachers must be certified.

When the three elementary students currently enrolled finish Grade 3, they will enter public school at the Grade 4 level if Montessori hasn't expanded.

"They won't have any problem adjusting to public school, the only thing is they'll be ahead. The kids here have an advantage because our classes are small and they get more individual attention," said Dumbuya.

"But by the time these first students complete Grade 3 in Montessori, we're hoping the school with have extended to offer further grades."