Print this pageElementary Program
Program Information
Pebblecreek Elementary was established in January 2002 and moved to a dedicated location in August 2003 on Coit Road, near the original lower school on Pebblecreek Court in Plano.
In 2008 Pebblecreek Montessori moved to a new location on Old Custer Road in Allen. In 2010 the elementary program moved into a state-of-the-art building, just to the north of the lower school.
The Lower Elementary level includes grades 1 through 3.
The Upper Elementary level includes grades 4 through 6.
Pebblecreek Elementary students attend School Day Program hours of 8:15 am - 3:15 pm, Monday - Friday. Extended Day is available for elementary students from 7:00 - 8:15 am and 3:15 - 6:00 pm.
All Pebblecreek Elementary lead guides (teachers) are certified by the American Montessori Society (AMS) or the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), and our program follows AMS curriculum standards.
The program offers students and their families a nurturing environment combined with a strong academic program that meets the needs of the individual child. Students develop a sense of order and self-discipline, imagination, freedom, and cooperative living. A characteristic of the daily schedule is an uninterrupted three-hour period of independent work time.
Students are grouped in multi-age classrooms with the older students modeling appropriate behavior, providing leadership, encouragement and guidance to younger students. Students remain in the same class for the three-year cycle, moving from youngest to oldest; from observer to leader. This leads to a close-knit community which emphasizes kindness and personal responsibility. The article "Joyful Scholars: Montessori for the Elementary Years" by Mr. Tim Seldin of the Montessori Foundation/IMC describes the advantages a Montessori education offers students ages 6-12 years old.
Academics
The school offers individualized work plans for each student in math, language and cultural subjects based on a curriculum that meets and, in most cases, exceeds Texas state standards. Each child works on his / her plan throughout the day. Incorporated are spelling, handwritting, and reading programs based on a student’s individual ability and not his or her age. The school also boasts an innovative Spanish program.
Academic Language Therapy
Pebblecreek offers academic language therapy with full-time staff member Mrs. Tara Chapman, a certified academic language therapist. This multi-sensory approach to acquiring language skills can benefit children and adults who have been diagnosed with dyslexia or related learning differences. Children who have difficulty acquiring basic literacy skills may also benefit.
Cultural Subjects
The Montessori approach to the cultural subjects is based on the interrelationships of the earth, animals, plants, and the people who inhabit the earth. Therefore the subjects of history, geography and science are not taught as individual subjects but as connected parts of a whole. The cultural curriculum includes experiments, maps, timelines, models and other learning materials.
The goal is for the child to begin to answer what Dr. Montessori deemed the important questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here?
Another way in which the child comes to understand the interdependence of all living things ("cosmic education") is through what Montessorians call "The Great Lessons." The five Great Lessons are: The Story of the Universe, Life Comes to Earth, Human Beings Come to Earth, The Story of Language, and The Story of Numbers.
Fine Arts - Music, Dance and Art
Pebblecreek offers an exceptional program based on the teachings of Carl Orff, Zoltan Kodaly, and the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori. Daniel Sullivan is the music instructor and Lela Bell is the dance and creative movement instructor. Children are exposed to music from around the world. They sing, move, and play musical instruments. Elementary students begin to learn musical notation, to read music, and create their own music. They learn about music history and create a time line of composers. The music program's goal is to awaken musical creativity and guide well-balanced children toward artistic development.
Pebblecreek's art program teaches both practical and historical art. Students learn the skills to perceive and create original art, acquire knowledge of art history, and evaluate the quality of art. Students explore how artists and their work contributes to a multi-cultural society. Bobbie Sniderwin is the art teacher.
Physical Education
Students are taught the importance of physical fitness and encouraged to achieve their individual potential. Team games are introduced with the focus on teamwork and the development of healthy attitudes to both winning and losing. The physical education program also includes the President's Challenge. Pebblecreek's P.E. instructor is Coach Reni Castro.
Foreign Language
Students learn Spanish using the Touch Spanish program created by Pebblecreek co-founder and primary guide Mrs. Gabriela Wilcox. Touch Spanish engages children in conversationally-based language instruction. After oral skills are mastered, students progress to reading skills. Upon completing the Touch Spanish program, students will have attained the equivalent of an eighth-grade level Spanish language ability. Elementary students attend weekly Spanish classes. More information about Pebblecreek's Spanish Language Programs.
Practical Life in the Elementary Classroom
On a daily or weekly basis, students are responsible for: flower arranging, plant care, laundry, food preparation, demonstrating proper meal etiquette, and personal care.
Library
Students visit the school library once a week to read and borrow books.
Homework in the Montessori Environment
Elementary students will be assigned homework that is designed to enhance the Montessori curriculum. Homework will reach far beyond memorization of facts. Homework will foster creative and productive thinking using research skills, reading and analysis, presentations, and projects. Homework includes book reports; projects (e.g., building a model, preparing a demonstration, forming a collection, or performing an experiment); memory work. In addition, the elementary staff encourages parent and child to experience together "real life" homework, such as planning a menu, special celebration, family trip, or savings plan; writing a poem, story, book or movie review; creating a painting, new board game, or photo album; and volunteering for service in the community.
Montessori Model United Nations
Several upper elementary students prepare extensively for the Montessori Model UN in New York. Please click here for more information about this annual event.
Field Trips
Elementary students leave campus for several chaperoned field trips throughout the year. Past field trips have included: Young Chefs Academy Cooking School, The Dallas World Aquarium, The Dallas Zoo, The Dallas Museum of Art, The Dallas Children's Theatre, and The Dallas Symphony.
Outdoor School
In the spring, the upper elementary students from Pebblecreek Montessori take part in a three-day, residential outdoor school program. They enjoy staying in cabins with their friends and teachers. The outdoors is the classroom, and the forest, pond and meadows are their biological laboratory as they learn about ecology, math, geology and history and the inter-relationships in nature. The natural world is their inspiration for writing essays and poems. Students have an opportunity to work on team building, problem solving, creative thinking, cooperation, conflict resolution and learning about themselves and their team-mates.
Extracurricular Activities
A complete list of on-campus extracurricular activities.