Q: Why does OCMS group children in mixed age classrooms?

A: The Montessori curriculum encompasses a 3 year age span, allowing younger children to learn from older, and older children to learn from teaching the younger. In a multi-age class setting, a child can always find a peer working at his or her level. With students returning to the classroom each year, a strong sense of community is formed.

Q: Why do you only offer a 5-day program? I'm not sure my child is ready to go to school 5 days per week.

A: Creating consistency and routine is essential in developing strong Montessori programs. Consistency builds a feeling of empowerment and the child establishes a comfortable routine very quickly.

Q: Do Montessori classrooms provide structure?

A: Montessori classrooms are highly structured at every level. Children are given the opportunity to investigate and learn about subjects interesting to them, all while following clear procedures, boundaries, and structure. As children learn things in a different order from one another, this flexibility within the structure of the classroom offers students the opportunity to learn at a pace that is both comfortable and challenging.

Q: I have heard that kids can choose to do whatever they want in a Montessori classroom. What if my child never chooses to learn certain subjects?

A: Students in the Montessori classroom are given the freedom of choice when deciding what they would like to work on each day. That said, the Montessori teachers are keen observers who take copious notes and will be certain to expose your child to all areas of the curriculum in the classroom. Children go through what Maria Montessori called sensitive periods, where they are particularly drawn to certain subjects. It is the Montessori teacher’s job to recognize and encourage those periods, while also guiding the student through a well balanced education during their years in the classroom.

Q: Where do most students go after OCMS and how do they find the transition?

A: Our graduates move on to local public, private, charter and parochial schools. The transition is typically quite smooth since our students have gained much confidence and an enthusiastic love of learning after their experience here. The longer they stay at OCMS, the more they benefit.

Q: Does OCMS offer full day Kindergarten? If so, what is the difference between your kindergarten and public school kindergarten?

A: Yes! Our Children's house classrooms offer the Extended Day option once children have reached a maturity level where they are ready to stay for a full day academic program. Students do not need to be age 5 by September 1st to be an Extended Day student. The teacher will invite the student when they are ready to stay. Our Extended Day groups tend to be less than ten students who work one on one or in very small groups with their teacher. Because of the small group size and the extended learning time, students who stay for kindergarten have more time to progress their reading skills and do more advanced math work. Staying at OCMS for kindergarten allows the child to complete their full cycle in Children's House and gives them the opportunity to be a leader in the room.

Q: Do the students at OCMS mostly come from the town of Hingham?

A: Not at all. We have students who come from all over the South Shore. We draw from Quincy to Carver, Scituate to Abington, and everywhere between!

Q: Can students bring a regular lunch to school?

A: Yes. We limit it to lunch items that do not contain nuts and were not manufactured in a facility that also produces foods with nuts. There may be other restrictions based on the allergies in each classroom. The teacher will share that with the class if that is the case.