Dr. Montessori believed that at the adolescent level, studies should be directed toward “humanity, human life”…what she referred to as “the feeling of society.” This is essentially the role of humanities studies in the middle school. Understanding the “feeling of society” helps the to raise the awareness of one’s own role in a society, and ultimately prepares the student for a life of moral and civil citizenship. 

 

In the humanities, we focus on human history, or what Dr. Montessori referred to as “the human story,” but the subject matter is truly interdisciplinary in nature as it encompasses geography, art, religious studies, philosophy, and often connects with what they are learning in science and math.

 

The Humanities curriculum is divided into 4 broad thematic categories. These are lenses through which we view the story of humanity. 

 

1. We view the early history of humanity through the lens of the development of agriculture, cities, and empires. 

2. We study classical civilizations, in which we closely examine a particular society at the height of its artistic and intellectual development. 

3. The third category focuses on societies in transition. This category views societies in periods of transitions caused by inventions, discoveries, failures, tyranny, uprisings, and war. 

4. The final lens is the modern age of science. This category is defined as the portion of any society’s history, including today, in which rapid development occurs due to the progress of intellectual and scientific understanding. 

 

Within these four overriding themes, emphasis is frequently placed on:

• Scientific discoveries

• Geographical explorations and the role of place in the human story

• Global, intercultural interactions

• Cultural assimilation

• Wars, conquests, and peace 

• Religious beliefs and practices 

• The present-day nation 

• The future of humanity