What Makes Us Unique?

Language Immersion, Global Understanding, and Cultural Awareness

“The development of language is part of the development of the personality, for words are the natural means of expressing thoughts and establishing understanding between people.”

— Dr. Maria Montessori

While young children have a remarkable sensitivity to language in early childhood and possess an innate ability to grasp, process, and produce language at a young age, their environment and exposure to languages play a crucial role in their language acquisition, development, and competency. Language is, therefore, an essential and significant element of our core curriculum.

There is a palpable atmosphere of multilingualism and multiculturalism on the TRIS campus. In a completely immersive environment led by native-speaking faculty, students learn English, Spanish, and French and acquire correct accents, pronunciations, and language patterns. Our program includes English and Spanish immersion for pre-primary students, English and Spanish or English and French immersion for primary students, and fully trilingual immersion for Elementary and Middle School (Grades 1-9). Students develop conversational, reading, and writing skills in all languages. 

In addition to learning multiple languages, elementary students deepen their appreciation for other cultures by undertaking international trips. Their travels continue their history, geography, and cultural education outside the classroom, build global awareness and understanding, and hone their sense of world citizenship through real-world immersive experiences.

Elementary and Middle School students also participate in the Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN) conference, a simulation of the UN General Assembly.

Arts

"If we try to think back to the dim and distant past... what is it that helps us reconstruct those times, and to picture the lives of those who lived in them? It is their art... It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen."

— Dr. Maria Montessori

A strong visual art education offers many extraordinary benefits to children. It improves critical thinking, problem-solving, flexibility, coordination, creativity, self-direction, personal expression, and communication. Under the careful guidance of our dedicated art instructors, students explore art media and techniques, color theory, art materials, brushstrokes, and texture with paint. Students study art from different cultures and examine the works of various artists and periods in art history. They pursue independent projects, and with practiced skills, they see their artistic vision through research and planning, choosing materials, and executing a finished work. Their journey culminates in their work of art displayed at the annual Art Show for the community. Students take field trips to museums, contemporary art exhibitions, and artist studios.

The artwork one sees in our studio is a beautiful display of each student's artistic abilities and accomplishments and the manifestation of the Montessori philosophy we follow. 

Music

 “There should be music in the child’s environment, just as there does exist in the

child’s environment of spoken speech.”

— Dr. Maria Montessori

Our comprehensive music education follows the Kodály Method, named after Zoltán Kodály, a Hungarian music educator and prolific composer. Kodály, like Dr. Montessori, developed his principles of music education by observing how children learn. His approach teaches vocal music through sound and guides students to utilize and control the first musical instrument known to us, our voice. Kodály’s kinesthetic, auditory, and visual approach to music education focuses on learning through singing, hand signs, rhythm, and pitch and having social, cultural, and emotional connections to the music. 

"The goal of Kodály music education is to give students a first-hand connection to music,

and to never make it seem like a dry academic exercise.”

- Itzhak Perlman

Students participate in small group lessons and begin by learning to reproduce and identify notes with clarity and precision, including using Solfège.  They also learn performance etiquette and participate in choral ensembles. Students, from toddlers to Middle School, perform in an annual concert for the school community. Elementary and Middle School students also learn music theory, music history and develop ear training skills. 

On-Campus Instrumental Music Lessons 

While students enjoy Kodály vocal lessons during school hours, they also have the opportunity to learn instruments after school on campus. We team up with accomplished instructors who teach drums, flute, violin, piano, and guitar.

Outdoor Education

“There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature;

to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature.”

- Dr. Maria Montessori 

Outdoor education is an essential component of the learning experience. Our faculty take students on ecology-focused field trips to instill a love, appreciation, and understanding of the natural world. Our younger students take care of our pets and our garden and visit the creek and park next to our school to explore the local flora and fauna. Elementary and Middle School students explore and connect with natural wonders at a deeper level by visiting locations around the Bay Area to conduct research. They visit science museums, go on camping trips, or visit natural sites such as Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach State Park, Mono Lake, Lake Temescal, and Death Valley, to name a few.

Outdoor Activity and Social, Emotional, and Physical Development

Movement is integral to the Montessori curriculum, and our physical education takes a multidisciplinary approach. Our aim is to introduce students to the benefits of exercise and encourage them to reach personal fitness goals while practicing movement in a fun group setting. 

Our primary campus has distinct outdoor play areas that allow young students to develop their motor skills and concentration and immerse themselves in creative play while engaging in physical activities that improve their overall health. Our elementary students undertake more challenging activities on and off campus. The Middle School students participate in overnight camps, hikes, and local activities such as indoor rock climbing. 

Students from toddlers to Middle School go on nature outings. A walk to the creek to explore flora and fauna or hiking trips to Mono Lake, these outings create opportunities to not only discover natural wonders but also foster cooperation, sportsmanship, and teamwork in areas outside of regular physical education.