Art
The Value of Art
Art at Montessori de Terra Linda is rooted in Montessori principles of independence, exploration, and process over product. At all program levels, each classroom includes a dedicated art shelf, where children have daily access to materials for drawing, painting, collage, and mixed-media. Through open-ended opportunities to create, students learn to express ideas, solve problems, and take pride in their work.
Art is both an avenue for creative expression and a vital part of each child’s development. From the earliest years, students are encouraged to explore color, texture, and form as natural extensions of their curiosity and imagination. Children are offered real materials—brushes, watercolor, clay, pastels—and the freedom to choose, combine, and experiment. They learn to respect their tools and space, to care for materials, and to take ownership of their work.
An Interdisciplinary Approach
At MdTL, art is viewed not as a separate subject, but as a natural expression of a child’s curiosity, independence, and developing sense of self. The emphasis is on exploration, creativity, and the joy of making, rather than on producing something “perfect.”
Art does not exist in a vacuum—it naturally weaves through all areas of study. Children illustrate stories they’ve written, create maps and scientific diagrams, design geometric patterns, and enjoy beautifying their work. In doing so, they see that art is not separate from life, but deeply connected to it.
Elementary Art Lessons
At the Elementary level, art remains an integral part of the classroom experience. Montessori teachers incorporate regular art lessons as part of the broader curriculum, helping children connect artistic techniques with their studies in history, geometry, biology, and literature. These lessons nurture creativity and reinforce concepts from across the curriculum, giving students the opportunity to express what they’ve learned in meaningful, imaginative ways through creative follow-up work.
Our Elementary Art Teacher presents a weekly art lesson to the class as a whole, and then works with small groups of students who choose to work on the project that afternoon. The project is then made available as a work choice on the classroom Art shelf for continued exploration. The program is structured around the Eight Studio Habits of Mind—a framework that nurtures confidence, reflection, and creative growth. Lessons integrate multicultural perspectives, helping students explore how art connects people and ideas across time and culture.
Open Studio Integration: A wide variety of art mediums are available in our Open Studio space, where students can explore independently through art, music, and creative projects, available to students five mornings a week. Students develop technical skills, experiment with new media, and learn to see projects through from inspiration to completion.
Art in the Wider World
Elementary students may also plan visits to local art institutions to deepen their understanding and connect with the broader art community. Through these experiences, they learn that art is not only something they make—it’s something they live and share.