"Shall we work on the story we're writing?" "No, we need to finish our research on the Big Bang. The presentation is tomorrow."

This, and similar conversations, take place constantly in the Elementary classroom, as young children demonstrate how effectively they take charge of their learning. Unparalleled, except in another Elementary environment.

The Elementary methodology is a continuation of the Montessori method. Al Qamar Elementary caters to the psychological and developmental needs of a child in this age group. The child in this age explodes into thinking big thoughts, asking big questions, working out issues of ethics and justice. Al Qamar provides the platform for children to explore all sorts of concepts from the Big Bang theory, the history of writing, the structure of the animal kingdom, the foundations of mathematics and language while enabling them to work out interpersonal relationships, set goals, learn to work independently.

Children plan their own academic work within the boundaries of the Elementary curriculum. They structure their time, track their work, are responsible for the final quality and timeliness of their deliverable - thereby learning life skills necessary in adult life.

Children are not burdened by homework, rote learning or tests. However, each child daily spends time reading books - fiction or non fiction. All work in the classroom is done independently by the child, or a group of children, with the teacher playing the role of a facilitator.

However, all children are expected to spend time reading daily at home. This is their homework. Upper Elementary students are expected to read The Hindu In School newspaper daily in addition to book reading.

Elementary @ Al Qamar covers Grades 2-6. Grades 2,3 are a part of Lower Elementary & Grades 4,5,6 are Upper Elementary.