2199 Regency Terrace, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 1H2, Canada
215-2678 West Broadway, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6K 2G3, CanadaIndirect Support:
2199 Regency Terrace, Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 1H2, Canada
215-2678 West Broadway, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6K 2G3, Canada
5,530.9 km
7,663.2 km
1983
2016
200
128
Nursery/Toddler to 8
K to 9
Coed
Coed
Day
Day
English, French
English
Academic
Academic
Montessori
Progressive
Varies
16
Learning, Developmental, Behavioral
In-class adaptations
In-class adaptations
$4,620 to $19,495
$25,092 to $32,607
Yes
No
0%
0%
1 to 8
None
$0
$0
15
13
0%
0%
99%
50%
Nursery/Toddler, Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
information not available
information not available
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades Nursery/Toddler - 8
Yes: grades K - 9
No
No
information not available
information not available
Every school is unique, and BHMS is a particularly good example of that. It’s a Montessori program, and a faith-based school, though in both of those areas it charts its own unique approach. The school rightly prizes the relationship it has with the families that enroll, bringing them into the life of the school. Parents are drawn by the values that inform the delivery of the curriculum, as well as a focus on empathy and an appreciation of diversity within the school and beyond. While a smaller school, BHMS nevertheless offers a good breadth of extracurricular activities, which is also a principal draw.
View full reportPear Tree is young, and has all the attributes of youth: energetic, engaging, fun. The day program grew out of the Pear Tree education programs, and launched in 2016. So, it’s fresh, and indeed that’s an attraction. The feel is a great one, and that’s not to be underestimated—creating the right environment, the right feel, is important. With Pear Tree, it’s that vibrant feel that creates the first impression. The program is the definition of progressive, with small classes, hands-on instruction, and built around links across areas of the curriculum. Students are required to work collaboratively, solving problems together, and to engage creatively with each other and with technology. Activity is important, as is nutrition, which is just as it should be. The ideal learner is one who will thrive in an active, creative, small-group oriented environment.
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"incredible memories"
Danilla Xing - Alumnus (Oct 20, 2017)
When I think back to my time at Bishop Hamilton Montessori School I have nothing but incredible memo... View full review
"a chance to grow at her own speed"
Marie Bordeleau - Parent (Jan 24, 2018)
Our daughter loves BHMS. She is challenged and engaged by the lessons and the activities, and inter... View full review
"able to follow my own interests and passions"
Silvie Cheng - Alumnus (Jan 24, 2018)
What stands out most from my time at BHMS was how freely I was able to follow my own interests and p... View full review
"...our son is able to allow his curiosity to lead his learning whilst being encouraged, challenged and supported not only by his teachers but also by his peers."
Katherine Corden - Parent (May 03, 2021)
We always go back to our son's feedback after his first few weeks at Pear Tree Elementary - 'This sc... View full review
"I'm blown away by the amount of thought and preparation that goes into each of the learning activities."
Elizabeth Dunn - Parent (May 03, 2021)
Our energetic 8 year-old son loves Pear Tree because of the active learning activities, centered aro... View full review
"We’ve created our own parent social committee at Pear Tree, and I’ve seen the school support us at every step."
Gabriela Passano - Parent (May 26, 2025)
We’ve found Pear Tree to be a great choice for our son. The level of personalization achieved with... View full review
"Bishop Hamilton Montessori School, a not-for-profit school, provides a Christian Montessori approach since 1983 with programs for children 3 months to 14 years. Our success is built around our commitment to the academic, spiritual, physical and social growth of each student, which is the foundation of our educational approach. The breadth of our programs include enriched French, Science and Music. BHMS develops students with 21st century skills, to live in the real world."
"Your child won't just study subjects at Pear Tree School — they'll learn through real-world themes that connect math, science, writing, and more into one hands-on experience. That's The Pear Tree Method: a proprietary K–9 curriculum, fully mapped to BC Ministry standards, running in Vancouver since 2016. Students leave with more than grades. They leave with curated portfolios, verified skills, and proof of what they can do. BC-certified. Independently inspected. Kitsilano, Vancouver."
"Montessori is child-centred form of education that helps students cultivate a love for learning. The Montessori Method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. She believed children learn better when they get to choose what to learn. Here at Bishop Hamilton Montessori School, her philosophy is alive and well.
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School is a CCMA accredited, not-for-profit independent school. We are an authentic Montessori school offering a Christian component . Since 1983, we have provided a high-quality education to generations of children in the Ottawa area."
"Most schools organize learning by subject. At Pear Tree, subjects organize around themes.
Math, science, writing, and social studies connect inside one real-world project. Students don't switch gears between periods — they go deeper into the same problem from different angles. That's The Pear Tree Method: a proprietary K–9 curriculum with 74 designed themes, every one mapped to BC Ministry standards.
Every teacher holds a Master's degree. Classes cap at 16 students. And students don't just complete the curriculum — they build portfolios documenting what they've actually learned. By graduation they have verified skills and a record of real work, not just a report card."
Information not available
"Choosing Pear Tree School means choosing a fundamentally different model. Here's what that costs — and what it buys.
We trade isolated subjects for integrated themes. Your child won't have a math period and a writing period. They'll have a theme — and math, writing, and science will serve it. Some parents find this unfamiliar at first. Students find it impossible to forget.
We trade test scores for portfolio evidence. Assessment is built on what students produce and can defend, not timed performance.
Report cards look different here. What graduates take with them looks different too.
We trade survey coverage for genuine depth. Every theme goes deep. We don't race through content to tick boxes.
If you want a school that feels familiar from the outside, Pear Tree may not be the right fit.
If you want one your child will still be talking about at 25, book a tour."
"In January 1983 Bishop Hamilton School opens a not for profit Christian school with 6 Casa students. The school is named after the first Anglican bishop of Ottawa, the Right Reverend Charles Hamilton. In 1997 BHS celebrates 15 years, with over 230 students, toddler to grade 8.
In 2005 founder and Principal, Elaine Hopkins retires & Alison Goss is the School Director. In 2008 BHMS celebrates 25 years and the school became Bishop Hamilton Montessori School. In 2010 Renette Sasouni becomes the School Director. In 2015 BHMS opens an Infant program. In 2023, BHMS celebrates 40 years!"
"SCHOOL YEAR:
2011/12 - Founding of Pear Tree Education (main organization)
2016/17 - Founding of Pear Tree School (K-7)
2020/21 - Expansion of Pear Tree School
2025/26 - Launch of Middle School Annex (expansion to grades 8-9)"
"Bishop Hamilton Montessori School prepares students to live in the real world. Our students become leaders, lifelong learners, and independent thinkers who have a social conscious and a secure relationship with God. These qualities are possible due to our strong partnership with parents. Families who get the most out of their time in our school are families who share the same values."
"Pear Tree School is the right fit for kids who want to know why — not just what. Students who thrive here are the ones who get absorbed in a problem, make connections across subjects, and want to show what they've built.
It's not the right school for every family. If your priority is a conventional report card and a familiar school structure, we're probably not your best match. We'll tell you that upfront.
The families who love Pear Tree tend to share one belief: that a child who can think across subjects, work with others, and defend their ideas is better prepared for adult life than one who memorised the right answers.
They want proof their child is learning — not just grades that say so.
If that sounds like you, the next step is a tour. Come see a theme in action."
Information not available
"Pear Tree School isn't the right fit for every family — and we'd rather tell you that upfront than waste your time.
If you want a school where success is measured by test scores and class rank, this isn't it. We don't run that race.
If you want a familiar structure — separate subjects, traditional homework, conventional report cards — Pear Tree will feel different in ways that may not suit you.
If your priority is brand-name prestige or a school that markets itself as an Ivy League pipeline, we're not that school either.
What we are: a school where your child builds real things, connects ideas across subjects, and graduates with a portfolio of verified work.
If that's not what you're looking for, we genuinely respect that — and we'll tell you so on your first call."
"A high percentage of our new families come to us through word of mouth! We appeal to parents who know they want Montessori and want a Christian presence for their children."
"Families who choose Pear Tree School usually say the same thing after their tour: "I've never seen kids talk about their work like that."
That's The Pear Tree Method in action. Subjects don't exist in isolation here — they connect inside real-world themes. A child studying urban planning isn't just doing geography. They're doing math, writing, research, and design at the same time.
Every teacher holds a Master's degree. Classes stay at 16 students. And every child graduates with a curated portfolio — documented proof of what they've learned, not just a grade that says so.
Families also choose us because we're honest about fit. We don't take every applicant. That selectivity protects the culture that makes the method work."
"New families come to us through word of mouth! We are known for our strong Montessori, Christian programming."
"Pear Tree School is known in Vancouver as the school where subjects connect.
Parents who've toured describe it as unlike anything they expected — kids who can explain their work, classrooms built around projects rather than periods, and teachers who know every student by name.
In the broader education community, Pear Tree is recognised for The Pear Tree Method: a proprietary K–9 curriculum with 74 designed themes, fully mapped to BC Ministry standards. It's an approach built from the ground up — not borrowed from another model.
The reputation that matters most: graduates who can think across subjects, defend their ideas, and show what they've built."
Information not available
"Parents often notice the themes. What they underestimate is the architecture behind them.
Every theme at Pear Tree is built from a proprietary curriculum document that maps each project to specific BC Ministry learning outcomes. This isn't creative teaching that hopes to cover the standards. It's a designed system where the creativity and the rigour are the same thing.
74 of these themes run across K–9. Every one has been built, tested, and refined. That's not something a good teacher improvises. It's what makes The Pear Tree Method a method — not just a philosophy."
Information not available
"Most parents arrive expecting an alternative school. They leave surprised by just how rigorous Pear Tree is.
The themes look creative from the outside. Inside, students are doing real math, writing research reports, building physical models, and presenting their work to adults who ask hard questions. The bar is high. Kids rise to meet it — because the work is worth doing.
The other thing that surprises families: how much their child talks about school at home. Not about what happened socially — about what they're building, what they figured out, what comes next."
Information not available
"Grade 8–9 launch: Pear Tree expanded to secondary in 2025/26, with a dedicated suite at our Kitsilano campus. Grade 9 follows in September 2026.
Standardised systems: We've built and implemented school-wide checklists, processes, and curriculum documentation to ensure The Pear Tree Method delivers consistently across every class and grade — not just in the hands of exceptional individual teachers.
Teacher recruitment: Our hiring and pre-service training process has been significantly strengthened. Every teacher holds a Master's degree and is trained in the method before entering a classroom.
Parent communication: Mid-term report cards and expanded parent workshops now give families more visibility into their child's progress throughout the year."
Information not available
"Pear Tree School is mid-expansion — and the roadmap is concrete.
Grade 9 launches September 2026, completing our middle school offering. Grades 10, 11, and 12 follow in consecutive years, making Pear Tree a full K–12 school by 2029. Every high school grade will run The Pear Tree Method to completion — culminating in curated portfolios, work placements, employer references, and recorded defense presentations.
Beyond the high school build-out: additional K–7 campuses across Vancouver are in planning, and a dedicated secondary facility is part of the long-term vision.
Families enrolling now are joining a school at an inflection point — established enough to be proven, growing fast enough that their child will help define what it becomes."
Since opening our doors in 1983, the National Capital Region has come to recognize Bishop Hamilton Montessori School as a leader in education beginning at 3 months of age and continuing through to grade eight.
As School Director, I am proud of our student-body and the BHMS community at large. The school community has created an environment that strives for excellence not only within the classroom but also when looking outwards to the world around them. BHMS students and graduates come to appreciate the vast and diverse world around them through studying different cultures and through participating in charities both locally and internationally.
The value of learning Christian principles and charity in the context of a multicultural and religiously diverse student body prepares students to partake fully in the Canadian cultural mosaic. By stressing the importance and interconnectedness of people around the world, students also learn about the interconnectedness of the subjects that they study, thus fortifying BHMS’s academic excellence. Through this model, students aspire to become well-rounded citizens from an early age; this aspiration serves to motivate students to develop a passion and hunger for knowledge that they will carry with them through life.
Selecting a school that focuses on your child’s academic, social and spiritual growth is one of the most important decisions that you will make. Bishop Hamilton Montessori School looks forward to partnering with you every step of the way.
Together we can unlock your child’s potential.
A 'good school' isn't good enough.
The traditional model places students in rows, switches subjects every 45 minutes, and measures success with a test score. Math is math. Science is science. They never meet. Students learn to perform knowledge, not apply it.
That's not how learning actually works.
At Pear Tree School, subjects connect inside real-world themes. A student studying urban planning is doing math, writing, science, and social studies — at the same time, in the same project. The work is real. The challenge is genuine. The result is a child who can think across disciplines and show what they've built.
That's The Pear Tree Method. It's been running in Vancouver since 2016. It's Ministry-certified, Master's-taught, and designed from the ground up — not borrowed from another model.
I invite you to come and see it in action. Not a staged demonstration. A real school day.
Alexis Birner, Principal
Progressive
Information not available
Particularly popular in the younger grades (preschool to elementary), but sometimes available all the way up to high school, Montessori schools offer an alternative vision to the standard lesson format of most classrooms. Instead of listening to whole-class lessons, Montessori classrooms allow students to choose which "tasks" or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles - their essential feature being they contain a right answer and allow for selfcorrection. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on lessons being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with students developing a sense of self-sufficiency, confidence and curiosity.
Progressive (sometimes called "in- quiry-based") curricula attempt to place children's interests and ideas at the heart of the learning experience. Instead of lessons being driven by predetermined pathways, progressive curricula are often "emergent", with learning activities shaped by students' questions about the world. Instead of starting with academic concepts and then tying it to everyday experience, progressive methods begin with everyday experience and work back to an academic lesson. Teachers provide materials, experiences, tools and resources to help students investigate a topic or issue. Students are encouraged to explore, reflect on their findings, and discuss answers or solutions.
Not applicable
BHMS offers a Christian based Montessori education in a safe community where infants to young adolescents are encouraged to reach their full developmental potential.
At Pear Tree School, the curriculum is built around themes — not subjects. Math, science, writing, and social studies connect inside one real-world project. Students don't switch gears between periods; they go deeper into the same problem from different angles. This is The Pear Tree Method: a proprietary K–9 curriculum with 74 designed themes, every one mapped to BC Ministry learning standards. It's not creative teaching that hopes to cover the outcomes. The creativity and the rigour are the same thing. Every teacher holds a Master's degree. Classes cap at 16 students. Physical education runs one hour daily — including martial arts, swimming, yoga, and ice skating. A hot lunch program prepared by a Red Seal chef runs five days a week. Students graduate with curated portfolios documenting what they've actually built — not just a report card that says they were there.
Equal Balance
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
The math materials, like all other classroom materials, focus first on the concrete and then move toward abstraction. Students first focus on the numbers one to ten, mastering quantity, then the symbol and finally associating the two. A complete comprehension of this first stage is essential as it lays a solid foundation for future work in the decimal system. Students are exposed to the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division before they leave the Casa program. There are five strands in the Ontario Grade 7 & 8 Curriculum. Our program meets and exceeds the requirements for both levels, not only by incorporating material from grade 9, but also by requiring students to conduct higher order thinking in math seminar and math projects.
Math at Pear Tree School is a skills-based subject — but skills only stick when they mean something. So math lives inside themes. Students calculate real quantities, analyse real data, and apply financial literacy to real scenarios — not textbook problems invented to practise a method. We use an equal balance of traditional and discovery approaches. Students learn procedures and algorithms, and they understand why those procedures work — because they've already encountered the problem the procedure solves.
No textbooks. All math is taught in context, which means the numbers are real and the challenge is genuine.
Calculators are used as tools, not shortcuts — students are expected to know whether the output makes sense before they accept it.
Balanced Literacy
Systematic-phonics programs teach young children to read by helping them to recognize and sound out the letters and syllables of words. Students are then led to blend these sounds together to sound out and recognize the whole word. While other reading programs might touch on phonetics (either incidentally or on a “when needed” basis), systematic phonics teaches phonics in a specific sequence, and uses extensive repetition and direct instruction to help readers associate specific letter patterns with their associated sounds.
Balanced reading programs are typically Whole Language programs with supplementary phonics training. This training might be incidental, or it might take the form of mini-lessons.
In the language portion of the curriculum Casa students begin by identifying sounds and later associating them with letters. Later, students apply this knowledge to phonics and reading. In the Montessori system students first learn to write and then to read.
Reading at Pear Tree School is built into every theme. Students don't read to practise reading — they read because the theme demands it. Every theme draws on both fiction and non-fiction texts. Students encounter technical vocabulary specific to what they're studying, which pushes their reading range well beyond high-frequency word lists. Phonics instruction is explicit and systematic in the early grades. As students develop fluency, the focus shifts to comprehension, inference, and reading for meaning across subject areas.
DIBELS Testing: This school periodically uses DIBELS testing to assess reading progress.
Formal reading assessments run at the start of every term to track progress and identify gaps early.
Equal balance
Programs that balance systematic and process approaches equally likely have an emphasis on giving young students ample opportunities to write, while providing supplementary class-wide instruction in grammar, parts of sentences, and various writing strategies.
Programs that balance systematic and process approaches equally likely have an emphasis on giving young students ample opportunities to write, while providing supplementary class-wide instruction in grammar, parts of sentences, and various writing strategies.
Information not available
Writing at Pear Tree School always has an audience and a purpose. Students write research reports, explanations, narratives, and proposals — because the theme requires it, not because writing was scheduled for Tuesday. Grammar and sentence construction are taught explicitly, then applied immediately inside real writing tasks. Students draft, receive feedback, and revise. The standard is what the work requires — not what's typical for the grade. Because writing is embedded in themes, students write across subject areas every week. A student studying urban planning writes a proposal. A student studying ecosystems writes a field report. By the time they reach middle school, writing is a tool they reach for — not a subject they endure.
Inquiry
Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.
Inquiry-based science emphasizes teaching science as a way of thinking or practice, and therefore tries to get students “doing” science as much as possible -- and not just “learning” it. Students still learn foundational scientific ideas and content (and build on this knowledge progressively); however, relative to expository science instruction, inquiry-based programs have students spend more time developing and executing their own experiments (empirical and theoretical). Students are frequently challenged to develop critical and scientific-thinking skills by developing their own well-reasoned hypothesis and finding ways to test those hypotheses. Projects and experiments are emphasized over textbook learning. Skills are emphasized over breadth of knowledge.
Science is an integral part of the Montessori classroom curriculum from Casa through Junior High. As students join the Senior Elementary classroom they are introduced to an enriched science program conducted by the science specialist in a carefully designed student-friendly laboratory. In this environment students conduct a variety of experiments, learning about such topics as biology, physics, optics, anatomy, astronomy, genetics, and aerodynamics. This hands-on approach to learning what is often only taught through textbooks instills in students a passion for exploration and discovery. Since research at BHMS is not limited by age, only by imagination, students are able to conduct independent research on topics of personal interest. They then present their conclusions in local and regional science fairs where BHMS consistently rates among the top schools in the region.
Science at Pear Tree is something students do, not something they're told about. Every theme that touches science involves hands-on investigation — forming hypotheses, running experiments, and drawing conclusions from real results. Science topics are woven into themes rather than taught as a standalone subject. A theme on ecosystems means students are doing biology and ecology. A theme on structures means physics. Cooking and food science run throughout the school — and at the senior grades, this extends into molecular gastronomy. At least half of Pear Tree's 74 curriculum themes draw directly from science topics. By the time students reach middle school, they've worked across biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, meteorology, physics, physiology, and zoology — not as separate units, but as connected ideas inside real projects.
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Zoology
Equal Balance
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
Information not available
At Pear Tree School, literature is chosen to serve the theme — not the other way around. Students read fiction and non-fiction, picture books and novels, poetry and primary sources. The selection is driven by what the theme demands and what will genuinely challenge the reader. Critical literacy is built into every text. Students don't just decode what a text says — they examine why it was written, who it serves, and what it assumes. This develops the kind of reading that transfers across subjects and into adult life. Literature spans Canadian, American, European, World, English, and Ancient texts across the grades — giving students a broad range of voices and contexts without sacrificing depth.
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Expanding Communities
Usually focused on teaching history and geography at an early age, the core knowledge approach uses story, drama, reading, and discussion to teach about significant people, places, and events. Breadth of content and knowledge is emphasized. The curriculum is often organized according to the underlying logic of the content: history might be taught sequentially, for example (as students move through the grades).
The Expanding Communities approach organizes the curriculum around students’ present, everyday experience. In the younger grades, students might learn about themselves, for example. As they move through the grades, the focus gradually broadens in scope: to the family, neighbourhood, city, province, country, and globe. The curriculum tends to have less focus on history than Core Knowledge programs.
Throughout the elementary program students are exposed with increasing detail to the Great Stories: Creation of the Universe, Timeline of Life, Timeline of Humans, The Story of Numbers and The Story of Language. Montessori lessons address reading, writing, mathematics, geometry, physics, chemistry, biology, economics, history, art, geology and geography. The Montessori concepts and skills development are an enriched program with a lot of scope.
Social studies at Pear Tree School follows the BC curriculum's expanding communities structure — starting with the student's immediate world and broadening outward through the grades. But the themes make it concrete in ways a standard curriculum rarely does. A K–1 student studying community isn't reading about neighbourhoods in a textbook. They're building one — mapping it, researching it, presenting what they found. By middle school, students are examining global systems, historical events, and civic structures through the lens of themes that connect geography, history, and current events into one coherent project. Social studies at PT is never studied in isolation. It connects to math, writing, and science inside every theme — which means students understand the world as an interconnected system, not a series of separate subjects on a timetable.
Pragmatism
Pragmatism in the humanities and social sciences emphasizes making learning relevant to students’ present-day experience. Assignments tend to centre around projects and tasks rather than argumentative essays; these projects will often have a “real-world” application or relevance. There might be more of a social justice component to a pragmatic program, though that isn’t always the case. Subjects like history and philosophy are still covered/offered, but they play a less prominent role in the overall program than in the case of perennialism. The social sciences (contemporary geography, sociology, psychology, etc), meanwhile, might play a more prominent role in pragmatic programs. The key goals are to make learning progressive and relevant, while teaching students real-life skills and critical thinking.
Pragmatism in the humanities and social sciences emphasizes making learning relevant to students’ present-day experience. Assignments tend to centre around projects and tasks rather than argumentative essays; these projects will often have a “real-world” application or relevance. There might be more of a social justice component to a pragmatic program, though that isn’t always the case. Subjects like history and philosophy are still covered/offered, but they play a less prominent role in the overall program than in the case of perennialism. The social sciences (contemporary geography, sociology, psychology, etc), meanwhile, might play a more prominent role in pragmatic programs. The key goals are to make learning progressive and relevant, while teaching students real-life skills and critical thinking.
BHMS offers an adolescent program within the context of the regular Montessori school, providing a supportive learning environment specially tailored to meet the needs of adolescents. Happy and healthy teenage experiences are essential for developing the coping skills and knowledge for successful adulthood. To this end, the integrated program of study for the BHMS Junior High follows Dr. Montessori’s Educational Syllabus for the adolescent: Self Expression: Music, Writing Workshops & Language Arts, Art, Physical Education Psychic Development: Moral Education, Mathematics, Languages (French) Preparation for Adult Life: Study of the Earth & Living Things (Physical Geography, Biology, Anatomy, Astronomy) Study of Human Progress & the Development of Civilization (Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Genetics, History of Science & Technology) Study of History of Humanity (History of Exploration & Settlement, Political Geography, Environmental Studies, Religion, Peace & Conflict Studies, Law & Government, Literature/ Novel Study, National history & Current Events).
At Grades 7 and up, humanities and social sciences at Pear Tree School become the framework through which students understand how the world works — historically, economically, geographically, and politically. Themes at this level connect these disciplines into one coherent project rather than separate courses. Students don't write essays about history to demonstrate recall. They research, argue, and present — because the theme requires a position, not just a summary. Critical thinking and real-world application are the standard, not enrichment extras. The BC curriculum provides the outcomes. The Pear Tree Method provides the context that makes those outcomes stick.
Communicative
These programs feature an equal blend of the audio-lingual and communicative styles of language instruction.
The communicative method of language acquisition emphasizes the use of the target language in authentic contexts. The approach commonly features interactive group work, games, authentic texts, and opportunities to learn about the cultural background of the language. Drills and quizzes may still be used, but less frequently than with the audio-lingual method.
The study of French is of utmost importance at Bishop Hamilton Montessori School where students begin their daily language study while still in the Casa program. As students progress through the levels their mastery of the language intensifies as does their understanding of Francophone culture and literature. Harnessing Ottawa’s geographic location and bilingual nature the French program conducts field-trips, culminating in annual trips to visit nearby Francophone cities of Montreal and Quebec in grades six through eight. Students graduating from grade eight of the Junior High program have successfully completed the French immersion language curriculum that is introduced at grade 10 in the public immersion system. By moulding students’ linguistic capabilities from such a tender age, and in small-group settings, they are able to become fully assimilated into the bilingual mosaic of Canada’s National Capital Region.
French instruction begins in Grade 2 and runs through the school. Language is taught as a cultural construct, not a grammatical one — students learn French in context, through authentic texts, conversation, and cultural study. The goal is functional communication and cultural fluency, not textbook conjugation. Students who understand why a language works the way it does retain it. Students who memorise verb tables don't.
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Information not available
Creative
These programs have an equal emphasis on receptive and creative learning.
Creative arts programs are studio-driven. While historical works and movements may still be taught to add context to the program, students mainly engage in making art (visual, musical, theatrical, etc). The goal is use the actual practice of art to help educate students’ emotions, cognition, and ethos.
Beginning in the Casa level and beyond, students meet with the Music Specialist where they are introduced gradually to music theory and expression. In grade 4 students begin exploring different musical instruments and, later, are integrated into the school band. Additionally, vocal skills are honed and refined through learning and performing choral music. The BHMS passion for music and performance is evidenced through annual concerts that bring together students of all ages, as well as the staging of some popular musicals, complete with set design, costuming, and theatrics, all developed by the students. Creative expression is an important outlet for students. The Art curriculum aims to inspire students to express feelings, ideas, and issues using a variety of medians such as: two and three dimensional forms and Multimedia Art. Students learn to apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas and understanding of Socio-cultural and Historical Contexts.
Fine arts at Pear Tree School are woven into themes rather than scheduled as a separate subject. Students make art because the theme calls for it — a visual presentation, a performance, a designed object. This means art always has an audience and a purpose. Specialist instructors support classroom teachers across acting, dance, drama, graphic design, music, and visual arts. The goal is students who use creative skills as tools — not students who perform creativity on cue and forget it the moment the class ends.
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Medium integration
Computers are used in the classroom from time to time, but integrating technology into everything students do is not a dominant focus. Digital literacy is understood to be a legitimate skill in the 21st century, but not one that should distract from teaching the subject at hand, or more fundamental skills and literacies. The idea is today’s students, being “digital natives”, are likely exposed to computers and new media enough outside the classroom: the role of the school, rather, should be to develop competencies that may otherwise get missed.
Effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy through the curriculum. However, this is not a dominant focus.
Information not available
Technology at Pear Tree School is a tool, not a subject. Students use it when the theme demands it — for research, design, data analysis, presentation, and creation. The goal is purposeful digital literacy, not screen time for its own sake. In the early grades, technology plays a supporting role. As students move into middle school, it becomes a primary tool for documenting and presenting their work. Computer science, robotics, and web design are offered as the curriculum develops. Pear Tree's Principal holds an Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) designation — a competitive, application-based credential recognising innovative use of technology in education. That expertise informs how technology is integrated across the school.
Web design
Robotics
Computer science
Web design
Robotics
Computer science
Students at BHMS learn from a young age that a healthy mind thrives in a healthy body. Once students reach the third year of Casa they progress to classes lead by the physical education specialist in our gym or outside. These classes, taught three times weekly, teach the importance of exercise as part of a routine, the rules of certain sports and good sportsmanship. Students participate in city-wide sporting events as well as in athletic competitions with other schools. The Junior High Physical and Health Education program, taught in French and English, introduces a variety of sports, games, and outdoor pursuits. We participate in cross-country running, soccer, floor hockey, track and field, as well as, an extensive cycling program. The health curriculum uses the Ontario curriculum documents as a guide.
Physical education at Pear Tree School runs one hour every day — not as a break from learning, but as part of it. Activities include martial arts, swimming, yoga, ice skating, team sports, and solo pursuits across the year. The programme develops physical literacy alongside self-discipline, goal-setting, and resilience. Students learn to push themselves, recover from setbacks, and work with others under pressure — skills that transfer directly into academic work. PE also connects to the curriculum. Physiology, nutrition, psychology, and strategy are studied through sport. A student who understands how their body works performs better in the classroom — and understands why. One hour daily is non-negotiable at Pear Tree. It is not reduced for academic pressure, special events, or scheduling convenience.
Academic
Montessori programs aimed at preschool and Kindergarten- aged children allow young learners to choose which “tasks” or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles -- the essential features of these puzzles being they contain a “right answer” and allow for self-correction. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on learning being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with children developing a sense of self-sufficiency and confidence. Specially trained teachers act as guides, introducing children to progressively more difficult materials when appropriate. A Montessori classroom is typically very calm and orderly, with children working alone or, sometimes, in small groups.
If you want to learn more about Montessori education, check out our comprehensive guide. You can also check out our guide to Montessori preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.
Students progress and learn at their own pace. For this reason fast learners are not held back and slower learners are not frustrated by their inability to keep up. Classrooms consist of mixed ages 3 to 6 and provide a family life setting where learning takes place naturally. This approach recognizes learning as a social process and provides opportunities for older students to mentor the younger ones. The curriculum develops spoken and written language, reading, mathematics, the natural sciences and the arts.
Kindergarten at Pear Tree School is where The Pear Tree Method begins. From day one, children learn through hands-on themes that connect early literacy, numeracy, and discovery into one experience — not separate lessons on separate subjects. Classes cap at 16 students. Every teacher holds a Master's degree. The classroom is structured and purposeful, but the work feels like building, making, and figuring things out — because it is. Children leave K–1 able to read, count, collaborate, and explain their thinking. They also leave with their first portfolio entry — documented proof of what they learned, not just a note that they attended.
Student-paced
The main curriculum pace is non-standardized and is HIGHLY responsive to the pacing of individual students, (via differentiated instruction, differentiated assessment, etc). In theory, some students outpace the default/normalized curriculum, while others spend periods "behind schedule" if they need the extra time.
The main curriculum pace is non-standardized and is HIGHLY responsive to the pacing of individual students, (via differentiated instruction, differentiated assessment, etc). In theory, some students outpace the default/normalized curriculum, while others spend periods "behind schedule" if they need the extra time.
Combined grade classes mean students learn alongside peers at different stages — which raises the floor and stretches the ceiling. A Grade 2 student working at Grade 3 depth isn't an exception here. It's the expected outcome of the method.
Rigorous
A school with a “supportive” academic culture focuses more on process than short-term outcomes: academic performance is a welcomed side-benefit, but not the driving focus. This does not mean the school lacks standards, or has low expectations for its students: a school can have a supportive academic culture and still light the fire of ambition in its students. It does mean, however, the school provides a less intensive culture than schools with a “rigorous” academic classification, and is focused more simply on instilling a love of learning and life-long curiosity.
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
The School works collaboratively with parents teachers and students to foster the development of each child. The outcome of this partnership is our Portrait of a Graduate which consists of following skills and attributes: academically prepared, leader, independent thinker, intrinsically motivated, socially responsible, respecter of all persons, competent learner, confident, creative thinker, collaborative worker, protector the environment, engaged community citizen, secure with their relationship with God. Portrait of a Graduate illustrates the skills and attributes BHMS students can develop when parents and teachers work collaboratively to foster the development of their child’s academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development.
Pear Tree School sets high standards — not through tests and rankings, but through the quality of work students are expected to produce. Every theme has a real outcome: something built, written, researched, or presented to an audience. The bar is what the work requires, not what the grade curve allows. Masters-qualified teachers know the difference between a student who is stuck and one who is coasting. Neither is acceptable. Students are challenged to their actual ceiling — not managed to a comfortable average.
"We intentionally avoid all forms of public distinction between students in terms of academic performance."
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
Spiritual
The goal is to cultivate "individuals with inner resourcefulness, strong faith and respect for God or a higher power."
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
The academic, spiritual, physical and social growth of each student is achieved through two methods: the Christian message of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and the Montessori approach as outlined by the Association Montessori Internationale and the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA).
Pear Tree School aims to graduate students who are intellectually capable, emotionally grounded, physically active, and socially aware — not because we treat these as separate programmes, but because The Pear Tree Method develops all of them through the same work. A student who builds a real project, presents it to an audience, defends their decisions, and iterates based on feedback is developing intellectually, emotionally, and socially at the same time. That's not a philosophy. That's what the method produces. The graduate we're building can think across subjects, work with others, handle challenge, and show what they've learned. That's the whole point.
FORMAL SUPPORT FOR DISORDERS, DISABILITIES, AND EXCEPTIONALITIESA - Forms of SupportAccommodation:
Modification:
Remediation:
B - EnvironmentsIndirect Support:
Resource Assistance:
Withdrawal Assistance:
Partial Integration:
Full-Time Class:
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ADHD (moderate to severe)
This is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Children with ADHD may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses. Or they may have trouble paying attention. These behaviors can interfere with school and home life.
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Dyslexia (Language-Based Learning Disability)
This is a learning disability that can limit a child's ability to read and learn. It can have a variety of traits. A few of the main ones are impaired phonological awareness and decoding, problems with orthographic coding, and auditory short-term memory impairment.
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Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
This is a sound differentiation disorder involving problems with reading, comprehension, and language.
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Dyscalculia
This is a kind of specific learning disability in math. Kids with this math disorder have problems with calculation. They may also have problems with math-related concepts such as time and money.
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Dysgraphia
This is a kind of specific learning disability in writing. It involves problems with handwriting, spelling, and organizing ideas.
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Language Processing Disorder
This is characterized by having extreme difficulty understanding what is heard and expressing what one wants to say. These disorders affect the area of the brain that controls language processing.
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Nonverbal Learning Disorders (NLD)
These involve difficulties interpreting non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language. They're usually characterized by a significant discrepancy between higher verbal skills and weaker motor, visual-spatial, and social skills.
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Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit
A characteristic seen in people with learning disabilities such as Dysgraphia or Non-verbal LD. It can result in missing subtle differences in shapes or printed letters, losing place frequently, struggles with cutting, holding pencil too tightly, or poor eye/hand coordination.
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Autism
Refers to a range of conditions that involve challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and speech and nonverbal communication. They also involve unique strengths and differences. For instance, there are persons with both low- and high-functioning autism (some claim the latter is identical to Asperger's syndrome).
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Asperger's Syndrome
On the autism spectrum, Asperger's is considered quite mild in terms of symptoms. While traits can vary widely, many kids with Asperger's struggle with social skills. They also sometimes fixate on certain subjects and engage in repetitive behaviour.
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Down syndrome
his is associated with impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics.
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Intellectual disability
This is a condition characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning (e.g., reasoning, learning, and problem solving). Intellectual disabilities are also known as general learning disabilities (and used to be referred to as a kind of mental retardation).
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Williams syndrome
This is a rare genetic disorder present at birth. It is characterized by intellectual disabilities or learning problems, unique facial features, and cardiovascular problems.
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy. These may include growth deficits, facial anomalies, and damage to the central nervous system, which can lead to cognitive, behavioural, and other problems.
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Troubled behaviour / troubled teens
roubled teens tend to have problems that are intense, persistent, and can lead to quite unpredictable behaviour. This can lead to behavioural and emotional issues, such as drug and alcohol abuse, criminal behaviour, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.
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Clinical Depression
This is a mental health disorder also called "major depression." It involves persistent feelings of sadness, loss, and anger. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms are usually severe enough to cause noticeable problems in relationships with others or in daily activities, such as school, work, or one's social life.
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Clinical anxiety
This is a mood disorder involving intense, relentless feelings of distress and fear. They can also have excessive and persistent worry about everyday situations, and repeated episodes of intense anxiety or terror.
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Suicidal thoughts
This involves persistent thoughts about ending one's life.
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Drug and alcohol abuse
This involves the excessive use of drug and/or alcohol, which interferes with daily functioning.
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Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
This is a disruptive behavioural disorder which normally involves angry outbursts, often directed at people of authority. This behaviour must last continuously for six months or more and significantly interfere with daily functioning.
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Multiple sclerosis
This is a condition of the central nervous system. It affects the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. Symptoms can include fatigue, loss of motor control, memory loss, depression, and cognitive difficulties.
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Cerebral palsy
his refers to a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood. CP is caused by abnormal development or damage to the parts of the brain that control movement, balance, and posture.
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Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a neuromuscular disorder which weakens the body's muscles. Causes, symptoms, age of onset, and prognosis vary between individuals.
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Spina Bifida
This is a condition present at birth due to the incomplete formation of the spine and spinal cord. It can lead to a number of physical challenges, including paralysis or weakness in the legs, bowel and bladder incontinence, hydrocephalus (too much fluid in the brain), and deformities of the spine.
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Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)
This is a Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Also known as "sensory integration disorder," it affects fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also affect speech.
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Blindness
Visual impairment is a decreased ability or inability to see that can't be fixed in usual ways, such as with glasses. Some people are completely blind, while others have what's called "legal blindness."
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Deafness
Hearing impairment, also known as "hearing loss," is a partial or total inability to hear. The degree of hearing impairment varies between people. It can range from complete hearing loss (or deafness) to partial hearing loss (meaning the ears can pick up some sounds).
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Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited genetic condition, which affects the body's respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. It affects young children and adults.
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Multiple physical
Accommodating a wide range of physical conditions and disabilities.
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Social skills programs
Occupational therapy
Psychotherapy
Speech-language therapy
Social skills programs
Occupational therapy
Psychotherapy
Speech-language therapy
Accommodations
Modifications
Extra support
Accommodations
Modifications
Social skills programs
Occupational therapy
Psychotherapy
Speech-language therapy
Social skills programs
Occupational therapy
Psychotherapy
Speech-language therapy
Information not available
Pear Tree School welcomes a wide range of learners. The method — hands-on, project-based, theme-driven — suits students who think differently, get bored easily, or struggle to engage with traditional instruction. Many of our strongest students arrived from schools where they were underperforming. We provide accommodations and modifications for students with mild clinically diagnosed learning disabilities and ADHD. We do not have in-house specialists for occupational therapy, psychotherapy, or speech-language support — families requiring those services would need to arrange them externally. PT does not receive government special needs funding. Any intensive in-class support beyond standard accommodations would need to be arranged and funded by the family. If you have questions about whether Pear Tree is the right fit for your child's specific needs, contact us before applying. We would rather have an honest conversation early than the wrong outcome later.
Pear Tree School does not have specialist learning support staff and does not qualify for special needs funding. We are transparent about this upfront. What we do offer is a method that naturally accommodates a wide range of learners — small classes of 16, hands-on projects, multiple ways to demonstrate understanding, and teachers who know every student individually. Students who struggle in traditional settings often thrive here precisely because the work is meaningful and varied. That said, students with significant needs in literacy, executive functioning, or collaborative skills may find the method's demands challenging. If a family is considering PT for a child with a clinical diagnosis, we recommend an honest conversation before applying.
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RecreationalRec. |
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Fencing |
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Field Hockey |
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Figure Skating |
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Football |
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Ice Hockey |
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Ice Skating |
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Martial Arts |
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Racquet Ball |
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Rugby |
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Running |
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Sailing |
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Wrestling |
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Archery |
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Ultimate |
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
1 - 8
0%
0%
$0
$0
99%
50%
Nursery/Toddler, Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades Nursery/Toddler - 8
Yes: grades K - 9
No
No
No
No
No
Yes: grades K - 9
No
Yes: grades 5 - 9
No
No
Pear Tree School works best for students who want to know why — not just what. Kids who get absorbed in a problem. Kids who like making things, figuring things out, and showing what they've built. You don't need a "gifted" child. You need a child who can engage. The method demands curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to work with others. Students who arrive expecting to sit quietly and receive information find the adjustment real. The students who thrive here tend to share a few traits: they ask questions, they don't give up easily, and they care about doing good work — not just finished work. They're often the kids who were bored, frustrated, or underestimated elsewhere. Families matter too. PT works best when parents believe that how a child learns is as important as what they learn — and when they're genuinely curious about the method, not just looking for a smaller class size. Our admissions process is designed to surface fit, not just ability. Stage 1 takes three minutes. The assessment and interview that follow tell us what we actually need to know: whether your child and PT are right for each other. We'd rather tell you it's not a fit early than discover it after enrolment.
We admit students throughout the school year if space is available. The admission process at BHMS consists of the following: A School Tour following the initial inquiry, provides parents with an opportunity to visit our school, see our facility, and meet with our staff. The Director of Admissions will provide prospective parents with a Parent Information Package and review its contents. The Information Package contains information about our school and includes: BHMS Program Guide, Parent Handbook, Parent/School Partnership Agreement, Financial Handbook, Application for Enrolment and information about School Uniforms. A meeting with the School Director is held who will address additional parent inquires and determine a mutual fit for the family and BHMS. The decision for acceptance of enrolment to BHMS is made by the School Director. Parents inform BHMS Director of Admissions their intent to enrol and complete the Application for Enrolment. Director of Admissions forwards Enrolment Contract for parent review and coordinates a meeting with parents to finalize enrolment.
Visit our Website for up-to-date information about our Admissions process [link]:
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