Philosophy

The Montessori Method of education gives your child an appropriate environment to learn, develop and grow.  In the early 1900s, Dr. Maria Montessori observed children for years, ultimately creating materials, an environment and teacher training tools to give children what they needed to be a joyful and successful learner.

The main goal of ‘The Method’ is to instill confidence, independence and an understating of how to learn.  A child in this environment will soon realize that he or she can learn anything he puts his mind to. They just need the opportunity to practice and master the skill.

When you visit a Montessori classroom, you will see children of different ages working together.  This is very important since children learn best when teaching their peers or observing others.  Whether you are viewing a toddler, primary or elementary class, you will see that teachers always put different ages together.  This allows children to work with their own peers while learning directly or indirectly from those around them.

For example, in the primary classroom, a 3 year-old will be busy at work and overhear a 4 year -old sounding out a word as she learns to read.  A 4 year-old will get help from a 5 year-old on an addition problem.  5 year-olds work together while also giving lessons to the younger children in areas that they’ve mastered.  These children create a calm, working community where they learn to rely on each other.  As each child discovers their strengths and roles within this community, they develop confidence and security that they belong and are important.

Another important aspect of the Montessori classroom is experiencing freedom…with limits.  Instead of directly telling a child how to do something, we allow them to discover and master their skills.

A Montessori teacher gives lessons to every child individually, based on their skill level and abilities.   She has to find the right moment to present the child with a piece of work.  If she presents work too early, the child may become frustrated and not pursue the material.  If she waits too late to present the material, it will be too easy and the child may not recognize his or her potential through practice.  Instead, the teacher gives a lesson on each material at just the right moment so that the child sees some success immediately but recognizes there is still a lot of practice to be done.

We want your child to have a personal motivation to practice his or her work again and again--giving him some success ensures his repetition until he masters the material.  Once material is mastered, the child will remember it forever as it was something he physically achieved instead of simply being told.  When asked who taught him the work, we hope his reply is: “No one!  I taught myself!”

This is certainly true: the child is the active learner.  He is the one who will open doors through practice and mastery.  This process cannot happen without the freedom to choose work and practice as long as is needed to master something.  When you observe a Montessori classroom you will see children choosing to do their own work, dependent on their skill level and interest.  Whether you visit a toddler, primary or elementary environment, the children are free to explore and discover with continual guidance by the adult.

In the primary environment, the Montessori Method challenges the child even more.  The child needs to receive a lesson from their teacher before being allowed to work on materials.  In this way, the child will use the material appropriately to fully grasp the intelligent purpose in every area.

Younger children start in the area of practical life where they learn to care for themselves and their environment.  From learning to get dressed, clean up a spill or arrange flowers in a vase, the child is beautifying and caring for everything around him.  And in doing so he or she is confident, secure and happily independent from relying on others to fix his ‘mistakes.’

Soon, children are ready for another area of the classroom method: sensorial.

This area helps students refine their senses and small motor skills.  He or she is solidifying his concentration with these complex materials.  In both the practical life and sensorial areas, the child is understanding that all-important concept in education: how to learn.

In everything he or she does, the child makes mistakes but also has success.  Every time he spills water while pouring, he also sees how much water made it into his cup.  It is this success that drives the child to practice again and again.  For every material mastered, the child recognizes subconsciously that he achieved each goal through practice.  This concept is so important as he or she dives into the other areas of the classroom.

It is difficult to learn to read and write.  It is also difficult to learn how to add and subtract.  Or, learning the names of all of the countries in South America. But the Montessori child has absolute confidence in learning and mastering these concepts because he or she now knows how to learn.

The child relishes the challenge and enjoys practicing again and again.  Throughout the rest of his or her time in the primary classroom, whether he is learning a math concept, learning to read, or figuring out a scientific concept, your child will become an active learner, engaged in fulfilling his or her desire for independence and knowledge.

Maria Montessori was born in Chiaravalle, Italy in 1870.  She was the first female physician in Italy upon her graduation from medical school in 1896.  In 1906, Dr. Montessori gave up both her university chair and her medical practice to work with sixty children in the San Lorenzo district of Rome. This became the first Casa dei Bambini, or ‘Children's House.’ This is where she developed the Montessori Method of education, based upon her scientific observations of these children's ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings, as well as their tireless interest in manipulating their environment.  Every piece of equipment, every exercise, every method Dr. Montessori developed was based on what she observed children to do naturally by themselves, unassisted by adults.

Montessori children are given the trust and respect to make their own choices and judgments.  They are given a space to explore their interests at the pace they are comfortable with. This leads to children who have a great self-awareness, high self-esteem and a love of learning and challenges.

Even with only three years of experience, Montessori children grow into confident, capable adults who love to explore and think ‘outside of the box.’  We truly feel that children are capable of amazing things at a younger age than most people consider.  We nurture your child’s Inner Teacher and allow them the space and time to explore and discover their wonderful abilities.  View our Kindergarten standards vs. public school standards here and see the Montessori difference.

The word “Montessori” is not copyrighted, which means anyone can say they are a Montessori school.  But after careful observations of children for years, Dr. Montessori created certain standards for each environment especially created for children.  Most of these standards actually resonate with any age group you are observing.  For example, all Montessori classrooms should have:

• Mixed age groups
  • Toddler: 18 months-36 months
  • Primary: 3-6 years
  • Elementary: 6-12 years (or 6-9 and 9-12)
  • Adolescence: 12-14 years
  • High School: 14-18 years
• An uninterrupted work period
  • Toddler: 2 hours in the morning
  • Primary: 3 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon for 4-6 year olds
  • Elementary: prolonged work periods in the morning and afternoon
• A Montessori trained head teacher with an assistant in every classroom
• AMI approved materials for each level
• Real, beautiful and clean materials to attract the children
• Intelligent materials to engage the mind and the hands of the child
• Classrooms that are organized, clean and attractive
• Joyful and engaged children with periods of concentration