Why Montessori?
Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and creator of the Montessori method of education. She pursued the idea that children learned through their senses and believed that they have absorbent minds (the ability of a child to learn unconsciously from their environment) and sensitive periods (periods when a child's interests are focused on developing a particular skill or knowledge area). The Montessori curriculum was created to nurture our children's abilities, so they can grow and develop to their full potential.
Dr. Montessori created a methodology that helps the children improve their learning and academic skills but also helps to develop their social, problem-solving, and logical skills. This education method allows the child to become a better man or woman in the future.
The following information was taken from the American Montessori Society website, and we believe it covers all the main aspects of the benefits of the Montessori philosophy.
Why Choose Montessori for My Child (amshq.org)
All parents hope to find the best educational program for their children. And they recognize the lasting impact that early learning experiences have on a child's development and future learning. What is it about the Montessori philosophy and practice that appeals to parents?
For more than a century, Montessori has been thriving around the globe, and contemporary research validates the effectiveness of the Montessori Method. Several key elements of the approach meet the educational goals today's parents have for their children, including growing into capable people with a strong sense of self, the ability to connect with others, and the potential to be productive throughout their lives. With Montessori, that growth starts early. The early years (birth through age 6) are a critical time to set a strong foundation for who a child will become and their role in the future.
Montessori education develops capable, accountable, knowledgeable students with the strong sense of self they will need to thrive in the real world.
Capable
A Montessori classroom is thoughtfully designed to offer children opportunities to develop their capabilities, whether learning to dress independently, multiply a multi-digit equation, communicate their needs effectively, or problem-solve with others. Each classroom is filled with developmentally appropriate activities that encourage children to interact with specific learning materials and work cooperatively with others.
The classroom is intentionally prepared with only one of each activity. Students are free to choose the activity they wish to work with, so they learn to make choices based on what they are interested in and what is available. While some children naturally choose to work with others, the youngest students often focus on solo activities. As children mature, the curriculum intentionally provides small-group instruction and collaborative activities. Combining independent, partner, small-group, and whole-group lessons and activities introduces children to different learning relationships and interpersonal dynamics—valuable skills for their interactions outside the classroom!
Allowing children to make choices based on internal motivation rather than adult direction sets a strong foundation for developing capable children.
Accountable
In a child-centered classroom where learning activities are presented individually to children, students progress at their own pace. They are given opportunities to practice, review, or move forward based on their interests and capabilities. They take charge of their learning and become accountable for their knowledge.
In a Montessori classroom, teachers assess students daily, using their observations of each child's interactions in the environment and with peers. They use their knowledge of child development and academic outcomes to prepare an environment simultaneously stimulating and academically, physically, socially, and emotionally accessible. They develop an individualized learning plan for each child based on their unique interests and abilities. The teachers provide environments where students have the freedom and the tools to pursue answers to their questions and learn how to seek out new knowledge.
Self-correction and self-assessment are integral parts of the Montessori classroom approach. As they mature, students learn to look critically at their work and become adept at recognizing, correcting, and learning from their errors.
Knowledgeable
The Montessori Method nurtures order, coordination, concentration, and independence in children from the moment they enter the classroom. Classroom design, materials, and daily routines support the student's emerging self-regulation—the ability to educate oneself and to think about what one is learning—from toddlers through adolescents. The sequence of Montessori lessons aligns well, and in many cases exceeds, state learning standards, ensuring that children are introduced to complex learning concepts through hands-on experiences that lead to deep understanding.
The Montessori curriculum is intentionally grouped into 3-year cycles rather than broken out into year-by-year expectations for student learning. This respects that children develop and master academic topics at different speeds and that, in reality, children often work in particular content areas in spurts. The teacher supports the child's growth through all areas of the curriculum to ensure that they are exposed to the full sequence of lessons in each area and to provide support and anew challenge as needed.
Sense of Self
A Montessori class is composed of students whose ages typically span 3 years. Ideally, students stay with the class and teacher for the entire cycle, forging a stable community and meaningful bonds.
It is common to see students of different ages working together. Older students enjoy mentoring their younger classmates—sometimes, the best teacher is someone who has recently mastered the task. Younger students look up to their big "brothers" and "sisters" and get a preview of the alluring work to come.
As children mature in the Montessori classroom over the 3 years, they understand that they are a part of a community where everyone has their individual needs but also contributes to the community. Children exercise independence but are also given opportunities to work with their peers and support others when needed.
Developing independence and pursuing one's interests in the context of a caring community fosters a strong sense of self in each student and encourages pride in one's unique individuality.
Dr. Maria Montessori, the Italian pediatrician and visionary educator who founded the Method, believed that a self-confident, inquisitive, creative child emerges when children are free to choose their learning activities. As it turns out, this approach, which is over 100 years old, is what parents look for today.