Frequently Asked Questions
What is Montessori?
Montessori is a philosophy with the fundamental tenet that a child learns best within a social environment which supports each individual's unique development.
How did it begin?
Dr. Maria Montessori, the creator of what is called "The Montessori Method of Education," based this new education on her scientific observations of young children's behavior. As the first woman physician to graduate from the University of Rome, Montessori became involved with education as a doctor treating children labeled as retarded. Then in 1907 she was invited to open a child care center for the children of desperately poor families in the San Lorenzo slums of Rome. She called it a "A Children's House," and based the program on her observations that young children learn best in a homelike setting, filled with developmentally appropriate materials that provide experiences contributing to the growth of self-motivated, independent learners. Montessori's dynamic theories included such revolutionary premises as:
How is Montessori different from traditional schools?
Groups of children ranging in ages are working on joint projects. Some are more engrossed in their work than others. Some are sitting at tables grouped together, while others work on the floor with multi-colored materials that draw their attention like a game. The teacher's voice is rarely heard above that of the children talking quietly to each other as they work. There is a steady hum of activity throughout the classroom.
Are Montessori classrooms too structured?
Although the teacher is careful to make clear the specific purpose of each material and to present activities in a clear, step-by-step order, the child is free to choose from a vast array of activities and to discover new possibilities.
I have heard that children in Montessori classrooms have no structure at all and are allowed to "do whatever they want." How true is this?
Montessori is based on the principle of free choice of purposeful activity. If a child is being destructive or is using materials in an aimless way, the teacher will intervene and gently re-direct the child either to more appropriate materials or to a more appropriate use of the material. In the elementary classroom, teachers keep a daily log of each student's progress and are able to redirect activities very easily in order to meet curriculum requirements.
What makes Montessori education unique?
Why should you choose a Montessori education for your child?
Between the ages of 2.9 and 6 is when most of your child's intelligence and social characteristics are formed. This is also when your child is most receptive, curious, and excited about exploring the world around him or her. A Montessori classroom nurtures that excitement and curiosity by offering a variety of materials to stimulate and intrigue your child.
The Montessori teacher is trained to recognize when a child is ready to learn a new skill, and to foster his or her natural instincts and abilities. Your child is valued as an independent thinker, and encouraged to make choices on his own. A Montessori education provides students of all ages with information in a way they can understand it and enjoy it - learning is fun, empowering, and custom-fit to suit your child's individual learning style.
What happens when a child leaves Montessori?
Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they've been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem-solvers who can make choices and manage their time well. They have also been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others, and good communication skills ease the way in new settings. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop good self-images and the confidence to face challenges and change with optimism.
Montessori is a philosophy with the fundamental tenet that a child learns best within a social environment which supports each individual's unique development.
How did it begin?
Dr. Maria Montessori, the creator of what is called "The Montessori Method of Education," based this new education on her scientific observations of young children's behavior. As the first woman physician to graduate from the University of Rome, Montessori became involved with education as a doctor treating children labeled as retarded. Then in 1907 she was invited to open a child care center for the children of desperately poor families in the San Lorenzo slums of Rome. She called it a "A Children's House," and based the program on her observations that young children learn best in a homelike setting, filled with developmentally appropriate materials that provide experiences contributing to the growth of self-motivated, independent learners. Montessori's dynamic theories included such revolutionary premises as:
- Children are to be respected as different from adults and as individuals who are different from one another.
- Children create themselves through purposeful activity.
- The most important years for learning are from birth to age six.
- Children possess unusual sensitivity and mental powers for absorbing and learning from their environment, which includes people as well as materials.
How is Montessori different from traditional schools?
Groups of children ranging in ages are working on joint projects. Some are more engrossed in their work than others. Some are sitting at tables grouped together, while others work on the floor with multi-colored materials that draw their attention like a game. The teacher's voice is rarely heard above that of the children talking quietly to each other as they work. There is a steady hum of activity throughout the classroom.
Are Montessori classrooms too structured?
Although the teacher is careful to make clear the specific purpose of each material and to present activities in a clear, step-by-step order, the child is free to choose from a vast array of activities and to discover new possibilities.
I have heard that children in Montessori classrooms have no structure at all and are allowed to "do whatever they want." How true is this?
Montessori is based on the principle of free choice of purposeful activity. If a child is being destructive or is using materials in an aimless way, the teacher will intervene and gently re-direct the child either to more appropriate materials or to a more appropriate use of the material. In the elementary classroom, teachers keep a daily log of each student's progress and are able to redirect activities very easily in order to meet curriculum requirements.
What makes Montessori education unique?
- The "whole child" approach. The primary goal of a Montessori program is to help each child reach full potential in all areas of life. Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth, and physical coordination as well as cognitive preparation. The holistic curriculum, under the direction of a specially prepared teacher, allows the child to experience the joy of learning, time to enjoy the process and insure the development of self-esteem, and provides the experiences from which children create their knowledge.
- The "prepared environment." In order for self-directed learning to take place, the whole learning environment - room, materials and social climate - must be supportive of the learner. The teacher provides necessary resources, including opportunities for children to function in a safe and positive climate. The teacher thus gains the children's trust, which enables them to try new things and build self-confidence.
- The Montessori materials. Dr. Montessori's observations of the kinds of things children enjoy and go back to repeatedly led her to design a number of multi-sensory, sequential and self-correcting materials which facilitate the learning of skills and lead to learning of abstract ideas.
- The teacher. Originally called a "Directress," the Montessori teacher functions as designer of the environment, resource person, role model, demonstrator, record-keeper and meticulous observer of each child's behavior and growth.
Why should you choose a Montessori education for your child?
Between the ages of 2.9 and 6 is when most of your child's intelligence and social characteristics are formed. This is also when your child is most receptive, curious, and excited about exploring the world around him or her. A Montessori classroom nurtures that excitement and curiosity by offering a variety of materials to stimulate and intrigue your child.
The Montessori teacher is trained to recognize when a child is ready to learn a new skill, and to foster his or her natural instincts and abilities. Your child is valued as an independent thinker, and encouraged to make choices on his own. A Montessori education provides students of all ages with information in a way they can understand it and enjoy it - learning is fun, empowering, and custom-fit to suit your child's individual learning style.
What happens when a child leaves Montessori?
Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they've been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem-solvers who can make choices and manage their time well. They have also been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others, and good communication skills ease the way in new settings. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop good self-images and the confidence to face challenges and change with optimism.