Why Montessori?

Conventional methods of education were developed specifically to prepare large numbers of children to enter the workforce. Traditionally, little thought has been given to differentiating instruction or catering to the needs of individual children. That has been changing in recent years, but many schools are still in the early years of personalizing education. 

Montessori schools are specifically designed to allow each child to move at their own pace. We know that learning is not linear, and that children are not ready to learn specific skills according to an adult-prepared timeline, or in perfect harmony with their peers. Children who need more support with certain skills receive additional guidance, and those who are ready to move ahead are provided with additional work challenges. Children have the opportunity to dig deeper into work that is of interest to them. We do not teach a whole class of children the same skill at the same time; that may seem more efficient from the perspective of an adult tasked with teaching, but it’s not necessarily what serves children the best. No two people should be expected to grow at the same rate, and it’s our job as educators to meet children where they are and give them the support they need to get where they want to be.

Lots of people use the phrase ‘teaching to the whole child’ but in Montessori schools we mean that on a very deep level. We do not teach just to convey academic information. In fact, academics share equal emphasis with our efforts to develop other aspects of the child, including emotional, social, sensorial, and practical life development. We integrate the arts and movement into everything our children do, rather than isolating these areas of study. We intentionally teach children how to navigate and resolve conflict and how to adhere to grace and courtesy social norms.

Our greatest task is, we believe, to give children a global view of the world. We want them to understand the interconnectedness of all things so that they may be fully integrated members of their greater community as they grow and mature.

Montessori academics are often hailed as having the highest of standards. It is not uncommon to see four-year-olds in our school reading, six-year-olds completing division problems, nine-year-olds classifying botanical specimens, and 12-year-olds presenting their Celebration of Learning thesis to an all-school audience. These tasks are completed joyfully, in part because we present information in such a way that children discover it for themselves rather than passively taking in facts given by an adult.

Another reason Montessori students are seen working at an advanced level is because of the sensitive periods within their development. Through years of observation, Dr. Maria Montessori noticed that young children seemed primed, particularly interested in, and ready to develop certain skills during very specific periods as they age. While there is variation between individual children, she noticed some general patterns that have helped us develop our curriculum. One interesting example is the study of geometry. Many of us were first exposed to the subject during our high school years; however, it turns out that primary- and elementary-aged children are not only interested in geometry, but have a great capacity to learn geometirc concepts. This is why you may hear your five-year-old talking about rectangular prisms, or your seven-year-old discussing the differences between equilateral, isosceles and scalene triangles.

A Montessori school is more than just a school. First and foremost, we are there for our students. And we strongly believe schools have the capacity to be so much more! We aim to make meaningful connections between everyone involved. Some of the ways we do this include:

• Giving our teachers, otherwise known as Montessori guides, opportunities to connect with one another during professional development.
• Encouraging our guides to form connections within the larger Montessori network.
• Making sure parents and teachers have ample time to discuss the child’s growth and needs.
• Providing opportunities for parents to form meaningful relationships with one another.
• Supporting families by offering all-school parent education nights.
• Gathering as a whole school to celebrate the children at concerts, BBQs, and moving-up ceremonies.
• Forming bonds between children at all levels.
• Reaching out to make connections within our local community.

From the very beginning, Maria Montessori saw it as her mission to improve the world through education. She believed that by giving children the honor and respect they deserved, the benefits would trickle through to families, the community, and society in general. She believed in equality of all people, and saw that education has the potential to be a great leveler.

Montessori schools aim for peace. This starts between individuals, and teaching our youngest students how to be kind and gracious toward one another. A great respect for the environment and other living beings is another important aspect of our work, as is a reverence for the wide diversity of cultures around the globe. Combined, these elements are meant to cultivate within the child a respect for themselves and others, as well as a desire to ensure connection and fairness for all.