"Education should not limit itself to seeking new methods for a mostly arid transmission of knowledge: its aims must be to give the necessary aid to human development"

Dr. Maria Montessori

Imagine a place where the child can explore his world, discover new knowledge and realise his potential - where he really wants to come to school each day.

Montessori is a brain - based developmental education method that allows children to make creative choices in how they discover the people, places and knowledge of the world.

The Montessori approach to learning is focused on individual child's potential and nurtures a life-long love of learning.

Children gain a strong sense of self, creativity, self motivation, integrity, perseverance and self discipline. Leadership, respect, responsibility and resourcefulness are cultivated in a collaborative and specifically designed environment.

Montessori children are guided in their learning by specifically designed materials appropriate to each developmental stage.

Who is Maria Montessori

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Goal of Montessori education

The goal of Montessori education is to foster autonomous, competent, responsible, adaptive citizens who are lifelong learners and problem solvers.

Learning occurs in an inquisitive, cooperative and nurturing atmosphere. Students increase their own knowledge through self- and teacher-initiated experiences.

Learning takes place through the senses. Students learn through repeated use of hands-on materials and by interacting with others. These experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas.

The individual is considered as a whole. Physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important.

Respect for oneself, others, the environment, and life is necessary to develop a caring attitude toward all people and the planet.

Absorbent mind through the senses

The Montessori approach is based upon the natural laws of human development. Maria Montessori observed that children under six absorb limitlessly and effortlessly from the world around them and in so doing lay down all the foundations for later life - they become adults with all the characteristics and language of the culture into which they have been born simply by living. In this huge task, however, they have some help. They have a special kind of mind that she called an absorbent mind - a strong desire to explore everything around them using their senses and a drive to become independent. She identified certain windows of opportunity for the child that she called 'sensitive periods' during which the child is irresistibly drawn to the things he needs to help him develop his full human potential.

“Help me to do it by myself”

In a Montessori school you will see children choosing their activities independently and moving from one activity to the next - always returning things to the shelf after they have used them. You will experience an atmosphere of calm and see young children concentrating for surprising periods of time. Children work individually, in a group or with a friend. The morning should last for a minimum of three hours - three hours in which there is no fixed 'timetable'. Groups arise spontaneously rather than at a fixed time every day. Maria Montessori observed that this unfettered period of time was essential for the children to develop the kind of concentration that you see when a child becomes involved with something that is essential for his development. There are no time limits for the child - he may work with whatever he chooses for as long as he likes. What is known as the 'three- hour work cycle' is another essential feature of the Montessori approach and if you don't observe this you are not looking at true Montessori.
In a Montessori school the child is guided by a trained adult who will show him how to do the things that he is ready for after which he can work with them independently. The adult observes the child and will not interfere so long as the child is working with the material productively. When a difficulty arises she is able to step in and give help but is always careful never to give more help than is needed. Children work at their own individual pace and naturally develop their own rhythm and work pattern. Each child's individual needs are assessed through observation so that he is shown new things when he is developmentally ready and new knowledge is always built on what he already knows. Since everything he does in the classroom also prepares for a later activity the child is able to move gradually through activities developing his skills effortlessly. The 'directress' is not teaching the child she is putting him in charge of his own learning through his own exploration. This may seem a subtle distinction but it is a key part of the Montessori approach.

The prepared environment

"The first aim of the prepared environment is, as far as it is possible, to render the growing child independent of the adult."

Dr. Maria Montessori

Classrooms are referred to as Prepared Environments.

Classrooms are child-centered.

Materials and classrooms are structured to help develop a sense of order, concentration, coordination, and independence.

There is an abundance of materials to meet the needs of many developmental levels.

The materials are sequenced from simple to complex and are presented in the classroom in a logical order throughout the year.

There is a quiet busy tone.

A sense of community is fostered in classrooms composed of mixed-age groupings.

There is a balance of freedom and responsibility in the classroom.

Independence with Co-operation

Everything in the classroom is designed to support these windows of opportunity. The Montessori 'nursery school' is called the Children's House because everything in it is designed to allow the child to become independent - the materials are child sized and the equipment is laid out in an orderly fashion on low shelves that are easily accessible for the children. The equipment is aesthetically pleasing and is meticulously cared for which encourages the children to take care of it too. Children between the ages of 2 ½ and 6 are grouped together in their own mini society. The younger children learn from watching the older children and the older ones benefit by helping the younger children. The mixed age group allows the children to develop socially, intellectually and emotionally - it is an essential part of any Montessori school. When you are looking at schools you need to see children of different ages grouped together in this way otherwise the class is missing an important part of the Montessori approach.
In a true Montessori school you will find independent children who are encouraged not only to do things for themselves but also to think for themselves. You will find children who have learnt how to explore and solve problems for themselves. Most importantly you will see small children who are often perceived as only being aware of their own needs helping each other and who, without being asked to, will put things away and perform acts of kindness purely to benefit the group as a whole. So how does this all come about? What exactly is Montessori? What should you be looking for if you are looking for true Montessori and what kind of guarantees are there that what you are paying for is the real thing?

Traditional vs. Montessori