Philosophy

What is Montessori education?

Montessori is an approach to education discovered by Dr. Maria Montessori. It is based on the fundamental belief that a child learns best within a social environment which supports and respects each individual's unique development.

"It is necessary to give children the possibility of developing according to the laws of their nature, so that they can become strong, and having become strong, can do even more than we dared hope for them" - Maria Montessori

In 1870, Dr. Maria Montessori was born in Chiaravalle, Italy. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times in 1949, 1950, and 1951. She discovered that education is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. It is not acquired by listening to words, but by experiences through his environment. She believed that Child, Teacher and Prepared Environment are the key components of Montessori classrooms. Teacher prepares the environment for the child and acts as a connector between the environment and the child. Montessori spoke of the prepared environment as being 'the gift of the teacher to the child'.

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 ensure the development of self esteem and provides the experience from which children create their knowledge.

Each Montessori classroom from birth through high school operates on the principles of freedom within limits. Every program is based on core Montessori beliefs-respect for each other and for the environment.

Children are free to work at their own pace with materials they have chosen, either alone or with others. The teacher relies on his or her observations of the children to determine which new activities and materials may be introduced to an individual child or to a group. The aim is to encourage active, self directed learning and to strike a balance of individual mastery within small group collaboration within the whole group community.

The multi-year age span in each class provides a family like grouping where learning can take place naturally. More experienced children share what they have learned while reinforcing their own learning.

There are six basic components to the Montessori classroom environment. They deal with the concepts of freedom, structure and order, reality and nature, beauty and atmosphere, the Montessori materials, and the development of the community life. Also, there are two key components: the environment, including the educational materials, and exercises; and the teachers who prepare this environment.