THE MONTESSORI ADVANTAGE
“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity
and invite the child to conduct his own experiences. " - Dr. Maria Montessori
Unlike the educational fads that come and go, the Montessori method has been used for almost a century. It is a curriculum that permits children to progress at their own pace. Children are not forced to adhere to artificial norms. It is a demanding program for our teachers because teachers work with students as individuals, not as a class.
Each child's progress is monitored individually and lessons are offered to children when they are developmentally ready; not on a timetable. This creates an academic environment that is enthusiastic, energetic, and most importantly, effective.
Each child's progress is monitored individually and lessons are offered to children when they are developmentally ready; not on a timetable. This creates an academic environment that is enthusiastic, energetic, and most importantly, effective.
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Montessori
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Traditional
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Mainly individual instruction.
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Mainly group instruction.
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Mixed aged groups with mixed ability.
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Same-age groups with mixed ability.
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Children learn at their own individual pace and follow their own individualized educational learning plan.
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Children learn from a set curriculum according to a set time frame for everyone.
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Environment and method encourage self discipline and self exploration.
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Classroom discipline plan as part of a school-wide plan enforced by teachers.
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Based on helping the natural development of the child.
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Based on the transfer of a state-wide curriculum.
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The child's individual development and mastery brings its own reward and motivation therefore increasing self-esteem.
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Motivation is achieved by a system of rewards and punishments.
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Learning is based on the fact that physical exploration and cognition must be linked together for greater understanding of the material.
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Children sit at desks or in small groups and learn from a whiteboard and worksheets.
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The Montessori Philosophy
Maria Montessori believed that “a child’s work is to create the person he/she will become.” While children possess the means to acquire most knowledge through observation and exploration of their environment, they need our help and support in a variety of ways to achieve even greater heights of self-perfection and discovery. Montessori found that by working in a carefully prepared environment, designed especially for children, with materials that are developmentally appropriate and intellectually stimulating, children become more focused, more independent, and more peaceful, capable of learning concepts that seem beyond the reach of such young minds. Purposeful work is the key to what she termed “normalization,” the state a child achieves when the mind and body can work harmoniously in the service of natural development.
For children to achieve a state of normalization, it is important that they be free to follow their inner guides as they direct them toward work that serves their natural, developmental needs. At the same time, it is also important that there be limits to these freedoms, limits that require children to be conscious of and respectful toward the community in which they work. Limits enable children to practice self-discipline and to make conscious choices that result in real consequences.
Respect for others and the environment is a hallmark of Montessori’s philosophy. It is through respect for others that Montessori believed we would one day achieve world peace, which was the ultimate goal toward which she strove all her life. We continue daily towards that goal, working toward respect for the world and its diverse peoples in all our school’s endeavors.
For children to achieve a state of normalization, it is important that they be free to follow their inner guides as they direct them toward work that serves their natural, developmental needs. At the same time, it is also important that there be limits to these freedoms, limits that require children to be conscious of and respectful toward the community in which they work. Limits enable children to practice self-discipline and to make conscious choices that result in real consequences.
Respect for others and the environment is a hallmark of Montessori’s philosophy. It is through respect for others that Montessori believed we would one day achieve world peace, which was the ultimate goal toward which she strove all her life. We continue daily towards that goal, working toward respect for the world and its diverse peoples in all our school’s endeavors.
The Gift of Time
If you have ever tried to explain what Montessori is to friends and family you know it can be hard to capture in words. After all, Montessori schools look and feel very different from traditional preschools. The classroom is set up to resemble a house with child sized furniture and beautiful materials to work with. There are no bright posters on the wall, there are no 'centers' where children are directed to play for 30 minutes at a time, group instruction is very limited, and there are no special subjects taught by adults coming in and out of the class. Hmmm, one might ask, 'Well, what do they DO?'
Instead of teacher centered education, the Montessori classroom is completely child centered. We allow children to become self directed and confident decision makers by giving them long periods of time to work independently or one on one with the teacher.
Time. Time is something that can be hard to come across, especially for a toddler who is always trying to keep up with adult demands.
As moms and dads we know that keeping a schedule is necessary to meet the needs of everyone in the family. Does this sound familiar? "Come on, hurry up, we're going to be late" "Stop wasting time" "We don't have much time" "It's time to go". I know these phrases are all too common in my house.
When children enter a Montessori classroom they do not have to follow the schedule of an adult. Instead, they instruct themselves through materials that allow them to make their own discoveries about how things work.
Of course, the materials are presented one on one by the teacher (who keeps very specific lesson plans and records for each child) but once they have been presented the child is free to work with that material for as long as he or she wishes. The child gains knowledge through concrete experience and concentration.
When the child is not waiting for the next person to come through the door, he can stop looking for what is next and enjoy being present in the moment. There is no feeling of 'Hurry up, put your work away, it's time to do ______________." We have the luxury of working at the child's pace in the Montessori classroom, and when children are given time and space what they can do is truly amazing!
Instead of teacher centered education, the Montessori classroom is completely child centered. We allow children to become self directed and confident decision makers by giving them long periods of time to work independently or one on one with the teacher.
Time. Time is something that can be hard to come across, especially for a toddler who is always trying to keep up with adult demands.
As moms and dads we know that keeping a schedule is necessary to meet the needs of everyone in the family. Does this sound familiar? "Come on, hurry up, we're going to be late" "Stop wasting time" "We don't have much time" "It's time to go". I know these phrases are all too common in my house.
When children enter a Montessori classroom they do not have to follow the schedule of an adult. Instead, they instruct themselves through materials that allow them to make their own discoveries about how things work.
Of course, the materials are presented one on one by the teacher (who keeps very specific lesson plans and records for each child) but once they have been presented the child is free to work with that material for as long as he or she wishes. The child gains knowledge through concrete experience and concentration.
When the child is not waiting for the next person to come through the door, he can stop looking for what is next and enjoy being present in the moment. There is no feeling of 'Hurry up, put your work away, it's time to do ______________." We have the luxury of working at the child's pace in the Montessori classroom, and when children are given time and space what they can do is truly amazing!