What are the premises of Montessori education?

1.  Children are to be respected as different from adults, and as individuals who differ from each other.

2.  The child possesses unusual sensitivity and mental powers for absorbing and learning from his environment that are unlike those of the adult both in quality and capacity.

3.  The most important years of growth are the first six years of life when unconscious learning is gradually brought to the conscious level.

4.  The child has a deep love and need for purposeful work.  He works, however, not as an adult for profit and completion of a job, but for the sake of the activity itself.  It is this activity which accomplishes for him his most important goal:  the development of himself - his mental , physical, and psychological powers.

*We believe that each child has sensitive periods in which he can learn a given skill easier and better than at any other time in his life, so we believe in individual instruction.

*We know that children need to have group learning situations, and we also provide group learning opportunities each day.

*We believe children should be free to be themselves. They can talk with friends, work with friends or by themselves. They are free to do what they want to do as long as they are not disruptive or destructive.

*We believe in self-discipline. Each child will learn to discipline himself, and we try to help achieve this goal.

*We believe that play is a child's work, and good play is important to his development.

*We believe in a prepared environment in which he can easily find the tools he needs to achieve his goals. When we are having a difficult day, we don't ask what's wrong with the children, we know something is wrong with the environment.

*We believe that a child absorbs knowledge like a sponge. He has an absorbent mind.

*We believe that you should never do for a child what he can do for himself. Let him do it.

*We believe that no one can educate another person. Education is something he has to do for himself. Therefore, we provide an environment that is conducive to learning.

*We want to help each child develop a love of learning, self confidence, and independence.

*We will help each child know that he is perfect just as he is, and will help him realize his potential.

*We will help each child develop self-discipline, a sense of organization, and a positive attitude toward problem solving.

*We will help each child learn to respect other people and their property.

*We will follow the lead of the child and help him build the person he is meant to be.

*We will follow the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori. . . .

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Where can I find out more information about Montessori?

The links below will provide more information on the Montessori philosophy.

American Montessori Society

Montessori Connections

Montessori Centre International

Montessori Online

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Why Montessori?

Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a positive sense of self-esteem.  Montessori programs, based on self-directed, noncompetitive activities, help children develop strong self-images and confidence to face challenges and change with optimism. 

Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning. Montessori classes place children in three-year age groups, forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones. Montessori represents an entirely different approach to education. A convenient comparison chart for the Montessori approach versus traditional education is available below.
 

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Who is the directress and what does she do?

The directress is the "teacher" who guides the classroom.  She works with individual children, introduces materials, and gives guidance where needed.  One of her primary tasks is careful observation of each child in order to determine his needs and to gain the knowledge she needs in preparing the environment to aid his growth.  Her method of teaching is indirect in that she neither imposes upon the child as in direct teaching nor abandons him as a non-directive, permissive approach.  Rather, she is constantly alert to the direction in which the child himself has indicated he wishes to go and she actively seeks ways to help him accomplish his goals. 

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What does a Montessori classroom consist of?

A Montessori classroom is a prepared environment where a child is free to be himself and do what he wants to do, when he wants to do it. The materials are designed to meet the sensorial needs of the child to feel, smell, lift, and hear. The Montessori materials are materials of development, not teaching aides. They are designed so the child develops himself through his work.

The classroom is divided into five areas:

• Practical Life - exercises that help a child learn to take care of himself and his environment, and refine his physical movement. Grace and courtesy exercises are also a part of this curriculum.
• Sensorial - exercises designed to help sharpen a student's senses.
• Mathematics - Using manipulatives, the child internalizes concepts of number, symbol, sequence and operations.
• Language Arts - basic skills in writing and reading are developed using sandpaper letters, phonetic sounds, moveable alphabet and various presentations.
• Cultural Activities - introduces the child to basics in geography, history, science, music and art, and cultures different than his own.

Most of our classrooms have mixed age groups. Children learn from one another.  This can be seen in family and play situations where children are free to observe and interact in a variety of activities.  Young children learn higher-level cognitive and social skills not only through mental development, but also by observing others as models.  Multi-age grouping helps children develop a sense of community and supports social development.  Older children act as role models and (sometimes) teachers of younger children.  This aids in the development of personality, collaboration, and cooperation.  Montessori classrooms have used mixed age groupings for over 100 years!

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When is enrollment?

Enrollment of current and new students usually occurs in January and February of the previous school year or any time an opening exists. Children are accepted according to the following priorities:

• Students currently enrolled have first priority for successive enrollment until such time enrollment is open to new and returning families. At that time current, new, and returning family applications will be numbered based on date received. Enrollment forms for current students are numbered as they are returned to the office during the enrollment process for the following year. Children are accepted in numerical order.

• Siblings of current students have second enrollment priority.

• Siblings of former students have third enrollment priority. 

• Newly registered students have the next priority, based upon their date and time of registration.

Children are admitted to the program when openings occur during the school year in the following order:

• Students currently attending the school who wish to change their attendance hours have the first priority.

• Children registered for enrollment and currently holding a position on the waiting list have second priority.

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