WHAT IS MONTESSORI EDUCATION?

There are unfortunately many schools that claim to be “Montessori” without having the necessary credentials to support the claim. Above all, Montessori philosophy is more important than Montessori materials. Authentic Montessori schools will have:

Highly trained guides who have completed a comprehensive, in-person Montessori training program.

A carefully-prepared learning environment that reflects the entire philosophy and pedagogy of Maria Montessori. The presence of Montessori didactic materials alone does not suggest a carefully-prepared environment.

Program outcomes that reflect the needs of the child across all developmental domains.

The History of Montessori Education

Montessori education was developed by the Italian physician Maria Montessori in the beginning of the 20th century. Inspired by Seguin’s methods, Montessori completed her first medical practice in the Roman asylums that housed society’s nontypical children. By observing the children’s needs through the scrupulous eye of a trained physician, she was able to develop a highly-specialized method of learning that rehabilitated many of the children who were previously “unfit” for Roman society. In fact, in many cases, the children previously assigned to the asylum were eventually able to surpass the children who were attending public schools. Inspired by her success with special-needs children, Montessori worked to develop a method of education that would produce the same transformative results with typical children. She succeeded. Her methods spread like wildfire until the politics of WWII halted her efforts. Montessori’s popularity has withstood the test of time; because her methods work, and because her philosophy of education is truly timeless, Montessori schools are continuing to grow throughout the world. Click here for more information on the history of Montessori education

Click here to learn more about Montessori education through this helpful video.

The Montessori Method

Montessori education differs from traditional education in many ways. The following are some of the key differences you will notice:

Montessori education is integrated across all subjects, with movement and tactile/sensory experiences at the foundation of all learning.
Montessori classrooms are free from rows of desks; instead, you will find a variety of child-sized seating areas that are each conducive to self-guided learning.
Montessori guides are trained in all core subjects and with careful focus on the spiritual and mental preparation of the teacher.
Children are placed in mixed-age learning groups that correspond with developmental stages. These groups also correspond with the classical levels of the trivium. Mixed-age groups:
- Ensure a 4-year spectrum of curriculum is always available in the learning environment so that students can truly learn at their own pace.
- Eliminate unhealthy competition while emphasizing peer-based modeling and support.
- Encourage a broader range of social skills.
- Ensure that students with special needs will be accommodated and supported within the main learning environment.
Special focus is paid to the children’s sensitive periods of learning. These sensitive periods mean that:
- We strive to cultivate an environment where children may be immersed in work while their interest and readiness are naturally prone.
- We do not interrupt their concentration; If a child is independently absorbed in a work, we will protect their right to learn intrinsically for as long as necessary.
- We will never introduce a lesson until the child has a reasonable chance of success with that concept or type of activity.
Lessons always move from the concrete to the abstract; this means that concepts that are typically taught in two-dimensional ways will be presented (whenever possible) with manipulatives and incorporate gross- and fine-motor movements.
As mentioned above, the Montessori curriculum is self-paced; under the guidance of the learning guides, children will set learning goals that are tailored to their own abilities and interests. We focus on mastery of concepts and skills over proficiency.
In a Montessori environment, the teacher (or learning guide) is not the focus of the classroom; the students’ learning is. The learning guide is there to connect the children with opportunities for growth. Guides follow this child-driven motto: “Help me do it by myself.”
In a Montessori setting, children are caretakers of the environment. They are taught how to maintain the indoor and outdoor learning environments, and they are taught and encouraged to maintain good personal hygiene as well.
Practical life lessons are a fundamental part of Montessori environments. Children of all ages will learn practical skills specific to their developmental stages. Some of these skills will include:
- Self care: hygiene and dressing
- Tweezing, pouring, scooping, transferring
- Food preparation
- Botany
- Care of animals
- Sewing, needle work, leather work, wood work
- Mopping, sweeping, dusting, polishing
- Organizing
- Addressing envelopes, filing, maintaining accounts
In a Montessori environment, freedom is encouraged and protected. However, the Montessori environment is highly ordered and peaceful. This order comes as a result of the child being free to do any good thing (freedom within limits), and strict boundaries being placed upon any behavior that contradicts rules of grace, courtesy, and purposeful learning.
One-on-one and small group lessons are the method of direct instruction as opposed to whole-group instruction.
As mentioned above, we encourage a mastery of skills and concepts over cursory understanding and proficiency. If a child is struggling in an area, we will ensure that the child has sufficient opportunities to hone necessary skills. There is no worry about the child falling “behind” as all children are moving at their own pace in the mastery of concepts and skills.
We support children monitoring and tracking their own progress; they know what’s coming and when they’ve achieved their goals. Not every child will finish one-years’ worth of learning outcomes in a single school year, while others will accomplish well beyond those prescribed outcomes.
Didactic materials in the Montessori environment are designed to promote independence, concentration, coordination, order, and attention to detail. Above all intellectual accomplishments, these are valued as the most important.
In a Montessori environment, a child’s work is play; their play is valued as work. What this statement means is that children are encouraged to love learning. When children love what they do, even the most arduous tasks seem like play. Conversely, when a child is truly discovering, even the most menial task or play-based opportunity has great value.
Teachers are trained to observe carefully and to facilitate learning experiences based on readiness, interest, and learning goals. These careful observations mean that learning opportunities will not occur in the same ways as you might expect to find in a traditional setting.