Montessori Education
What is a Montessori Education?
Montessori is a unique method of teaching developed more than 100 years ago by Italian born physician, educator and peace advocate, Dr. Maria Montessori.
The Montessori teaching method uses hands-on, self-correcting materials in a thoughtfully prepared environment that encourages responsibility, independence and confidence. It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child – physical, social, emotional and cognitive.
Students are focused due to their desire to learn. They work in multi-age classrooms at their own pace, guided by the teacher, until they master their work. In this environment, learning is an exciting process of self-discovery. Children are fully engaged in work that matters to them. They are given freedom with responsibility – they are trusted and respected. Montessori is the spark that ignites a lifelong love of learning.
Some basic premises of the Montessori approach to teaching and learning include:
- Children have a natural tendency to learn by active participation.
- Children are capable of self-directed learning.
- Children learn in a distinctly different way from adults.
- Children are masters of a classroom environment that has been specifically prepared for them to be academic, comfortable, and to allow a maximum amount of independence.
- Children learn through discovery, so instructional materials that are self-correcting are used as much as possible.