Why Montessori?
The Montessori system, developed by Dr Maria Montessori in the early 1900s, allows children to learn by doing. It involves inviting, stimulating educational materials designed to capture the child's interest. The environment is prepared in such a way that the child has the freedom to choose his own work. This does not mean that there is no structure. The experienced teacher gently guides this exploration, presenting the appropriate lessons to each child at the right time. Our curriculum is based upon Dr Montessori's scientific observations and specifically designed materials that encourage conceptual thinking and lead to abstraction.
Montessori children are extremely adaptable. They have learned to work both independently and in groups. Since they have been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem-solvers who can make appropriate choices and manage time well. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a positive sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based upon self-directed, non-competitive activities help children to develop strong self-images and the confidence to face change and challenges with optimism.
The American Montessori Society has developed the following "position paper" in a point-by-point comparison of Montessori versus a traditional education:
Montessori |
Traditional |
|
1. Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development |
1. Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development |
2. Teacher's role is unobtrusive; child actively participates in learning |
2. Teacher's role is dominant and active; child is a passive participant |
3. Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline |
3. Teacher is primary enforcer of external discipline |
4. Individual and group instruction adapts to each student's learning style |
4. Individual and group instruction conforms to the adult's teaching style |
5. Mixed age grouping |
5. Same age grouping |
6. Children encouraged to teach , collaborate and help each other |
6. Most teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged |
7. Child chooses own work from interests, abilities |
7. Curriculum structured with little regard for child's interests |
8. Child formulates concepts from self-teaching materials |
8. Child is guided to concepts by teacher |
9. Child works for as long as he or she wants to on a chosen project |
9. Child usually given specific time for work |
10. Child sets own learning pace to internalize information |
10. Instruction pace set by group norm or teacher |
11. Child spots own errors through feedback from material |
11. Errors corrected by teacher |
12. Learning is reinforced internally through child's own repetition of activity, internal feelings of success repetition |
12. Learning is reinforced externally by rewards, discouragements |
13. Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration development |
13. Few materials for sensory, concrete manipulation |
14. Organized program for learning care of self and self-care environment (shoe polishing, sink washing, etc) |
14. Little emphasis on instruction or classroom maintenance |
15. Child can work where he or she is comfortable, moves and talks at will (but doesn't disturb others); group work is voluntary and negotiable |
15. Child assigned seat; encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions |
16. Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process |
16. Voluntary parent involvement, often only as fundraisers, not participants in understanding the learning process |
Discipline must come through liberty... We do not consider an individual disciplined only
when he has been rendered as artificially silent as a mute and as immovable as a paralytic.
He is an individual annihilated, not disciplined.
...Maria Montessori