Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori founded the Montessori Method in Italy in the early 1900s and her scientific approach to education was shaped around the individual needs of the child. Her goal was to develop the child and their whole personality through a system that is focused on spontaneous use of the human intellect.
She designed materials and techniques that would promote a natural growth of learning in students. They are common to all Montessori classrooms. Working with these materials and techniques forms a pattern that children carry over naturally to reading, writing, and mathematics. Each skill is developed to interlock with another.
Dr. Montessori observed that children experience sensitive periods, or windows of opportunity, as they grow. As their students develop, Montessori teachers match appropriate lessons and materials to these sensitive periods when learning is most naturally absorbed and internalized.
She designed materials and techniques that would promote a natural growth of learning in students. They are common to all Montessori classrooms. Working with these materials and techniques forms a pattern that children carry over naturally to reading, writing, and mathematics. Each skill is developed to interlock with another.
Dr. Montessori observed that children experience sensitive periods, or windows of opportunity, as they grow. As their students develop, Montessori teachers match appropriate lessons and materials to these sensitive periods when learning is most naturally absorbed and internalized.
Core values in our classroom:
Kindness, integrity, and true effort
Learning and the process of constructing meaning
Process as well as product
Learning as part of a community
Learning as an individual endeavor
The Sharing of information and skills
Listening and responding
Personal and group responsibility
The Montessori philosophy is based on supporting the complete development of the child as they progress from birth to adulthood. It takes the broad vision of education as an aid for life.
As a way of teaching, Montessori offers the view that knowledge isn’t passively gained by listening to words. Rather, it is gained through experiences in the surrounding environment. Therefore, the Montessori approach uses a prepared classroom to inspire children towards a life-long love of learning.
The teacher’s role is to prepare the classroom, and observe and guide their students in their learning. As a result, children progress at their own pace, according to their own abilities.
Finally, by valuing each child as an individual, we empower our students to become confident, independent learners.
As a way of teaching, Montessori offers the view that knowledge isn’t passively gained by listening to words. Rather, it is gained through experiences in the surrounding environment. Therefore, the Montessori approach uses a prepared classroom to inspire children towards a life-long love of learning.
The teacher’s role is to prepare the classroom, and observe and guide their students in their learning. As a result, children progress at their own pace, according to their own abilities.
Finally, by valuing each child as an individual, we empower our students to become confident, independent learners.