About Montessori

what is montessori?

The Montessori Method was developed by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who observed children and developed a method of education based on her observations. Montessori education is based on a child’s natural development and believes that within a prepared environment, children will grow and learn. For each developmental stage the method changes to engage the child and provide them the necessary tools to educate the child’s potential.

Montessori first developed the method that bears her name in the slums of Rome when she opened the first Casa de Bambini in 1906. Since then Montessori schools have opened on six continents and in more than 110 countries. Currently there are more than 22,000 Montessori schools around the world. 

Montessori has several defining characteristics:

Prepared Environment:

Each environment is carefully prepared to meet the children’s developmental needs. In the Primary classroom this means that the furniture is all child-sized and that the material is organized on the shelves for children to choose. Primary lessons are generally given individually. In the Elementary classroom children become more social and so the tables are arranged for children to work together and lessons are given in small groups rather than the individual lessons present in the Primary class. The environment is prepared to be both beautiful and functional.

Multi-year age groupings:

Educating children of different ages together provides unique opportunities for individual development. Younger children are fascinated by the activities of older children and learn from them by imitation and interaction. Older children experience leadership and mastery of their environment as they initiate activities and take on more responsibility. They experience what it feels like to be a leader, and how to nurture and encourage someone who is less skilled than they have become. At the same time, they continue their own learning as there are no upper limits to the curriculum. Both younger and older children enjoy a sense of achievement and build confidence that lasts a lifetime.

Montessori Materials:

The materials in a Montessori environment are designed to isolate a concept and let the children explore. Many of the materials are self-correcting so that the child knows immediately if they have done something incorrectly. Mathematics materials are well-known throughout the world and allow children to explore concepts earlier than the standard public school curriculum as well as to discover their own rules and to understand them more deeply than a simple presentation by a teacher. In addition the materials are beautiful, usually made from wood and with precision so that concepts are clearly presented and understood. 

Freedom within Limits:

Some people think that Montessori children are allowed to do whatever they want. This idea is only half true. Montessori children choose work from a carefully curated selection of materials and concepts. They have freedom within the limits of the classroom norms and with the understanding that they must work. What they work on is up to them, but they must choose work. Because the lessons and materials are so attractive, enticing, and developmentally appropriate, children happily choose work.

Uninterrupted Work Period:

Montessori classrooms strive to have three hour work periods for children. These long periods of time allow for children to choose a work, practice the work, and put the work away, completing a work cycle. Younger children may do this several times in an uninterrupted work period while older children may only choose one work and do it for an entire three hours. The ability of children in a Montessori classroom to create their day helps to develop their executive function skills including time management and self-advocacy.