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 The Montessori
Method
A Montessori education is founded on the
principle that all children have an innate ability to learn.
The children learn in a richly prepared environment that
embodies beauty, simplicity and order in mixed aged groups.
It is through this environment and the independent use of
classroom materials and activities that learning takes place.
The teacher acts as a guide for the children, introducing them
to materials and activities according to their individual
development.
Montessori's approach is based on the belief
that education is a natural process of growth in an individual.
The method is based on the developmental stages of growth of the
child. As the child's needs change, so the program changes
to reflect those needs.
Montessori is a universal approach. The
method has been applied successfully throughout the world,
regardless of sex, race, nationality, culture or socioeconomic
level.
There is a wholeness and balance to
Montessori. The method aids the total development of the
individual. This includes physical, emotional,
intellectual, and moral development.
Montessori is a unifying approach. It
is "ecological" in that it integrates the child's knowledge,
rather than merely presenting isolated bits of information.
The method is based on a carefully prepared
physical and psychological environment. Educational
materials isolate key steps in the acquisition of knowledge.
Children have the freedom within limits to pursue their own
needs while learning to respect the needs of others.
The Montessori Method is preparation for
life. It effectively links the school, the home, and the
community. Cooperative learning and shared responsibility
are two of its primary goals.
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