True Montessori Method and Philosophy

The term “Montessori” is not trademarked, so different schools interpret it with varying degrees of fidelity to Dr. Maria Montessori's original work and vision. Mountain Shadows is accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale, or AMI, which Dr. Montessori established in 1929 to preserve the integrity of her method and her life’s work. That means your child will receive a true Montessori education at Mountain Shadows, building a strong foundation for life.

The Montessori 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, the program changes to reflect and meet those needs. All of our highly skilled teachers have passed rigorous training in the Montessori method to demonstrate and ensure consistent adherence to all the Montessori principles and techniques.

The beauty of Dr. Montessori’s pedagogy is that it is a universal approach. The method has been applied successfully throughout the world, regardless of a student’s gender, race, nationality, culture, or socio-economic level. Learn more:

• The Montessori Classroom
• Mixed-Age Groups
• Advantages of the Montessori Approach
• No “Ceiling” on Learning
• The Mountain Shadows Promise

The Montessori Classroom
Because the Montessori method is based on a carefully prepared physical and psychological environment, a Montessori classroom has a unique look and feel to it.

First, it is clean, calming, organized, and attractive. Unlike traditional classrooms, where countless bulletin boards, posters, and banners can create visual chaos and distractions, the Montessori environment is orderly and highly conducive to concentration. The inviting work areas and the appeal of the learning materials are not an accidental arrangement. The materials are arranged to isolate key steps in the acquisition of knowledge and students are given adequate time and space to explore them, concentrate on their work, and work to their own satisfaction. These major distinctions from other educational methods are what allow children to master specific concepts, as well as make connections between subjects.

Space is arranged to accommodate either quiet, introspective concentration or more collaborative work. Quiet corners for reading may be complete with armchairs and table lamps. A table by a window may serve as an inspiring writing area. The flow and layout of the room afford children the freedom (within limits) to pursue their own needs while learning to respect the needs of others.

Benefits of a Mixed-Age Group in the Classroom
Why does the Montessori method group children in three-year age groups (3-5, 6-9, 10-12)? Why is it better?

Most families have children of different ages (with multiple births and single-child families being exceptions). Likewise, most work environments have different-aged employees working together. That is why Dr. Montessori felt that the “industrial model” of same-age, same-grade classrooms was unnatural. At the same time, she saw that children went through natural developmental states in approximately three-year cycles. Through her observation, as well as observations by Montessori teachers and child development experts, the placement of children in three-year cycles was found to be the optimum way to group children in Montessori schools.

Mixed-age groups also contribute to the moral development of the child, as students are taught to respect others, be sensitive to their different needs, and to collaborate in a helpful spirit. Children are helpful and cooperative by nature, and the Montessori environment supports and encourages that wonderful aspect of every child’s personality.

Advantages of the Montessori Approach

• There is a wholeness and balance to Montessori. The method aids the physical, emotional, intellectual, and moral development of the individual.
  
  
• Montessori is a unifying approach. It is "ecological" in that it integrates the child's entire knowledge base, rather than merely presenting isolated bits of information. In the Montessori classroom, for example, subjects are not taught in tidy compartments of math, history, or science. Instead, they are taught more holistically, in an integrated fashion—just as they occur in life.
  
  
• Research continues to validate the effectiveness of strong Montessori educational programs, both nationally and internationally.
  
  
• Multi-age groupings create supportive social environments.
  
  
• For consistency, children remain with the same teacher for each three-year cycle of the program. This also allows the collaborative approach to learning to take root.
  
  
• Students who learn and work for understanding rather than grades develop a lifelong love of learning.

No “Ceiling” on Your Child’s Learning
At Mountain Shadows, children are free to pursue “learning beyond their years.” In other words, your child’s learning will not be stunted or grounded by the limits of a curriculum or textbook, nor will your child have to wait for classmates to “catch up” if he or she is progressing more quickly. In a traditional classroom, where everyone works on the same lessons or worksheets in the same order for the same amount of time, slower learners can feel pressured or get “left behind” while quicker learners may have to sit and “idle” while waiting for the class—and the teacher—to move on. With a true Montessori method, your child works at his or her pace, pursuing his or her interests. No wonder the Mountain Shadows environment leads to a deep love of learning!

Learn about Montessori learning materials and how they support and encourage your child’s learning…with no limits to what your child can achieve.

The Mountain Shadows Promise
Mountain Shadows takes its responsibility to deliver the highest quality Montessori education very seriously. That is why we pledge:

• Your child will receive the Montessori instruction from a teacher trained through Dr. Montessori’s organization specifically to work with his or her stage of development.
• Your child will have the Montessori materials appropriate for a Montessori classroom.
• Your child will learn in a Montessori environment where each classroom is regularly evaluated by Montessori consultants.