What is Montessori?

Helping children to help themselves

Have you ever heard a child say, "I want to do it myself?" Working under the guidance of a Montessori teacher children use the Montessori equipment to teach themselves a wide variety of subjects including reading, science, mathematics, music and geography. They also gain practical life and sensorial experience.

Montessori cultivates self-motivation

A child learns find personal satisfaction from their work. A child may continue in a stage of development as long as necessary for mastery but progresses to the next step as soon they are ready. At no time is a child held back or pushed ahead because of the needs of other children.

Montessori utilizes childhood's special powers

The absorbent mind—Children have the ability to literally absorb information from the environment.

Sensitive periods—Children have periods of intense fascination for learning a particular skill.

Sense of order—A child's need for order is one of the most powerful incentives dominating the formative years. The child possesses sensitivity to the orderly arrangement of things and their relative positions. A child can only act with purpose if there is a clear and exact procedure to be followed.

Math, like language, begins with an understanding of the tool. The numerals and quantities are learned and related. They are used in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. From the Montessori equipment, older children receive an early introduction to plane and solid geometry.

As an aid for the child to adapt to the world, history, geography, art and music become a part of the learning environment. Since natural development is unique to each person, the Montessori way of life is special to each child. Each progresses when ready and will remain in a stage of development only as long as necessary to master it. Then, new lessons are given.