Montessori Education Method

What is Montessori education: the Montessori method

Established by Dr. Maria Montessori in Italy over a hundred years ago, the Montessori school takes a different approach to education than most other schools.

Dr. Montessori worked with children for many years and decided that the best way to teach them was in an environment free of restraints. The Montessori education method, therefore, allows children to explore the subjects that interest them at their own pace. Children of Montessori schools will learn the basic subjects that other children learn, but in a different environment.

Classrooms feature areas designated for different subjects and the child goes to each area when he feels interested in that subject. There are lengthy blocks of time set aside when children work without interruption on the topic that they want to learn about.

Teachers do not grade or correct students, rather they watch the child's progress and document the child's interests and the work that the child does. Montessori believed that the teacher should "follow the child," and that the child would excel in his own unique way.

Classrooms are not divided by age or grade, children of all ages socialize with one another, learning with and teaching one another as the occasion arises. Children are not limited to stay at their work area and have the liberty to work on whatever, whenever they choose.

The idea behind the Montessori education method is that all children have something to offer and that if allowed to explore their interests at their own pace, they will excel and find great joy in learning and socializing.

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