Main Content
Montessori FAQ
What is the Montessori Method?
The Montessori Method allows children to discover and learn from their own experiences and is based on principles including observation, order, construction and independence in the prepared environment. In a Montessori classroom, teachers observe children as they work, quietly offer guidance and prepare them for their next activity when it’s time to do so. The classroom is designed so that a child can access the Montessori materials easily, freely selecting and replacing them without the need of adult assistance.
What will my child learn at a Montessori school?
The curriculum is the same as a traditional school and more. Students develop social, emotional, motor and perceptual skills. They begin to learn reading, math, history, geography and science. They develop fine motor skills as well as practical life skills.
What is different about a Montessori classroom?
A classroom using the Montessori Method is a very busy place. It is also quieter than a traditional classroom. Because children choose their own activities, they remain interested and engaged in what they are learning and doing. A Montessori-certified teacher is always close by, observing and preparing to help with the next lesson or question. A Montessori classroom is also a very clean and tidy place. Children treat their materials with care and put them in their proper place once they have completed their work.
What is special about Montessori materials?
The classroom has top-quality, child-sized furnishings and learning apparatus. Materials sit on shelves designed specifically for them. Children are taught how to use the materials and are then free to move about the room, selecting their activities and pursuing their work, either individually or in small groups. Montessori materials are specifically designed to be self-correcting for errors, allowing children to learn on their own, under the guidance of the teacher. In Montessori classrooms, teachers address the needs of individual children who are learning through practice with hands-on materials. The teacher introduces a child to materials systematically, depending on developmental needs. The Montessori classroom is designed to promote self-discipline, independence and responsibility. Academically, children develop a foundation in language and math skills, physical and cultural geography, zoology, botany, physical science, history, music and art. They also learn practical life skills such as cooking, carpentry, sewing and cleaning. One of the most important aspects of a Montessori classroom is the teacher’s respect for the dignity of every child.
What are "Works"?
Equipment or “works” are part of the “prepared environment” of the Montessori classroom. The works are clean, small, and light enough for young children to move by themselves. The easiest works are placed to the left, the most difficult to the right, following a child’s natural progression of thought. Works are not toys but small replicas of adult work tools.
What is different about a Montessori teacher?
A Montessori education means that a child has a very special guide for his or her self-led journey. Montessori teachers are called Guides and are certified after hundreds of hours of specialized training. Montessori teachers are certified at an internationally recognized training program through the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). They are skilled at asking questions rather than providing answers. They know how to observe children as they learn. They know how to help a child build self-confidence and self-esteem. The carefully prepared environment and method provide discipline. The Montessori teacher provides guidance.
Is this Environment too Structured for my Child?
While the Montessori classroom is structured, each child has the freedom to work at his/her own pace choosing his/her own work. Your child can move freely around the classroom thereby encouraging him/her to learn by choice and cultivating his/her own natural desire to learn. The Montessori philosophy views your child as an active participant in learning with a style all his/her own.
