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How does a Montessori education benefit children?
What is a Montessori primary classroom like?
Up to what age is the Montessori programme designed?
Who was Dr. Montessori, and how did she come to establish her educational method?
What happens to children when they leave a Montessori programme?
Are Montessori programmes recognised?
How are Montessori teachers trained?
Are all Montessori programmes the same?

How does a Montessori education benefit children?

Experience and research both indicate that children attending Montessori schools tend to be competent, self-disciplined, socially well adjusted, and happy.

a)     Competence: Children in Montessori schools are often several years above grade level in their basic skills. Also, since the Montessori education is comprehensive, children are often exceptionally knowledgeable in a number of other areas as well.

b)     Self-discipline: Montessori schools are well known for children’s development of self-discipline. Children choose to work long and hard. They treat materials and others with respect. They display patience and resistance to temptation and the ability to attend for long periods.

c)     Social Adjustment: Montessori school children usually strike a visitor as friendly empathetic, and co-operative. The classroom is a cheerful social community where children happily help each other. It is not uncommon to see a child offer to help another child. Also, learning social grace and courtesy is a part of the Montessori curriculum.

d)     Happiness: Most parents of children in a Montessori school comment on how much their children love school.
 

What is a Montessori primary classroom like?

A Montessori classroom is an exciting place to be. There are many interesting and beautiful resources for children to work with. There are many interesting books on a wide assortment of topics. Books on insects, plants, animals, different countries, history, etc. However, textbooks and workbooks are not used. Instead, children work with many different concrete materials which help them to learn through an active process. In using these materials the children may make their own books, draw their own maps or time lines, and develop their own projects. As a result, the classroom is a busy, happy place to be. Since the classroom is well organised, with the intention of making all the materials visible and accessible for the children, the children can find what they want and work without having to wait for the teacher.

Up to what age is the Montessori programme designed?

There are Montessori materials which are designed for use of children up to around 12 years of age. Whereas most Montessori schools are pre-schools, there is an increasing number of Montessori primary schools which work with children through all primary grades. There are a few Montessori junior and senior high school programmes. Dr. Montessori did discuss the education of children up to the college level. However, she specifically designed materials only for pre-school and primary years. This was because she felt specially designed materials were only needed for the younger children since the older children would have the competence to learn with materials commonly available.

Who was Dr. Montessori, and how did she come to establish her educational method?

Dr. Maria Montessori, internationally renowned child educator, was originally a medical doctor who brought the scientific methods of observation, experimentation, and research to the study of children, their development and education. As a doctor, Montessori came to believe that many of the problems of the children she was working with were educational rather than medical. In examining education she felt that children were not achieving their potential because education was not based upon science. Her first step, then, was to attempt to abandon preconceived ideas about education and to begin to study children, their development and the process of learning through scientific methods of observation and experimentation. In doing so, she made what she considered to be a number of startling discoveries. Through her research, she discovered that children possessed different and higher qualities than those we usually attribute to them.

What happens to children when they leave a Montessori programme?

Children from a Montessori programme usually fit in well wherever they go after attending a Montessori programme. Because they are respectful, co-operative, self- disciplined, and independent learners, they are well prepared to get along successfully in any programme. Competence is a firm foundation for success.

Are Montessori programmes recognised?

The Montessori method of education is well known. There are thousands of Montessori schools throughout the world. An increasing number of public school teachers and administrators are becoming interested in the Montessori method of education, and many new textbooks on child development and education are referring to the important contributions of Dr. Montessori to the field of children’s education.

How are Montessori teachers trained?

Montessori teachers are trained through demonstration and the provision of opportunity to practise. The Montessori curriculum is organised around specific teaching materials which are developmentally sequenced. Each curriculum area is taught to teacher trainees by careful demonstration of the presentation and use of each curriculum material in sequence. Students then practice the techniques they have seen demonstrated until they have mastered the material well enough to use it with the children. The students absorb an understanding of child development and education through observation, and explanation of the practice they see demonstrated. Further in-depth study of theory is provided through a tutorial programme of guided readings, lessons, and assignments. In this way, teachers learn the use of specific materials and techniques for helping children learn and develop. At the same time they develop a theory of learning, development, curriculum, and teaching which supports, and is consistent with, the practice they are learning.

Are all Montessori programmes the same?