Unlike traditional schools, preschool programs or day care centers, a Montessori environment offers a multi-age approach to learning. Students stay with a single teacher for three years. This allows strong bonds to be formed between the teacher and the child, between the teacher and the child's parents, and between students. The concept that mastery is best achieved through exploration, imitation, repetition and trial and error is at the core of the Montessori Method.
Montessori guides “work diligently to ensure that their classrooms are prepared to incite learning, fostering a rich learning environment and a collaborative community. Montessori teachers don't stand in front of the room and give instructions. They circulate among students, inspiring, guiding and training softly. The main goal of a Montessori program is to help every child reach their full potential in all areas of life.
Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination, as well as cognitive readiness. The holistic curriculum, under the direction of a specially trained teacher, allows the child to experience the joy of learning, have time to enjoy the process and ensure the development of self-esteem, and provides the experiences from which children create their knowledge. A Montessori classroom is designed to be open and free within limits. It is organized in such a way that students can reach the materials they need to complete their work.
In addition, all tables, chairs and utensils are for children. Students in a Montessori classroom are free to choose their own activities based on what is available on the shelves. Once they finish with a task or material, they return those items to their correct place before continuing. The Montessori principal (or teacher): Montessori teacher has a different role than the conventional teacher.
Known for learning at an individual pace and encouraging independence, the Montessori method fosters empathy, a passion for social justice and the joy of lifelong learning. While this is one of the characteristics of the Montessori method, too many montessori schools divide the morning work period with scheduled activities. Montessori believed that children learn better when they choose what they want to learn, and that philosophy is present today in Montessori classrooms. If you want to enroll your children in a real Montessori school, look for teachers on staff who have earned a certification in Montessori education.
The Montessori Method promotes order, coordination, concentration and independence for children from the moment they enter the classroom. The American Montessori Society is the premier member advocacy organization, research forum and resource collaboration for the global community of Montessori educators. The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector reports that of the 5,000 Montessori schools in the United States, known for self-paced learning and independence, the Montessori Method also fosters empathy, a passion for social justice and the joy of lifelong learning. The Montessori Method understands that children will be more respectful of materials when they are beautiful and well-maintained.
If these pros and cons of Montessori education are really interesting to you, you might want to consider becoming a Montessori teacher. After that, you can decide if you want to teach in an authentic Montessori school or if you just want to incorporate some Montessori principles into your teaching. Hearing about this eye-catching donation and some of the prominent figures educated in a Montessori program may make you want to learn more about what Montessori is and the possible pros and cons of adopting this educational approach. .
