What is Montessori Education?

Montessori is a method of education based on self-directed activity and hands-on learning. In the Montessori classroom, children are encouraged to participate in selecting their lessons while teachers present age appropriate lessons to guide the child in this selection process. The lessons in the Montessori environment are presented to the individual child or in small groups. Children learn to collaborate with each other to explore, discover, and analyze the world.
The Montessori classroom environment is beautifully designed to entice the child and to meet the needs of the specific age range. All Montessori learning materials in the classroom are designed to support an aspect of your child’s development. The child’s natural interests are expressed through readily available activities that provide the space for the them to develop to their greatest potential.

This prepared environment fosters the development of the child’s whole being. There are three elements that we believe are conducive to establishing such an environment:

• Teacher follows the child’s interest

• Child’s natural curiosity directs his/her learning

• The environment is based on respect for themselves, all people and all things.

Working with Montessori materials creates an opportunity for individual discovery and the construction of knowledge to occur. Everything in the classroom is part of the curriculum! Child-sized, accessible, and pleasing furniture, mats, and materials are selected with great care to meet the needs of the young, developing child.