Montessori environments for infants, and classrooms from preschool through high school, are based on a different philosophy of education in comparison to that experienced by most of us.
Rather than beginning with a school / society - dictated set of lessons, the Montessori “guide” (as the teacher is usually called) builds on the natural human tendencies toward exploration, hard work, creativity, and communication, to create a learning environment which feeds the evolving passions of the children.
When the environment meets all of the needs of children, they become, without any manipulation by the adult, physically healthy, mentally and psychologically fulfilled, and extremely well educated.
In the following quote, Dr. Montessori speaks of the first Casa del Bambini (Children’s House) in Rome, illustrating her important discovery, the core of all Montessori work today:
‘When the children had completed an absorbing piece of work, they appeared rested and deeply pleased. They exhibited a great affability to everyone, put themselves out to help others and seemed full of good will.’
Our intention is to enable children and young adults to gather knowlegde and experience, to learn to question and evaluate it, and act independently and with confidence. So, in each act of transmitting knowledge, we are also seeking to encourage traits of self-awareness, sociability, self-motivation, active curiosity, discipline, responsibility, and self-reliance. These are the assets our students will come to rely on as they face new situations, in school and throughout their lives.
This, then, is the heart of our philosophy: to impart knowledge and provide opportunities to learn life skills, which together support the development of the whole person and provide the foundation for purposeful, responsible, fulfilling lives.This philosophy, adapted from Montessori principles and tailored by developmental teachers, is evident in all our programs, and is characterised by:
- Respect for the child
- A responsive environment prepared with multisensory, sequential, and self-correcting materials to support self-directed learning
- Observant educators trained to assess learning styles, paces, and trajectories
- Purposeful activity as the engine of whole-person growth
- Freedom of movement and choice to interact with peers and select activities
- Uninterrupted time to finish an activity successfully, thus building self-esteem
- A "personal best" approach, eliminating peer-competition in favor of self-motivation
Today, there are research projects of all kinds being carried out on the results of a Montessori education. As children progress through true Montessori preschools (3-6), primary, secondary, and high schools, they become progressively more independent and responsible in action and thought. They move out into society and become thoughtful and responsible adults. Often, they develop such excellent study habits that they surpass the level of the curriculum of traditional schools.