About Montessori

Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. In Montessori classrooms, children learn and develop at her/his own pace by making creative choices through the use of materials and lessons introduced by trained educators.

Montessori classrooms are beautifully crafted environments designed to meet the needs of children in a specific age range. They are comprised of mixed-age groups which is maintained for a 3-year cycle. Younger children look up to, emulate, and learn alongside older children. Older children exercise greater responsibility in the classroom and master skills as they help teach younger children.

The school environment is prepared with a variety of specially designed Montessori materials - multi-sensory, sequential and self-correcting. Every material in a Montessori classroom supports an aspect of child development, creating a match between the child’s natural interests and the available activities.

Dr. Maria Montessori

What is Montessori?

Montessori Traditional

Multi-age grouping - Grouped chronologically
Individual Curricula - Grade level Curriculum
Low student-teacher ratio - Larger student teacher ratio
One-on-one lessons - Group instruction
Flexibility in development - Group paced lessons
Hands-on experience - Textbook teaching
All learning styles are addressed - Visual and auditory learning
Child focused - Teacher focused
Choices - Teacher guided
Freedom of movement - Students work at desks
Concrete to the abstract - Abstract and memorization

Simply put……. It is a method of education

The 5 Core Components of Montessori

Practical Life focuses on exercises and activities that children observe in daily life. These activities develop children’s independence, concentration, and fine motor skills. Typical practical life activities involve transferring, food preparation, lessons in grace and courtesy, and cleaning.

Sensorial teaches children to refine their senses of sight, touch, sound, smell and taste so that they are able to organize sensory impressions and their understanding of the world. Sensorial prepares children for mathematics, language and geometry by teaching children how to classify and sort.

The Montessori Language component provides children with the knowledge and skills to build their vocabulary and understanding of language. The skills required for reading, writing and oral language are developed through hands-on experience using the Montessori language materials.

Mathematics component teaches children to understand abstract mathematical concepts and relationships through hands-on learning experiences. Children learn to count, identify and match numerals to their quantity, relate decimal quantities and symbols, and become aware of the functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division by using the Montessori materials.

The Cultural component incorporates Geography, Botany, Zoology, Science, History, Music and Art. Through explorations of culture, children develop an understanding of their community, their world, and their social responsibilities. Children learn to respond to diversity with respect, appreciate music and art, and develop awareness of sustainability.

The Prepared Environment

“[A teacher must] conscientiously prepare an environment, placing educational materials about for some clear purpose and introducing the child with great care to the practical work of life” (Montessori, 1956, p. 76