Traditions & Culture
Montessori emphasizes independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural development. It was developed by the physician and educator Maria Montessori.
One of the most valued and unique facets of Montessori education is cultural competence and developing respect for all cultures around the globe.
Free Choice
Learning and well-being are improved when children have a sense of control over their lives. Although Montessori programs impose definite limits on this freedom, children are free to make many more decisions than are children in traditional classrooms: what to work on, how long to work on it, with whom to work on it, and so on.
In traditional classrooms the teacher takes the active role where as the child takes the passive role. In a Montessori classroom, the teachers stress the importance of children taking an active role in their learning. The children are able to move freely about the classroom, respectfully explore the prepared environment, and use the teacher as a guide.
Celebrations
Children in a Montessori classroom embrace celebrations of the seasons in a cross-curricular, more involved, and less commercially obtrusive way.
In the weeks prior to a holiday of importance, the Practical Life shelves may reflect the colors and symbols of the season in the pouring, sorting, or transferring works. The Language area and circle time activities will most certainly incorporate stories and songs related to the seasonal celebrations. Math works may use counting items that correlate with holiday themes. Art supplies change to stimulate the children’s unique artistic expression using materials inspired by the time of year.
Mixed-Age Classrooms
Most traditional schools have one age group for each class. On the contrary, Montessori schools consist of children of various ages in the classroom. Montessori proposed that having a three-year span of age grouping allows the teacher, students, and parents to develop supportive, collaborative, trusting relationships, and help build a community.
Children in Montessori classrooms learn by imitation models, through peer tutoring, and in collaboration. In mixed age classes, younger children learn from older ones by asking them questions while watching them work. Older children who are teaching younger children repeat and consolidate their knowledge and skills and obtain social skills.
Grace, Courtesy, & Conflict Resolution
Grace, courtesy, and conflict resolution are important aspects of of a student development.
Conflicts are opprtunities for teachers to guide students towards displays of manners and problem solving. This helps teach children appropriate social skills at a time when they can truly internalize the information.
Materials & Curriculum
Montessori’s perfectly well-crafted materials allows for each child to work and learn at their own pace. The child’s learning pace is internally determined rather than externally. This means the child determines when they are ready to move on, instead of the teacher.
The materials were designed in an important, sequential order. The materials break activities into a series of organized steps and once a child has mastered one material they will move on to the next. The core curriculum of a Montessori classroom is separated into four main areas, Sensorial, Practical life, Language, and Mathematics. Along with these four areas, there are cultural subjects such as geography, botany, geology, zoology, other sciences, and history. These areas help to develop the whole child, and set them apart from other children.
