"Within the child lies

the fate of the

future. Whoever

wishes to confer

some benefit on

society must

preserve him from

deviations and

observe his natural

ways of acting.

A child is mysterious

and powerful and

contains within

himself the secret

of human nature."

- Dr. Maria Montessori,
The Secret of Childhood

A traditional Montessori classroom has low shelves, child sized tables and chairs, a book corner, a child sized sink, an easel, and plenty of plants and beautiful artwork. The shelves will have a variety of trays and containers, each holding a unique activity. These activities are designed to enable the child to learn certain concepts such as letter sounds and recognition, science concepts, counting and number recognition, and a variety of tasks that will refine the senses and build muscles necessary for reading and writing. Children may be moving throughout the room, sitting alone at a table focused on a task, working in groups at small rugs on the floor, or eating a snack they have prepared at a table for two. One teacher may be sitting on the floor with a small group while the other teacher is free to interact as needed.

You would see these things at any good school using developmentally-appropriate practices where children are encouraged to explore and manipulate and where each child is dealt with as an individual. In a Montessori school, however, there is an underlying philosophy that includes these basic principles:

• Children must be respected as different from adults and as individuals who differ from each other; therefore, they need an individualized approach to education.

• Children have sensitive periods for certain types of learning, and actively construct their knowledge of the world; manipulation, exploration, and movement are essential to this process.

• In an environment especially designed for this task, children are free to learn through sensori-motor education. The "prepared environment" guarantees exposure to materials and experiences which develop intelligence, as well as physical, social-emotional, and language abilities.

For more information-

Helpful Links          Choosing a Montessori School

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