Authentic Montessori preschool is a good fit for a wide variety of children, but not every school that bears the name adheres to the Montessori Method. To illustrate what makes Authentic Montessori special, it helps to look at a few of the facets of childhood development that the system is designed to enhance.
The Origins of Montessori
Maria Montessori was one of Italy’s earliest female physicians, and she began developing the Montessori Method in relation to an assignment to educate children with learning disabilities. She opened Casa dei Bambini in 1907, a name that is still used today: The Children’s House.b Focused on the development of all aspects of early childhood, Montessori schools have spread around the world, typically focused on early childhood development.
Hands-On Learning
Montessori uses special learning materials that incorporate movement and choice into other activities. In research, Hands-on activities have been shown to boost learning speed and provide better long-term retention of lessons. And because activity is involved in the learning process, children are also increasing gross and fine motor skills as social skills develop through interaction with other students and teachers.
Multi-Age Classes
The multi-aged classrooms found in authentic Montessori schools were seen as a necessary part of the educational process by Maria Montessori. She saw how the 3-year age spread occurred naturally among children and how it could benefit various aspects of development. These benefits include self-esteem and leadership skills in the oldest children of the class, while younger students are able to learn from the example of their older peers.
Self-Paced and Self-Directed
Through their years in the Montessori environment, your children will learn to choose their own work, correct it, and to essentially take control of their own education in a carefully monitored and guided environment. This encourages the kids to be more proactive in their approach to solving problems, and builds a sense of self=worth as they pursue personal goals.
Montessori education empowers children to learn and interact as they develop physically and mentally. It has been shown to be effective for children at all learning levels, and has special appeal for children possessing certain learning challenges such as autism. Because it adapts to the learning speed and capabilities of the children, it is often a better system than traditional public schools.
