What is Montessori

In a Montessori classroom children are given the freedom to follow their interests, to go deep into a topic that piques their curiosity, and learn at their own pace. Montessori education is based on the idea that children have a natural instinct and internal motivation to learn. Because there are no grades and no tests, a child can can dive into the curriculum without the fear of failure.

These children, who are allowed to learn from mistakes rather than being punished for mistakes, become teenagers and adults who aren’t afraid to try, to innovate, to imagine, and to change the world.

Visitors to an Arbor classroom are impressed by the advanced work, concentration, joy, and freedom they witness in the children. Since the teacher is engaged with only one or a small portion of the children at a time, we're usually asked, “how do the children know what to do?”

5 Key Montessori Principles

From its humble beginnings to the present day, the Montessori method of education has spread throughout the world. Maria Montessori’s progressive view of children is still relevant today. Here are five principles to know about Montessori as you embark on your own learning journey with your child.

Follow the Child

Every child is unique. Where one student masters a material easily, another may struggle. Montessori celebrates the individual by following a child-focused curriculum. Every Arbor teacher believes learning is a natural process. They guide the child’s interactions with the world around them by introducing developmentally appropriate activities that interest the child. Then, the child is given the opportunity to explore these activities at their own pace in order to gain a deeper understanding.

In a Montessori classroom, children are free to follow their interests, deeply explore a topic, and learn at their own pace. Children who are allowed to learn from mistakes, who aren’t punished for mistakes, grow into adults who aren’t afraid to try, innovate, imagine, and change the world.

Planes of Development

Children of different ages have different needs and abilities. In Montessori settings, you will hear these developmental stages referred to as planes. Our teachers make sure our classrooms are always prepared with developmentally appropriate activities and expectations according to a child’s needs at that age level. As a parent, by learning the needs of the child at each plane of development, you can assist in your child’s growth at home.

Prepared Environment

A defining aspect of Montessori is the “prepared environment.” Teachers set up the classroom to include beautiful materials, rich cultural experiences, and orderly spaces that are purposefully chosen to support the developmental needs of the children. In most Montessori classrooms, you’ll find materials in baskets, trays, or boxes arranged on shelves for easy access. Each material in the classroom is designed to teach a specific concept.

At higher grade levels the materials may not look the same, but teachers are still working to establish a sense of order in the classroom. Consistent routines help build confidence. Adolescents are naturally chaotic, and the goal of the teachers is to help each student facilitate order in their personal space.

Prepared environments at all levels allow for independence, exploration, and experimentation all within the limits established by the teacher to keep the children physically and emotionally safe. A Montessori classroom exists to encourage students to be active participants in their own education.

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Peace Education

Frequently Asked Questions About Montessori Education

The number of Montessori schools in the U.S. continues to grow. Key Montessori ideas are also being integrated into many public schools and universities. Along with growing interest and acceptance, there are questions and even some misconceptions about Montessori education. Here are some of the questions we hear most often.

Isn't Montessori just for preschool aged children?

Montessori schools are usually best known for their programs with young children, but Montessori programs have been designed to support and educate students from infancy to high school. At Arbor Montessori School, students experience a daily joy in learning that they never outgrow. They undertake ambitious studies of their own initiative, show immense pride at the completion of a new task or project, and ask eagerly to be tested on what they have learned. This love of learning follows them through life, leading them to meaningful educational paths and careers.

Are Montessori students free to do what they want in the classroom? How do you ensure a well-rounded education?

Where are all the desks? Where do Montessori teachers stand and teach?

The arrangement of a Montessori classroom mirrors the method’s differences from traditional education. Instead of putting the teacher at the focal point of the class, every classroom is designed with a child-centered approach. Children work at tables or on floor mats where they can spread out their materials, and the teacher circulates through the room, giving presentations and providing support to resolve issues as they arise.

Are Montessori schools as academically rigorous as other schools?

If you don't give grades, how do you measure academic performance?

Parents of children at all levels meet at least twice a year in conference with their children’s teachers to learn more about classroom work and behavior. Classroom teachers in all levels keep extensive records of presentations given and work practiced, and also offer the benefit of their individualized observations of the child’s work in the classroom. In the Adolescent Program, the student and their advisory teacher work together to track and present their mastery in subjects directly to their parents.

Is it true there is no homework at Montessori schools?

At Arbor, education is experiential and hands-on. Children work with specially designed materials in the classroom before learning abstract pencil-and-paper methods. As students grow into elementary and middle school, written resources make more and more appearances in the form of novels or reference books. Students do their own research instead of relying on a single textbook’s descriptions. Homework shows a similar progression, from none at the Primary or Elementary classrooms, and increasing as a student's ability and maturity warrant during their middle school years.

How do sports and extracurriculars factor into Montessori education?

How do Montessori graduates perform after they graduate?

The world of modern education and business favors creative thinkers who combine personal initiative and strong collaborative skills. These are exactly the characteristics a Montessori education nurtures. Cultural icons from Julia Child to the founders of Google have spoken about how their childhood experiences in Montessori gave them not only the ability to work cooperatively in existing settings, but also the skills of confidence, integrity, creativity, and perseverance to innovate and break new ground.

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