Would Montessori Schooling Help Your Child?

The renowned educator Dr. Maria Montessori put her principles into practice more than a hundred years ago; the "Montessori"method has been working for thousands of students since that time. You may see Montessori schools pop up in your neighborhood and wonder whether your own child could benefit from the educational philosophy within those walls. Would Montessori suit your own child? Consider these details.

Montessori Schools Encourage Uninterrupted Work

If your child loses themselves in an activity and hates to be interrupted, traditional school schedules are challenging. Each activity lasts for a short period, and the next activity happens directly afterward. In Montessori settings, activities can take a few hours. This permits a deeper and more substantial interaction with the activity or materials.

Montessori Schools Allow Students to Move

Many schools have desks. Children are typically required to sit there throughout the duration of a class. In Montessori schools, children may sit wherever they like. This gives the feeling of freedom to most children, because they can travel freely as long as they aren't causing a problem. If you've been told that your child has a "hard time sitting still", they may feel comfortable in this setting.

Montessori Schools Focus on Individual Learning Skills

Traditional schools typically feature a teacher at the head of the room delivering a lecture and taking questions from students. Montessori classrooms are set up differently; the individual child is the focus. Children are encouraged to be independent and learn at their own pace, with support from teachers instead of one-way direction.

Montessori Schools Combine Ages

Maria Montessori believed that children could learn best when there is a mix of different ages learning together. Younger children can model the behavior of any older children in the class, and older children could assist with clarifying different issues for younger children. This blended study is sometimes most useful if you have children of different ages and you'd like them to see each other throughout the day. Depending on the age spread, they could even be in the same class.

Montessori Schools De-Emphasize Rote Testing

While the progress of children is monitored throughout the year, there is not as much dependence on routine examinations. This can free your child from the pressure and anxiety related to tests.

Montessori education principles can benefit almost any child. Stop in at some schools and look at how classes are conducted. Talk to staff. You could soon become convinced that this educational style is beneficial for most children.