Why Montessori Education?

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School Should Provide Children The ability to learn new things Confidence in themselves, their own individuality A sense of security and community Independence Guidance and understanding limits

Benefits of Montessori Education Individualized education Support to become active seekers of knowledge. Development of concentration and independence. Participation in a close, caring community. Enjoyment of freedom within limits. Self-correction and self-assessment

Montessori EducationTraditional Education Children of different ages are grouped together (3yrs-6yrs classroom) Classrooms are grouped by age (1 st Grade – 6yrs) Emphasis on the childEmphasis on the teacher Focus on individual instruction and mixed age grouping Focus on group instruction and same age grouping Child is free to choose their own (work) materials based on interest and abilities Teacher chooses materials for children based on curriculum structure Child discovers concepts themselves through self-teaching materials Child is guided by teacher with teacher chosen materials and child’s interests are rarely considered Child works as long as they desireChild is generally assigned time frame to do work Materials are designed to provide child feedback, they discover their own errors If work needs to be corrected, errors are pointed out by teacher Multi-sensory materials for physical manipulationFew materials for sensory exploration Organized program for learning self-care and care of environment Self-care and care of environment are primarily left to parents Children work where they choose, move and speak freely in environment Children are assigned a chair to sit still and listen to lessons, with limited movement opportunity Learning process develops cognitive structures and social skills Teaching process focuses on memorization and social skills

Results of Montessori Education Many students who transition to public schools move into advanced classes A respect for others Hands-on experiences Value of education Drive to succeed, see “Notable Montessori Alumni” Life skills beyond the classroom

Notable Montessori Alumni Jeff Bezos, financial analyst, founder of Amazon.com Sergey Brin & Larry Page, co-founders of Google.com Katharine Graham, former owner-editor of the Washington Post Prince William and Prince Harry, English royal family Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize winner for Literature Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia Will Wright, designer of The Sims