With over 5300 schools in the United States employing the Montessori method, Montessori schools are quickly becoming one of the more popular means of private education in the country. And for good reason, too.
Here are just five of the many benefits of enrolling your child in a Montessori education:
- Learning Based on Development
Unlike other kinds of early education, the preschool Montessori curriculum focuses on a child’s developmental stages. Between the ages of three and five, the curriculum focuses on the key stages of development, moving from muscle movement and language skills, to language. From there, children work on motor skills through activities that are simulating and encourage real-life learning. Finally, five year olds focus on learning through their community, participating in events and field trips that work to broaden their world view.
The Montessori education allows children to become their own teachers, finding their own methods to learn their lessons. Montessori programs facilitate this through small group activity. Small groups enable children to work as a team and learn through real-world exploration, rather than through a dusty old textbook.
Self discipline is an important trait for children and adults alike to posses. But oftentimes, when adults try to impose discipline on children, the opposite effect is rendered. In the case of the Montessori Academy, students are given the responsibility of setting the parameters for their lessons. Namely, they must decide the activities they would like to work on, and how long they should work on them. By doing this based upon the ground rules set by the instructor, they learn to explore education in a way that’s both liberating and organized, which is the best kind of self discipline around.
The Montessori education allows children to explore what knowledge means to them, while still under the careful guidance and instruction of a professional Montessori educator. Rather than have the children think in a cookie cutter fashion, the educators follow the lead of their children, making for an educational experience for teachers and children alike.
Every child is unique. This is what we love about our children, and forcing them to conform their learning style only stifles their individuality and creativity. The Montessori curriculum caters to children with many different learning styles and levels. That way, no child gets left behind in the process.
