The Montessori School Guide for Parents - How to easily find and evaluate a Montessori Preschool

Top 10 Questions Parents Ask About Montessori

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If you see an authoritative teacher teaching and children merely watching, it probably isn't a real Montessori school. Montessori's tenets was that younger children learn by following the example of older ones.

Consequently you will not find the traditional grade classifications in a Montessori school. Children work at their own pace.

If they need to spend more time on a project, they can do so. They do not have to move at a set pace. Montessori encourages each child to learn at its own speed. Multiage classes encourage respect for others. Multiage classes encourage older children to help younger ones. Learning in a Montessori classroom takes place against a backdrop of community, sharing and respect for others. Shouting, bullying and disrespect for others have no place anywhere in a Montessori school.

Children are taught by example.

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Montessori teachers are paragons of gentleness, patience and kindness. The multiage classroom fosters respect and positive behavior. It encourages mentoring and leadership. The cement which binds all of Dr. Montessori's work together is the notion that children must make the world a better place when they become adults. World peace was her cherished goal. Montessori maps should be in evidence as children learn from the earliest age that there is a world outside their school walls.

The cultural component in the Montessori curriculum is not something which is taught in isolation. It is interwoven with math, science, languages, art and music.

Your child learns to respect and admire the way other cultures and peoples see things. There is never any suggestion that 'our way' is the only way or the best way. Teaching a child to respect every culture equips her to be a caring, concerned global citizen.

Of the approximately 4, Montessori schools in the U. While membership in AMS is no guarantee as to the quality of the education a particular member school offers, it does hold the school accountable to the Society's Code of Ethics and principles of membership which the AMS stands for. Why does your school offer only 5-day programs, even for your youngest students? Also, full-week attendance creates continuity and a stronger sense of community.

With strong connections between and among children and teachers, children feel safe and secure in their school setting. After parents tour our school, they comment about our:. As we all know, the teachers make all the difference at a school. For example, our Toddler lead teachers have attended a Montessori-certified training center and have successfully completed a rigorous training program specifically geared to the Toddler-aged child.

The teachers join our school with an in-depth understanding of child development and Montessori philosophy, as well as mastery of a comprehensive, fully-integrated Montessori curriculum. Our students practice, nurture and fine-tune these same qualities in our school community.

Frequently Asked Questions | The Montessori School of Winston-Salem

Our students are becoming confident collaborators, independent thinkers, knowledgeable about their strengths and weaknesses, intrinsically motivated, and responsible global citizens and embody these qualities when they graduate from our school. Assessments are an integral part of a Montessori setting and are viewed as a means to support continual learning and development. In a Montessori school, assessment is an on-going continuous process that manifests in several ways:.

Montessori knew that observation was key to being able to serve the child. The information gleaned from these observations guide the teacher in preparing and presenting lessons, knowing when to move to the next concept in the sequence or when a child needs additional reinforcement on a current concept.

Conferences are held 3 times a year, the first and last are preceded by comprehensive written progress reports. These tests can also used for diagnostic purposes for individual students and to identify programmatic strengths and areas for development. How well do students transition out of a Montessori setting to a more conventional school?

Students do very well when they transition out of our school. We remain in contact with our alumni to hear about their post-graduation experiences. Alumni believe they possessed the skills - confidence, independence, motivation - to adapt effectively. Since these former students developed self-awareness, were self-directed and took responsibility for their learning while at our school, they were well-prepared and adjusted quickly to their new school setting. As with all transitions, there is an adjustment period and our alumni mention things like: Our students chose a variety of different school settings after graduation.

No matter the school, our graduates excel in their new environments, drawing on their solid academic foundation, intrinsic motivation, ability to adapt and self-confidence.

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Montessori's deep respect for children is reflected in the language she used to describe their exploration and discovery. Some private Montessori schools also administer standardized exams, particularly if they will be required by schools into which their students may transition. Other schools choose not to administer these tests.

An advantage of the Montessori approach—including multi-age classrooms with students of varying abilities and interests—is that it allows each child to work at her own pace. Students whose strengths and interests propel them to higher levels of learning can find intellectual challenge without being separated from their peers. The same is true for students who may need extra guidance and support: For every child has his own unique strengths—it is all a matter of degree.

Private Montessori schools are independently owned and operated, and each sets its own business practices, including the cost of tuition.

Frequently Asked Questions About Montessori

Typically, tuition fees vary from region to region and from school to school. Some private schools offer scholarships for families in need of assistance, and many offer reduced tuition when parents enroll more than one child. There are also more than public Montessori schools in the United States. These include charter schools, some of which enroll students through a random lottery process. Like other public schools, charter schools are tuition-free.

There is a small but growing body of well-designed research comparing Montessori students to those in traditional schools. These suggest that in academic subjects, Montessori students perform as well as or better than their non-Montessori peers. In one study, for example, children who had attended Montessori schools at the preschool and elementary levels earned higher scores in high school on standardized math and science tests.

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