What is Montessori?
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori, born in 1870, made history as Italy’s first female medical doctor before revolutionizing education. Her profound insights into childhood learning led to the development of the Montessori Method, emphasizing hands-on activities for intellectual growth. Central to her philosophy was creating nurturing environments fostering children’s potential through freedom and structured guidance. Montessori educators follow principles valuing childhood, respecting each child’s uniqueness, nurturing independence, and providing varied, hands-on materials in a prepared setting. Children learn at their own pace in multi-age groups, supported by attentive observation and recent advancements in early education and neuroscience. This holistic approach ensures that Montessori environments uphold Maria Montessori’s principles while integrating contemporary educational insights.
Classrooms that include children of different ages.
Our multi-age classroom is fundamental to our school as it gives our children many unique learning opportunities. Younger children naturally learn by emulating children who are older than themselves, and the Montessori classroom takes advantage of it. Younger children watch their older peers model how to participate in the classroom learning activities, how to engage with the teacher and their peers, and how to move from one activity to the next.
The older children also benefit from the multi-age classroom. They get an opportunity to practice their leadership skills and develop empathy as they help younger students learn. Older students get the opportunity to act as mentors and reinforce their own learning as they help the younger children gain skills.
Emphasizing responsibility and self-discipline
When a child takes part in learner-centred education, they discover their own path to learning (with guidance from their teachers.) This helps children learn about responsibility: they need to learn how to work within the framework and schedule of the classroom, for instance, and how to use their time constructively. They even learn to take responsibility for helping younger children in the classroom who may be struggling with a concept they themselves have already mastered.
Another aspect of responsibility is self-discipline. Children naturally want to feel that they belong in a group. They want to have friends at school, and they want to do well academically. No child wants to fail. When a child knows they are responsible for their own behaviour and their own success in learning, they feel more motivated to regulate their own behaviour.
A curriculum that emphasizes independence.
The traditional learning model says to children, “Do what you’re told when you’re told to do it.” Then after twelve years, the expectation is that children will become successful, independent adults. That doesn’t make sense. Independence, like every other aspect of adult life, is learned little by little in growing increments, with each learning milestone supporting the successful development of the next.
In a Montessori preschool, children learn how to be self-directed. They choose the activities that most appeal to them and they are free to explore these activities at their own pace. Sometimes they make mistakes, but that is the beauty of independence. Children have the ability to learn in a relatively risk-free environment and to grow from their mistakes. As a result, this freedom and sense of responsibility helps children feel supported and empowers them to become creative and independent adults.
Prepared environment
During a “work cycle” at BUCCLEUCH MONTESSORI, children independently choose learning activities to pursue. They are given an uninterrupted period of time to complete that activity and return materials to their proper place. The Montessori work cycle teaches children to focus their attention and learn how to complete a task with minimal help. As a result, children feel a sense of accomplishment with each work cycle they successfully complete.
A teacher who guides rather than directs
In our Montessori classroom, you will not see a teacher at the front of the classroom lecturing, rather you will see them giving each child one-on-one lessons. The focus is on the students, not the teacher. Educators are not there to provide students with information they must memorize. Instead, the teacher’s guide and support children as they pursue learning on their own.
Parents who understand and support the learning process, and who are involved in their child’s education.
At BUCCLEUCH MONTESSORI, our parents are recognized as valuable partners in their children’s’ education. We know that parent involvement is key to a child’s success. As a result, we create opportunities to encourage parents to come into the classroom and observe their children working.
An atmosphere of mutual respect.
Our teachers understand that each child has an innate desire to learn when given the opportunity. Children at BUCCLEUCH MONTESSORI respect their teachers and their peers. They come to understand that everyone—educators and students alike—are part of a community that supports each other while they learn together.