Frequently Asked Questions

A key difference is that Montessori education instills in children a lifelong love of learning. Rather than having a teacher impart his/her knowledge to an entire class of students all seated at desks, Montessori children learn at their own individual pace and are free to move about the classroom from one activity to another. For children under the age of six, the classroom is designed so that everything students need to complete their work is within their reach. This fosters independence and builds confidence. Work choices are carefully prepared to be engaging and to foster the child’s capacity for deep concentration. Concepts are taught through the use of hands-on, concrete materials. Through freedom of choice and purposeful work, the child experiences a sense of contentment that comes from within rather than from extrinsic rewards. From the ages of 6-12, Elementary children are eager to learn about the world around them, and frequent field trips become woven into the Montessori curriculum. Through the use of materials during the Elementary years, students acquire a deeper understanding of concepts and make the leap to abstraction at their own pace. At this level, expectations increase and children learn how to balance their time and are held accountable for getting their daily work completed. This is the age when students learn how to use research to further their knowledge. Rather than being spoon-fed information, students are encouraged and expected to turn to available materials and resources in the classroom. This approach is firmly rooted in learning through discovery, which ultimately leads to greater retention and understanding. Middle school students work collaboratively on the land incorporating not only scientific studies, but also drawing upon all areas of the curriculum while researching projects and seeing them through to fruition. At the middle school level, students learn essential time management skills that set our students up for a successful transition to high school, college, and the years beyond. Throughout all levels in Montessori education, emphasis is placed on grace and courtesy lessons and ample opportunities are given for students to practice these skills with gentle guidance from teachers. Also at all levels, conflict resolution and peace lessons are given on a regular basis. Rather than separating students who are having a disagreement, children are taught the skills needed to peacefully resolve their differences. This is a hallmark of Montessori and differs greatly from traditional educational methods. 

Multi-age classrooms afford us the luxury of adapting the curriculum to the individual child. Each child can work at his or her own pace while remaining in the community with his or her peers. Children also learn by watching other children and gain a sense of what’s in store for them as they progress through the materials. One of the most important aspects of the multi-age classroom is the empowering experience the oldest children gain by acting as classroom leaders throughout their 3rd year. 

Montessori is designed to help all children reach their fullest potential at their own unique pace. A classroom whose children have varying abilities is a community in which everyone learns from one another and everyone contributes. Moreover, multi-age grouping allows each child to find his or her own pace without feeling “ahead” or “behind” in relation to peers.

No. Montessori educates children without reference to a religious denomination. As a result, our classrooms are extremely diverse, with representation from all peoples, cultures, and religions.

Montessori is not a franchise. The term Montessori is not trademarked and anyone, regardless of training, experience or affiliation can open a “Montessori” school. It is essential that parents researching Montessori act as good consumers to ensure the authenticity of their chosen program.

Dr. Maria Montessori wanted to be certain that teachers were trained correctly in the Montessori method, and to ensure that Montessori classrooms would have a complete set of authentic materials for use by the children. Today, there are multiple organizations that carry on her work by overseeing Montessori schools worldwide ensuring that accredited schools continue to uphold Montessori’s high standards. Our school is a member of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and we are currently in the self-study phase of the accreditation process by the International Montessori Council (IMC), a professional membership organization serving Montessori schools worldwide. 

Montessori schools may be best known for their programs for young children, but Dr. Maria Montessori founded a revolutionary educational method that educates the whole child - a holistic approach that meets the needs of children as they progress throughout their planes of development from toddler through adolescence. Montessori schools worldwide still find that this approach sets children up for success in their future endeavors. 

Montessori children are free to choose within limits, and have only as much freedom as they can handle with appropriate responsibility. The classroom teachers ensure that children do not interfere with each other during work time, and that each child is progressing at his/her appropriate pace in all areas of the curriculum. 

In a Montessori classroom, children work at tables or on floor mats where they can spread out their materials, while the teachers circulate about the room giving lessons or resolving issues as they arise. Rather than having the teacher as the focal point of the class, with children completely dependent on her for direction, a Montessori classroom hums with constant activity as the children independently go about their work. They are active in their learning pursuits instead of passively being given information and instructions. This approach instills a love of learning in children that often wanes in traditional education. The success of our students is evident in the experiences of our alumni, who are well equipped to successfully compete with traditionally educated students in a variety of high schools and universities. 

Yes. Montessori classrooms encourage deep learning of the concepts behind academic skills rather than rote practice of abstract techniques. The success of our students appears in the experiences of our alumni, who compete successfully with traditionally educated students in a variety of high schools and universities.

Because Montessori students have been given freedom of choice within limits, they are self disciplined and self motivated rather than waiting for extrinsic rewards. Students are accustomed to making their own decisions and have learned from the natural consequences that have resulted from those decisions. This leads Montessori students to not be afraid of failure. Mistakes are instead viewed as learning opportunities where students can think critically about how they can make adjustments and try again in the hopes of achieving the desired result. Through these experiences, students become aware of their own strengths and learn to manage their own shortcomings all while feeling confident in their overall ability to succeed. A Montessori educated child grows up to be very well prepared to take his/her place as a global citizen ready to better our world.