Montessori Education
"The goal of early childhood education should be to activate
the child's own natural desire to learn."
-Maria Montessori
What is Montessori Education?
Montessori education is based on a child's natural interest in exploring their world; it is personalized and student-centered. Specifically designed learning materials and lessons in a uniquely prepared classroom environment stimulate all of the child's senses and foster a joy in learning. Montessori educators are trained to serve as guides for their students as they continually assess and enrich each child's learning journey.
Dr. Maria Montessori
founder of Montessori education
Dr. Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator. Her training in psychiatry led her to study the developing mind. After lengthy study and observation, she concluded that children learn best when they are active in their learning, free to explore and to choose what interests them in a stimulating, specifically prepared and developmentally appropriate environment. Her educational system grew out of this extensive time spent with young learners as they absorbed new material and mastered various skills. She also believed in educating the "whole child" -- intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually -- while allowing the child to learn at their own individual pace.
Montessori education fosters a joy in discovery, creativity, a love of learning, positive social and emotional skills, and conflict resolution strategies. Dr. Montessori's child-centered approach to learning that began in Rome in 1907 continues to prove its relevance today as measured in recent studies, demonstrating its long-lasting impact on learners from preschool through high school.
