philosophy
Why Montessori?
Increasingly, the world of modern education and business favors creative thinkers who combine personal initiative with strong collaborative skills: exactly the characteristics which Montessori education nurtures. Cultural movers and shakers from Julia Child to the founders of Google have openly spoken of how their childhood experiences in Montessori gave them not only the ability to work cooperatively in complex settings, but also the skills of confidence, creativity and communication needed to make innovative and ground-breaking changes.
A typical parent concern is…."What Happens When Children Leaves Montessori"? The answer: Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in-groups. Since they have been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem solvers who can make choices and manage their time well. They have been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others and good communication skills ease the way in new settings. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop good self-images and the confidence to face challenges and change optimism.
Philosophy
Montessori is an educational method created in the early 1900's by an Italian physician, psychologist and educator, Dr. Maria Montessori. The Montessori Method is often described as an "Education for Life". Dr. Montessori felt the goal of childhood education should not be to fill the child with facts from a pre-selected course of studies, but rather to cultivate his or her own natural desire to learn. In a scientifically prepared environment (one that is designed to cultivate the child's own natural curiosity and love for knowledge), the child will choose activities, from the varied and rich stimuli present, that will spontaneously get them involved and concentrated in order to solve and achieve specific tasks. Children have a sense of worth and value of what they do, and mistakes are treated as learning opportunities.
