Is it true that Montessori students are free to do whatever they want, and at their own pace?
Ans: Dr. Maria Montessori observed that children are more motivated to learn when working on something of their own choosing, and at their own unique pace.
A Montessori student may choose her focus of learning on any given day, but her decision is limited by the materials and activities—in each area of the curriculum—that her teacher has prepared and presented to her.
At the Elementary level, students typically set learning goals and create personal work plans under their teacher’s guidance.
Why do Montessori teachers encourage my young child to be independent?
Ans: Helping a child develop independence and self-sufficiency is a hallmark of Montessori programs.
Children who are independent and make self-directed choices develop
self-confidence and experience pride when they accomplish their goals.
In the Montessori classroom, young children are supported to become
autonomous in caring for their personal needs and in taking care of
their classroom environment. Children are given freedom of movement and
choice over their activities in the classroom and are encouraged and
supported to “do it for themselves.”
Montessori students are self-confident learners who believe in their own abilities to accomplish a task.
This confidence and self-reliance sets the stage for all future learning.
How many students are typically in a Montessori class?
Ans: Montessori values the lessons of community that can happen when the size of the class is somewhat larger.
A larger, multi-age class can encourage students to rely on themselves and their peers as resources, rather than going directly to a teacher for support first.
Montessori classes at the Early Childhood level and above might include 20 – 30 students whose ages span 3 years. All members of the community benefit from this configuration.
Older students are proud to act as role models; younger ones feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead. And all children develop their independence as they problem solve with their peers within their classroom community.
Classes for toddlers are smaller, with typically 10 – 15 children.
Often the teacher-to-child ratio for this youngest age group is set by state licensing standards.
What Is So Special About the Montessori Classroom?
Ans: The main elements that distinguish it from other traditional classrooms:
· All equipment is accessible to your child and is always available to the child.
· Your child has freedom of movement both indoors and out as well as a choice of what to do for much of the day.
· Your child will have personal responsibility for their work; this requires an awareness of the
needs of others, avoiding dangerous or hurtful actions, keeping the equipment and
resources tidy, putting things away after using them, being good role models for
younger children, developing a true social awareness.
· Beauty and Harmony: This aspect is too often ignored by those who focus too much
on the content of learning. Montessori felt strongly that the environment must be
aesthetically pleasing to encourage learning and concentration. Too many displays
can distract children if they are not properly related to their interests. It reflects
the manner in which the Montessori classroom is calm and activities are self-directed.
· Multi-aged classrooms: Children are grouped in multi-age groups spanning two to
three years. Multi-age classrooms serve to: encourage cooperation, minimize competition,
provide opportunities for indirect learning for younger students as they observe older
peers, foster self-confidence in students who serve as role models, and provide long-term child/adult relationships.
· Educational materials are concrete to aid the child to learn order, to discriminate
physical dimensions, provide opportunities to teach responsibility, coordination, and
interdependence, and to indirectly prepare for complex abstract concepts. Each child
initially responds to an inner urge to develop both knowledge and build identity
through a spontaneous activity that charts the course for individualized lessons.
