What is the Montessori Method?

Many parents come to us with basic questions about Montessori. What is it? How is it different from other forms of education? What do children get out of a Montessori education? We offer answers to these questions both as text (readable below) and as videos for those who find videos more compatible with their learning style (also available below).

 

    Children in Montessori education learn how to learn by choosing and making a commitment to understand a particular subject. In the late19th century. Maria Montessori developed this learning method, breaking away from traditional teaching methods.
    The key to the Montessori method is freedom of choice, which liberates a natural learning power that traditional methods often suppress. Children can choose to work independently or with classmates. As children develop proficiencies working autonomously, they begin to accept more and more responsibilities in classroom activities.
    By chartering their own course and learning at their own pace, the children absorb knowledge by observing peers. Younger children learn from older children, and older children learn how to accept leadership roles. The child’s intellectual development is consequently entwined with emotional and social maturation. The Montessori method facilitates a child’s self-reliance and self-discipline while nurturing the growth of empathy within the child.
    The role of the teachers in the Montessori method is to create a friendly, natural atmosphere and link children to the classroom environment. Teachers encourage a child's initiative, support their efforts, and teach them respect for other children and adults in the classroom. The children also learn respect for their environment by assuming responsibility for the materials with which they work in the classroom.

The Montessori Academy of Illinois serves Park Ridge, Niles, Des Plaines, Edison Park, Rosemont, Harwood Heights and Norridge, Illinois. We are a private school (preschool) that is a major step beyond day care, child care and Kindergarten. The Montessori Method is a superior educational program. Contact Montessori Academy of Illinois today.