How is Montessori different to other schools?
Montessori education is the world’s only scientifically developed pedagogy. It’s also the most widely delivered education system in the world.
There are two key values: every child is treated as an individual, and their education encompasses every aspect of their development.
Developed by Dr Maria Montessori in the early 1900s, Montessori key ideas of independence, innovation and a love of learning are more relevant in today’s fast-moving world than ever.
You can find out more about how montessori looks at our kura on our blog
Choosing a Montessori education for your child means that you are choosing a scientific method of teaching that focuses on the child, where children learn about themselves through self-correcting; and where ‘work’ is a purposeful, self-chosen activity.
Montessori School
- Multi-age classroom: often working with other children that are 2-5 years different in age
- Self-paced instruction: students choose their own activities and work at their own pace
- Curriculum varies based on the child’s unique interests and pace of learning and is underpinned by Montessori Cosmic education.
- Teachers serve as guides that follow the student and build relationships with the children
- Learning is completed through self-correction and the students’ desire for improvement
- Freedom within limits. Children are given as much freedom as they can independently handle. We believe in natural logical consequences.
- There is time for the child to pursue discoveries and individual ideas.
- Focuses on the whole child, spiritual, emotional, physical and mental development with an aim of help the child be an independent self aware individual.
- Single age classrooms: children usually work with children the same age as them
- Teacher-paced instruction: curriculum is often set and the pace of learning and daily structure determined by the teacher
- One-size-fits all curriculum remains the same for each student
- Teachers serve as the authority figure
- Learning is motivated based on a punishment and reward system (In New Zealand schools this is often PB4L a behaviourist based system favoured by the Ministry of Education)
- Boundaries and schedules that structure where students move, what time of day they do a certain activity and when they speak.
- Teacher’s guidance limits what topics can be pursued and when
- Focuses on predetermined sequences of cognitive development, along with an emphasis on social development
“To have a vision of the cosmic plan, in which every form of life depends on directed movements which have effects beyond their conscious aim, is to understand the child’s work and be able to guide it better. ”
Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p.15
“There is a vital force in every human being which leads them to make ever greater efforts for the realisation of individual potentialities. Our tendency is to realise them. Joy and interest will come when we can realise the potentialities that are within us. ”
Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lectures.
“It is not enough to provide material for the child to work in school. He demands to go out into the world. Besides material, the school should provide also guides so that the child can go and find the material for himself. We have provided schools and material; they are not enough, he requires exploring the physical world and society.”
Maria Montessori, Citizen of the World.