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What Is Montessori?

Montessori is a hands-on way of teaching through the use of learning materials that can be manipulated in the hands of children. The intention of these materials is not to keep children dependent on them. They are used as tools to help students learn. Children need to experience concepts in concrete ways before they can think abstractly about the concept.

Montessori classrooms are divided into specific areas or disciplines of the curriculum: practical life, sensorial, language, and math. Other areas include science, geography, art and music. The Montessori curriculum ties these disciplines together in an integrated approach. Lessons lead to many other lessons as students develop.

Montessori Classroom
Montessori Curriculum
Montessori Myths & Misconceptions
Lessons
Materials
Maria Montessori

Montessori Classroom

Every authentic Montessori classroom is filled with attractive learning materials and beautiful furniture. The learning materials within a classroom are purchased through Montessori vendors that have followed Maria Montessori’s guidelines in their formations. Many materials are constructed from wood, glass, metal, wicker, nylon, and other “real” material. Learning materials have a particular color and/or shape as to better ingrain a concept within the child’s mind. Teachers also create many learning materials to fit a particular concept being taught.

Furniture at Messiah Montessori School is purchased through a Montessori vendor that has been supplying the highest quality of wooden tables and chairs all over the world for countless years. Tables and chairs are not only sturdy and comfortable; they are sized for the ages of children within the classroom. The many shelves within the classroom are hand-made to fit the learning materials.

The walls in a Montessori classroom are simply decorated with children's artwork and a few various framed works of art. Brightly colored and busy bulletin boards are distracting and over-stimulating for a calm classroom. You will find artwork and pictures hung at the children's eye level.

Every classroom contains a child sized bathroom and at least two child sized sinks with drinking fountains. The Montessori classroom is designed with the child in mind, not the adult.

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Montessori Curriculum

Messiah Montessori School uses the American Montessori Society’s version of the Montessori curriculum. Montessori teachers learn these curricula as they are trained through their very specialized teacher training. The Montessori Method builds and bridges upon what the child already knows or already has experience with to what is new or unknown.

Often times the Montessori curriculum is known as a “spiral curriculum” because concepts are constantly being reintroduced but at a higher level of interpretation. The Montessori curriculum not only introduces concepts to children, but challenges each student to explore, analyze and evaluate the concepts taught.

The Montessori curriculum is often compared to the state of Georgia’s learning standards. The Montessori curriculum is so rich and deep that it far exceeds the minimal standards presented in public schools within Georgia. The lessons taught to children in a Montessori can be quite impressive. It is exciting to explain that our 3 year olds are learning 4 digit place value, but is much more exciting to know that the 3 year olds are truly grasping the concept, not merely reciting words. Montessori children gain a fantastic foundation that is well grounded and will carry them through their future years of schooling. Return to Top

Myths & Misconceptions

Montessori is sometimes thought of as “that place where children do whatever they want.” This is a myth. Children, in a Montessori school, are given many opportunities to make their own choices. Choices come with responsibility and independence. Once a child has been given an initial lesson on a learning apparatus/concept, she is welcome to choose to use that material on her own. The classroom “lessons” and materials are not a “free-for-all” in fact there is a very structured order to them.

Montessori is unstructured. This is a myth. The Montessori curriculum is very structured and orderly. The Montessori teacher and the classroom is quite organized. Because children are taught one-on-one or in small groups, there are many activities going on at the same time. To an outsider this may seem chaotic, but if you really observe, you will soon discover how orderly and structured Montessori really is. Return to Top

Lessons

Every learning apparatus is introduced to a child by the classroom teacher through a one-on-one, individual interaction. The teacher models how to remove the material from its careful placement on a shelf, how to carry the material, and how to use the material. Once the concept has been introduced to the child, the teacher models how to put the material away and return it to its exact place. The child then has the opportunity to use the material at any time he chooses as long as he uses it with care. There are hundreds of lessons available to children in the Montessori classroom Return to Top

Materials

Classroom learning materials are often referred to as “apparatuses, manipulatives, hands-on materials, Montessori materials, equipment.” However, the children simply refer to them as “lessons.” The learning materials are constructed by the highest of quality wood, glass, nylon, wicker, metal, or other material. These materials are obtained by Montessori vendors who specialize in the construction of authentic materials crucial to the Montessori Method. Montessori materials are also often hand-made by the teachers to fit a specific concept or topic being taught and to fit or adapt to particular needs of students.

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Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori (August 31, 1870 – May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician, educator, philosopher, humanitarian and devout Catholic; she is best known for her philosophy and the Montessori method of education of children from birth to adolescence. Her educational method is in use today in a number of public as well as private schools throughout the world (Wikipedia).

Video Link highlighting Maria Montessori.

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