Montessori

Ancaster Montessori School is family owned and operated by MACTE accredited A.M.I. and A.M.S. certified teachers. For more information about Montessori Schools:
www.macte.org
(Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education)
www.amshq.org
(American Montessori Society)
www.montessori-ami.org
(Association Montessori Internationale)

1. Natural Tendencies of the Child

The Montessori approach simply creates an environment prepared to bring out the best that occurs naturally within every child. Dr. Montessori discovered how to create this environment through detailed scientific observations of many children over many years. Every day in authentic Montessori classrooms throughout the world, Montessori students tend to be motivated, compassionate, responsible, confident children who enjoy learning.

Motivation

In the prepared environment of a Montessori classroom, children naturally show an initiative in choosing their own activities, among those that have been selected and demonstrated by the Montessori teacher. They do this in order to satisfy their curiosities. This self-directed learning leads to self-motivation because children are driven to work well with activities they choose independently.

Harmony and Compassion

When children are given the opportunity to concentrate for as long as they like on a challenging self-chosen task, they finish their work feeling refreshed and full of good will toward others.

Responsibility and Self-discipline

Children that are able to move, work and socialize freely naturally create opportunities for learning how to make good decisions. Responsibility and self-discipline develop as a result of their independence in the prepared environment, their work with the materials, their natural motivation for self-development and guidance from the teacher and other classmates.

Confidence

Montessori children work with self-correcting activities that foster independence. This develops self-reliance and a feeling of competence. Their confidence increases as they repeat these activities, building upon successful achievements. This process leads to high self-esteem as children become aware that they can learn by themselves.  

Social Interaction

When children are grouped in mixed ages and abilities in three to six year spans, there is constant interaction, problem solving, child to child teaching and socialization. Children spontaneously share their knowledge with each other.  Daily classes allow children to develop strong friendships with other classmates, as well as develop consistency with routines and progress in their work. Presentations in grace and courtesy are part of Montessori’s Practical Life curriculum. These lessons teach the children how to be polite, kind, gentle, helpful and considerate toward others.

2. Child-Development: The 2 ½ - 6 Year Old

The Sensorial Learner

All of the Montessori materials are designed for exploration through the use of the senses because young children learn through sensorial exploration.

When children use Montessori mathematics materials they are able to hold and touch lengths, widths and numbers from 1-9999. This sensorial experience gives them an understanding of abstract concepts that would otherwise not yet be understood.

The Best Time in Life to Learn

“The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period birth to age six. For that is the time when man’s intelligence itself, his greatest implement is being formed.”
– Maria Montessori

Before the age of seven, language, order, sensory perception and motor coordination can be easily learned to their highest possible potential. Beyond age six this ability gradually diminishes significantly, both in the quantity and in the quality of possible learning. Every activity in the Montessori classroom corresponds to the development of the child in one or more of these areas of learning.

Young children are discovering their individual interests and personal strengths and are developing attitudes about themselves and learning that can last a lifetime. Learning in an exciting environment of discovery leads to positive habits of concentration, motivation and self-discipline. Montessori children develop a positive attitude about themselves and a love of learning.

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