Open Prompt #8: What is Montessori?

Until recently I was not familiar with what a montessori school was or even that there was such a thing.  I stumbled upon this because a family I started nannying for attend a montessori school in Chicago.  Montessori is a method of teaching aiming to fully develop the child, sequentially preparing the child for life's enriching experiences (What is Montessori).  The one really cool thing about this type of schooling is each child has their own schedule.  The one little boy I nanny had to miss two weeks of school to go vacationing with his family but he didn't get behind because in montessori the children are able to learn at their own rate.  Between birth and age six the mind is very absorbent, children are able to unconsciously "learn and assimilate from the world".  They are very responsive to specific external stimuli, montessori teachers recognize and use these early stages of the child's mind to help them learn and recognize new materials and activities (What is Montessori).

This is a type of learning that is fairly new, there are only about 4,000 in the United States and 7,000 worldwide (FAQs).  I would assume it is not something well known by many, but it is definitely becoming more popular--two of the five families I babysit for have children attending montessori schools.  

So now that there is some background info about montessori, here are a few other facts about montessori schools:

• They are individually owned and operated (Facts)
• Dr. Maria Montessori founded montessori schools
• But, she never trademarked the name, so not all montessori schools are legit (Education)
• They are individually owned and operated
• They are multi-aged and teacher-guided, also known as a progressive school (Facts)
• They use sensorial materials to help develop the child's five senses
• The child choses their own work
• It is one of the fastest growing forms of education for young children (More Facts)
• There are no grades

Hopefully you learned something new about schooling, this was definitely new for me.  If you're interested in more info there are many great sources, some of which I have linked throughout the blog, thanks for reading!

"Facts About Montessori." The Montessori School of Chevy Chase Facts About Montessori Comments. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. <http://chevychasemontessori.com/about-montessori/facts-about-montessori/>

"FAQ's." Montessori General, Teachers, Schools. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. <http://www.montessori.edu/FAQ.html>

"What Is Montessori Style Teaching | Montessori Training." What Is Montessori Style Teaching | Montessori Training. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. <http://www.montessoritraining.net/what_is_montessori/overview.htm>

Kennedy, Robert. "The Definition of a Montessori School." Web. 13 Mar. 2015. <http://privateschool.about.com/od/privateschoolfaqs/f/montessori.htm>