Why Montessori?

Conventional methods of education were developed specifically to prepare large groups of children to enter the workforce, flatten the diversity of the population, and manage groups who could not contribute to the economy. Even today, little thought is given in schools to child development needs, differentiated instruction, or children’s discrete circumstances.

Montessori schools are specifically designed to be developmentally appropriate, individually driven, and flexible depending on the needs of the child that day, week, or month, and to allow each child to move at their own pace. Learning is never a straight line between topics, and children are not ready to learn specific skills according to an adult-prepared timeline, or in perfect harmony with their peers. Kids who need more support with certain skills get that support, and those who are ready to move ahead are able to find the challenges they crave. We do not teach a whole class of children the same lessons at the same time; this is more efficient for the adult tasked with teaching, but it does not serve the children who is learning. No two people grow at the same rate, and it’s our job as educators to make sure that each child’s personal circumstances, personality, and questions are answered by adult expertise and experience.

Combining current research on children’s developmental needs and Maria Montessori’s proven principles, we guide children to develop the emergent skills for success they will need in the future: participation and leadership, problem-solving, creative thinking, perseverance, and focus. Our children always have innovative ideas for how to solve problems, learn new things, and even how to paint, and we respect and support their creativity. We offer the children freedom of choice within limits. A long work period and a multi-year program make sure everyone gets a chance to try everything, and we encourage our children to always be open to new experiences. Teachers provide caring role models and children learn math, reading, and problem-solving; they also learn how to care for each other, be good friends, and learn from people very different from themselves.

Montessori classrooms are organized around a series of principles to ensure the classroom runs peacefully. These rules begin with respect: respect for yourself, respect for others, and respect for the environment. Natural consequences provide some of the boundaries for a calm classroom, but the ground rules, applied to all, support the rest of the considerate, empathetic, and community-oriented students that develop throughout their time at OMS.

When Maria Montessori spoke to the UN in 1951, she said, “Remember that people do not start at the age of twenty, at ten or at six, but at birth.” This is true for their academics, their emotions, and for their sense of community and belonging. What children learn from the beginning of their life continues to provide understanding throughout the rest of their days. Just as children inherently value inclusion, empathy, and community, so do we, and we strive to incorporate those values into all our lives.