Education Spotlight
Montessori: A Process of Discovery
by Lauren Piscitelle

Choosing the right school for your child is the first step on what will be an amazing education journey. Parents usually consider the following when selecting a school: the child’s needs and learning styles, the school curricula and philosophy, the classroom environment, the teacher-to-student ratio, the cost and the location. Parents may also consider the specific type of program that the school has to offer. For example, private, public, religious, non-religious, International Baccalaureate or Montessori.

Some readers who might be misinformed or intimidated, might be ready to turn the page because I wrote the word “Montessori.” These readers could be unsure of the term because they have heard the myths about this educational philosophy.

For a long time there has been a misconception about Montessori — and by long time, I mean 100 years! Many parents have preconceived notions that Montessori is structureless, a religion, and extremely costly. These ideas are far from the truth. A Montessori school can be either a public or private school and have a religious affiliation, but Montessori is not an actual religion.

There has actually been an increased interest in this educational program in recent years, thus more Montessori schools have been established. According to the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association, there are over 4,000 Montessori schools in the United States and 7,000 worldwide. Also, nearly 200 public schools in the United States and Canada offer a Montessori program.

The Connecticut Connection

Two years ago, Montessori schools around the world celebrated 100 years of Montessori. It was in 1907 that Dr. Maria Montessori founded the program in the slums of Rome. She based her educational methods on scientific observation of children’s learning processes. Guided by her discovery that children teach themselves, Dr. Montessori designed a “prepared environment” in which children could freely choose from a number of developmentally appropriate activities. She had hoped to reach children labeled “deficient and insane” by combining sensory-rich environments and hands-on experiential techniques.

Montessori eventually became a worldwide method of education, with close ties to Connecticut. In 1958, Whitby School in Greenwich became the first Montessori school in the United States. Two years later in 1960, parent and teacher Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch founded the American Montessori Society, at Whitby School, to meet an overwhelming public demand for more information on Montessori education.

As a result of this demand, Connecticut is currently home to more than 30 Montessori schools that are available for children ages 15 months through eighth grade.

A Love of Education

The difference between Montessori education and other programs is that Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching or reading. Children learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities selected from hundreds of possibilities.

“‘Follow the child’ is Maria Montessori’s mantra,” says Carol Ingber, head of school at Montessori Community School at Brookfield. Ingber finds that children do what interests them in order to get a love of education.

Marci Martindale, head of school at Children’s Tree Montessori in Old Saybrook, says, “We look at each individual. This allows them to develop individually instead of as a group.” Martindale gave the example that if a child wants to draw every day, she will. A teacher will, however, introduce the child to new mediums and techniques.

Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation and self-discipline. “We inspire them to learn and to teach them how to teach themselves,” says Ingber.

Alberta Freeman, director and head teacher at Freeman’s Montessori School in South Glastonbury follows the same belief. “Our Montessori classroom is structured in a way that children choose their own learning,” she says. “They are provided with consistent boundaries and take responsibility for their work area. Children learn in a prepared environment using self-correcting equipment. They are able to construct a sense of self in a way that is unique only for them.”

Freeman also says that, “Our main goal is for children to develop a lifelong love of learning and be happy and confident in their school environment.”

This is a goal for all Montessori programs. In order to develop this feeling for education, Montessori classes place children in three-year age groups (3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and so on). In most schools, these age groups are called primary, lower school and upper/middle school. This structure forms communities in which the older children share their knowledge with the younger ones.

In primary, children are exposed to the idea of practical life, sensorial, language, mathematics and culture and geography.

Freeman’s Montessori School is a primary Montessori program for children ages 2.9-5 years. “We begin the day in a structured atmosphere where we gather for morning meetings,” says Freeman. “Children choose their own work from one of the three main areas: materials that develop fine motor skills, sensorial and language. Teachers are present to guide students in their work.”

According to Ingber, students are fine tuning their senses and learning basic preschool living skills. “Maria Montessori referred to it as ‘grace and courtesy.’ How to be polite, how to interrupt, and how to work around compliments and patience,” she says.

In the elementary school, children are learning science exploration, the arts, language arts, social sciences and mathematics. Students should be taking part in discussions with multiple perspectives and differing viewpoints. At the same time, they’re learning about respect for each other.

The Montessori curriculum may seem to be set in stone, but as the world begins to grow and change, so will the curriculum for educational institutions. Instead of changing the Montessori curriculum, new learning opportunities are added.

At The Montessori Community School at Brookfield, they recently added Spanish and Music Together to their curriculum. Students learn Spanish three days a week, and Music Together teachers provide children with the basic musical skills needed to enjoy school and social musical activities. Ingber emphasizes that, “If there is anything revolutionary, we incorporate it in with what we do.”

The Children’s Tree Montessori, brings the upper elementary students to New York City for a week. During this trip, they visit the United Nations and become delegates to a country, learning about speech writing and negotiation. “They become little lobbyists,” exclaims Martindale.

Freeman’s Montessori School has recently incorporated a multi-cultural unit that includes sign language, Spanish and other world languages and traditions.

The Whitby School is currently a candidate for the International Baccalaureate (IB) accreditation. The IB programs develop in students the intellectual, emotional and social skills needed to learn, live and succeed in a rapidly globalizing world. Barbara Brent, assistant head for children’s house, believes that the IB philosophy and the Montessori philosophy are very compatible and will make a strong education program. The Whitby School is also researching Montessori high school options.

As you can tell from the above, not all Montessori schools are the same. Many schools follow Maria Montessori’s ideas, but choose to add new techniques that will help students become lifelong learners.

In determining which school is the best match for your child, you must first trust your gut instincts, observations and experiences. The Montessori Foundation says that the school that one parent might rave about could be completely wrong for another, while it might be a perfect match for a third. “It’s calm, involving and aesthetically pleasing,” Martindale says about a Montessori classroom environment. “On the craziest day, we could have visitors observing and the parents will tell me that the students are calm.”

One thing you won’t find at a Montessori school is overcrowded classrooms. “Once you get too large, you begin to lose quality,” says Ingber. Elementary classes are usually made up of 25-30 students, led by two teachers or one teacher and an assistant. Primary classes have fewer students.

Determining if Montessori is a good fit for your child’s needs and learning styles should be easy because any child can be a successful learner.

“Children are curious risk takers and self-motivated,” says Brent. “They are motivated and eager to learn.” Brent also believes that children are “empowered” to learn and to read, and eventually they become leaders.

According to the Montessori Foundation’s Finding the Right School, Montessori is “carefully structured to provide learning opportunities for children.” Children with different personalities, temperaments and learning styles, who come from different backgrounds, are all successful in their own way.

If you are worried about the transition from Montessori to public or private school, don’t be. Freeman explains that, “Students adapt to new situations with ease. As with any change, the child’s academic, emotional and social needs should be supported with enthusiasm and optimism.”

Ingber says, “Parents don’t give kids enough credit. When they leave, they are confident little creatures, full of self-esteem and are successful.”

“My best customer is an educated parent,” she admits. “We are the beginning of education. The more positively parents speak to children about school transition is best.”

As for the future of your child, Dr. Maria Montessori said it best, “The child is endowed with an inner power that can guide us to a more luminous future. Education should no longer be mostly imparting of knowledge but must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentialities.”