What do Taylor Swift, Google Founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, Julia Child and Jeff Bezos have in common? They were all Montessori educated. As we know, there are many different approaches to educating young children, for example, the High/Scope method establishes personal goals for kids, Bank Street focuses on child-centered education, and the Reggio Emilia approach follows a child’s natural development, and Montessori schools are known for fostering independence and educating the whole child.
When children are given the freedom and support to question and make connections, and take charge of their learning, amazing things happen! Children become confident, enthusiastic students who can think critically and work in a collaborative manner. The American Montessori Association (AMS) lists several ways a Montessori approach to education can help your little one.
Your child is valued as a unique individual-Children are free to learn at their own pace, each advancing as they are ready, with guidance from the teacher and individual learning plans
Montessori nurtures order, concentration, and independence-The environment is set up in such a way that daily routines support self-regulation
Students are part of a close, caring community-A multi-age classroom, creates a family atmosphere. Older children enjoy “mentoring” younger children, while the youngest children among the group feels supported
Montessori students enjoy freedom within limits-Working within the limits set by their teachers and the classroom community, children are active participants in deciding what their focus of learning will be
Students are supported in becoming active seekers of knowledge-Guides create and provide environments that allows for students to have freedom and the necessary tools to answer their own question. This drives curiosity and interest and results in learning that lasts a lifetime!
Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori classroom approach-AMS says as “children mature, students learn to look critically at their work, and become adept at recognizing, correcting, and learning from their errors.”
Montessori supports social-emotional skills-The Montessori method’s effectiveness is supported by contemporary research, which notes that children who are apart ofa Montessori preschool demonstrate enhanced social-emotional skills in many areas than children in more traditional preschools.
Dr. Maria Montessori founded the Method in Italy and many of her ideas were developed while she was working with children with special needs. Casa di Bambina was opened to serve the working-class families in a poor neighborhood of Rome. Montessori schools are defined by the emphasis they place on freedom within limits, independence, and respect for a child’s natural psychological, and social development.
The Montessori approach is a methodology of education that is based on child-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play. Children in Montessori environments oversee making creative choices in their learning, while the Guide(teacher) suggests age appropriate activities to guide the process. Children do not only work in groups, but individually as well which leads to them discovering and exploring the knowledge of the world and developing their maximum potential. Montessori developed this method because she believed that children develop best when they are trusted to make decisions and act freely with in an environment that highlights: beauty and harmony, order, and nature both in and out of the classroom. You may find when you are looking for Montessori Daycare in McKinney, that some schools seem to only use the name Montessori and only follow guidelines, but here at Applebee we follow strict Montessori rules to keep the education authentic and true to the method. One difference you will notice is that in a Montessori environment, your child is part of a group of 3-6 years, and stays with the same teachers for 3 year. The reason for this is to form a family-like community in which children choose activities at their own pace, and older kids gain confidence by helping teach younger kids.
A Montessori Environment has several well-defined areas dedicated to different parts of the curriculum, Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language and Culture, which includes music, art, geography, and science. You will also find that there is a plethora of plant life in the room, as children spend time learning to care for them.
Now you may be saying “Wow, this sound great, but how much does Montessori preschool cost?” At Applebee we believe all children should have access to high quality Montessori education, and we can work with many budgets, so give us a call today! Additionally, know that when you are searching for a daycare near you, you will find all of this and more at Applebee Montessori, rated a five-star preschool in McKinney Texas!
