Montessori Method
Practical Life
Success in school is directly tied to the degree to which children believe they are capable and independent human beings.
As we allow students to develop a meaningful degree of independence and self-discipline, we also set a pattern for a lifetime of good work habits and a sense of responsibility. In Montessori, students are taught to take pride in their work.
Independence does not come automatically as we grow older; it must be learned. In Montessori, even very small children can learn how to tie their own shoes and pour their own milk. At first, shoe laces turn into knots, and milk ends up on the floor. However, with practice, skills are mastered and the young child beams with pride. To experience this kind of success at such an early age is to build up a self-image as a successful person and leads the child to approach the next task with confidence.
Math
Students who learn math by rote often have no real understanding or ability to put their skills to use in everyday life. Learning comes much more easily when they work with concrete educational materials that graphically show what is taking place in a given mathematical process.
Montessori students use hands-on learning materials that make abstract concepts clear and concrete. They can literally see and explore what is going on. This approach to teaching mathematics, based on the research of Drs. Maria and Mario Montessori, offer a clear and logical strategy for helping students understand and develop a sound foundation in mathematics and geometry.
Reading
When will children start to read?
There is typically a quick jump from reading and writing single words to sentences and stories. For some children, this “explosion into reading” will happen when they are four; for others when they are five, and some will start to read at six. A few will read even earlier, and some others will take even longer. Most will be reading comfortably when they enter first grade, but each child is different, and as with every other developmental milestone, it is useless to fret. Younger children are surrounded by older children who can read, and the most intriguing things to do in the classroom depend on one’s ability to read. This creates a natural interest and desire to catch up to the “big kids” and join the ranks of readers. As soon as children, no matter how young they are, show the slightest interest, we begin to teach them how to read. And when they are ready, the children pull it all together and are able to read and write on their own.