Montessori Education
Montessori education, founded by Dr. Maria Montessori, fosters a child-centric approach that embraces individuality and self-directed learning. It's a method designed to ignite a lifelong love for learning while nurturing a child's natural curiosity and independence.
​
In a Montessori environment, children engage in hands-on activities with specially crafted materials that cater to their developmental stages. The classrooms are carefully prepared to encourage exploration, collaboration, and discovery, allowing children to learn at their own pace.
​
One of its core principles is the role of the teacher as a guide, observing each child closely to understand their needs and provide appropriate guidance. Montessori education values the interconnectedness of all subjects, integrating lessons that span across disciplines, encouraging holistic understanding.
Research Highlights the Long-Term Benefits of a Montessori Education
A recent study of adults ages 18 to 81 who had spent at least two years in Montessori education provided more evidence that Montessori may be superior to traditional education, especially on measures relating to students’ long-term psychological health and well-being.
Montessori develops the whole child through age-appropriate social emotional and cognitive skill-building. Findings from the latest research have shown statistically significant benefits for students in Montessori classrooms when compared to those in traditional classrooms.
In a study of public Montessori schools in SC, the evaluation provided considerable evidence of a Montessori advantage, including mitigating education inequalities. This same study found over a five-year period, higher levels of growth in Montessori classrooms compared to traditional classrooms. The findings were consistent even when the data were disaggregated by income, race, gender, and other variables
The Montessori Method is also associated with lasting impact long after preschool and elementary school, significantly in the areas of math and science performance.
From Montessori Guide
These videos from the Montessori Guide capture Montessori classrooms in action. For more, visit: Montessori.org/video-listing