There is a lot of information available about Maria Montessori and the method she created based on observation and following the child through their sensitive periods of their academic growth. This piece is not what the Montessori Method is all about. This is about YOU the parent and searching for the right fit for your child.
I, myself, have been in education my whole life as a student, a teacher, and now an administrator. I taught in public and international schools. I have taught in gifted and talented programs and in schools full of students at-risk of dropping out of school. I was trained as a traditional, western conventional teacher.
But, when my son was born and grew into a preschooler, it was time to consider a method I only knew of as small, footnote in the education world. However, my education of Montessori and all of its wonderful work began as a parent seeing his son coming home learning practical life lessons, geography, a second language, along with mathematics and reading. What my son would learn in a day and how he learned it (focused, peaceful, and attentive) amazed me. His early Montessori education blew me away and I know I wanted in.
Fast forward to today – I have completed my Montessori training and am now a Headmaster at a public Montessori school in a large metro area. Both my children and I are now at the same Montessori school and we are learning and growing every day.
So, when you ask if Montessori is right for your children ask yourself these questions:
- Do I want my child to be an independent learner who is peaceful and polite?
- Do I want my child to be able to select their own work and follow it to conclusion?
- Do I want them to learn practical life skills as well as know a second language?
- Do I want my child to have the option to learn from older peers and grow at their own speed?
More importantly, look into a local public Montessori school. Public Montessori schools work within state and federal guidelines to ensure every student has a free and appropriate education. Call and schedule a visit. Tour the school and ask questions. Bring your child along and let them explore the room and all of its areas. You just might find surprise and intrigue as your child and family begin to fit into the prepared environment.