I love that Montessori teaches to learn quantity with things like Cards & Counters and the golden beads. For example, with Cards & Counters you have the numbers 1 to 10 laid out on a mat and they you place the quantity of each number under the number of that card. Number 1 would have one counter, number 2 would have two, etc. Even more what I love is that a beginning work like cards and counters introduces the child to odd and even before even calling it that!
Exploration & Discovery. Everything is something to be discovered. I love that children aren’t just handed information in a book and told to learn it, but are given a set of materials and exercises that require them to use their senses. Montessori is very hands on and tactile. I think that is what fosters the love for learning is the freedom to explore without negative consequences.
Love of Learning. The Montessori environment is just so different that it doesn’t hold the same connotation of a traditional school, meaning how school is often portrayed as boring, obligatory, and stifling. I rarely heard a child complain about being at school! They were always excited about what the were working on or what they were working toward. I love that Montessori doesn’t just lecture, but encourages children to delve deeper, ask questions, and examine for themselves.
Independence. I love that children are taught to be independent and not in a way that is completely autonomous from others. They’re taught how to interact in community, but also to be able to contribute to that community. They’re taught skills that will allow them to continue to grow into productive and contributing members of their family and society.
Control of Error. Bouncing off independence, I love that Montessori incorporated ‘control of error’ into the materials, since it allows the child to see their own mistakes and correct themselves.
Practical Life. Simply put: it’s practical. I love it all…from the dressing frames to spooning and pouring. Practical life is quite possibly my favorite part of the Montessori classroom. They’re fun activities for the children that are developing skills that build the foundation for later skills and life.
The Child. I love the look on a child’s face when they have conquered a task on their own or solved a problem with their own skills. I love to see the determined look on their face when they’re learning a new skill. Like how my son has such an intense focus as he’s learning to turn the pages of a book by himself. It’s so much fun to see the challenge and determination of a child.
Age Integration. Even though my first opinion of different ages being in the same class was unfavorable, I’ve come to see just how beneficial it is for the children. The older children take delight in teaching and helping the younger children with their tasks and the younger children look up with such fond admiration and wonder at the work of the older children. I’ve seen it as a starting point for many children who were “wanderers” until they noticed an older child doing a work that intrigued them and then asked the teacher if they could do it as well.
There are just a few of the reasons why I love Montessori. I’m sure there are more detailed reasons and things that have slipped my mind at the moment, but these are definitely the top reasons why I think Montessori is so great.