About Montessori Education
Montessori education is often described as an 'education for life'. Developed by Maria Montessori (1870 - 1952), it gives children a strong sense of belonging to a community and fosters an attitude of respect for self and others and develops trust in others.
Montessori education is individualised, in that a child has freedom to select activities according to his or her own interests. This allows them to develop spontaneously at their own pace in a peaceful, non-competitive atmosphere. Montessori environment, materials and equipment are carefully designed, selected and presented to promote independent learning and a sense of order.
A 2006 study published in the journal Science ("The Early Years: Evaluating Montessori Education," by Lillard and Else Quest) found that Montessori students performed better than those who attended traditional schools - not only in traditional academic areas such as language and maths, but also in social skills. They engaged more in positive interaction in the playground and showed more concern for fairness and justice.
The Wall Street Journal recently published an interesting article on the benefits of Montessori education. To view the article, just click on the following link: Benefits of Montessori Education.
The Montessori Curriculum and Environment
Included in the Montessori curriculum are Practical Life, Sciences, Sensorial, Geography, Language, Music and Movement, Maths, Art and Craft and Outdoor activities (including gardening, carpentry, sand and water exploration, care of animals, gross motor skills).
The Montessori environment fosters concentration, self-discipline, motivation to learn, self-confidence, independence, love of learning, creativity, respect for self and others, sense of order, ability to work alone, ability to make choices, sense of joy and wonder, ability and willingness to co-operate with other children and with adults.