What Is the Main Philosophy of a Montessori School Education?

Are you looking to enrol your child in the best Montessori school in Markham?

The Montessori teaching method was developed by Italian educator and doctor Maria Montessori in the early years of the twentieth century. She was highly influenced by German pedagogue Friedrich Froebel and Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, who both believed that children learn through activity. She developed a quality educational environment for children where they get the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge through fun activities.

Let’s explore the primary principles of the Montessori teaching method and its impact on children.

What Is Montessori and Its Philosophy?

The Montessori educational system is both a philosophy and a guide for child development and growth. It aims to nurture each student’s desire for knowledge, understanding, and respect. Its supportive environment guarantees their exposure to educational materials and experiences.

The Montessori Method is designed to take advantage of children’s desire to learn and their ability to develop their own unique capabilities.

What Are the Principles of a Montessori Education?

The Montessori Method is built to serve the needs of children at all levels of physical and mental ability. Dr. Montessori taught adults how to accept and respect their individual differences and to emphasize social interactions and education to develop a complete personality. The method consists of five principles. These include:

1. Respect for the Child

One of the major principles of the Montessori Method is respect for children. This was not a common practice in the early 20th century. Montessori emphasized that children are not replicas of their parents but unique individuals.

This respect is shown by giving them the freedom to make choices, to do things on their own, and to learn for themselves. Respect is also shown by not interrupting their concentration, through peaceful conflict resolution, and by observing without judgement.

2. Taking Advantage of Their Absorbent Mind

Children have a great deal of sensitivity and intellectual ability to absorb and learn from their environment. Through their ability to think, they then try to make sense of it. Montessori education incorporates this practice into their educational procedure to instil knowledge in children and grow their thinking abilities.

3. Leveraging the Crucial Period of Children’s Growth

The first six years of a child’s life are the most crucial and sensitive years for their growth. This is the time when unconscious learning is gradually brought to the child’s conscious level. It is also when children are most ready to learn certain skills.

Through observation, Montessori teachers identify sensitive periods in their students’ lives and provide the resources for them to flourish during this time.

4. It Prepares the Environment

Children like purposeful work. However, they don’t work like adults, for the completion of a job, but for the sake of performing it by themselves. Participation helps to accomplish the most important goal – the development of the child – mentally, physically, and psychologically.

Montessori teachers use this method to create this prepared environment. It enables children to do things for themselves and explore in an orderly and independent way.

5. We Believe in Self-Education

Auto-education, or self-education, is one of the most important beliefs in the Montessori Method. It means that children are capable of educating themselves.
At Montessori, we see children as they are. We provide them with the required environment, inspiration, guidance, and encouragement to foster the fulfilment of their highest spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual potential. The Montessori curriculum nurtures experiential learning.

The Advantages of a Montessori Education

Children learn to interact with others, to ask questions, to explore, and, most importantly, to take charge of their education. Following are the reasons why you should choose a Montessori education for your child:

• Each child is valued as a unique individual.
• Children become part of a close, caring community that nurtures order, concentration, and independence.
• Students learn to enjoy freedom within limits.
• Students learn about cognitive skills and sustainable environmental practices.
• Students get positive support in becoming active seekers of knowledge.
• Self-correction and self-assessment are integral parts of the Montessori classroom approach.
• Montessori supports social-emotional skills.

Now you understand why the philosophy and principles of a Montessori education are so special. If you want to support your children in receiving an age-appropriate environment that nurtures their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive skills, then enroll them in Trillium Montessori School in Markham. Contact us to find out more about our curriculum and programs.