"I have studied the child. I have taken what the child has given me and expressed it and that is what is called the Montessori method."

-Dr. Maria Montessori

Dr. Montessori highlighted the significance of sensitive periods in early learning, where a child's innate curiosity drives them to learn. She believed early childhood education should nurture this natural desire rather than simply impart facts. Montessori materials cater to the unique learning abilities of young children, whom she described as having an "absorbent mind," akin to a sponge that absorbs information from its surroundings. In "The Absorbent Mind," she noted that the critical developmental period is from birth to age six, during which a child's intelligence and psychic powers are formed. Montessori stressed that children need intelligent support, as any obstacles can hinder their creative development. She asserted that hands-on learning is vital, as concentration is best achieved through engaging tasks that involve the hands.

  • Each child is valued as a unique individual. Montessori education recognizes that children learn in different ways, and accommodates all learning styles. Students are also free to learn at their own pace, each advancing through the curriculum as he is ready, guided by the teacher and an individualized learning plan.

    • Beginning at an early age, Montessori students develop order, coordination, concentration, and independence. Classroom design, materials, and daily routines support the individual’s emerging “self-regulation” (ability to educate one’s self, and to think about what one is learning), toddlers through adolescents.

    • Students are part of a close, caring community. The multi-age classroom—typically spanning 3 years—re-creates a family structure. Older students enjoy stature as mentors and role models; younger children feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead. Teachers model respect, loving kindness, and a belief in peaceful conflict resolution.

    • Montessori students enjoy freedom within limits. Working within parameters set by their teachers, students are active participants in deciding what their focus of earning will be. Montessorians understand that internal satisfaction drives the child’s curiosity and interest and results in joyous learning that is sustainable over a lifetime. 

    • Students are supported in becoming active seekers of knowledge. Teachers provide environments where students have the freedom and the tools to pursue answers to their own questions.

    • Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori classroom approach. As they mature, students learn to look critically at their work, and become adept at recognizing, correcting, and learning from their errors.

    Given the freedom and support to question, to probe deeply, and to make connections, Montessori students become confident, enthusiastic, self-directed learners. They are able to think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly—a skill set for the 21st century. – American Montessori Society text goes here

  • AMI RESEARCH STUDY: OUTCOMES FOR MONTESSORI STUDENTS

    A research study conducted by the Association Montessori Internationale on the performance of Montessori students when they transition to more conventional academic environments. A significant finding in this study is the association between a Montessori education and superior performance in Math and Science. In essence, the study shows that attending a Montessori program from the approximate ages of three to eleven predicts significantly higher mathematics and science standardized test scores in high school.

    FORBES: LET'S LEARN FROM MONTESSORI
    "The idea that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel was striking. The example of thousands of Montessori schools is before us. Montessori puts the student at the center. It is proven to work. As noted by Sivadlk it’s working on every inhabited continent, at every economic level. The approach is over 100 years old but the ideas are timeless. The world is finally catching up with Maria Montessori’s insights."

    HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW: MONTESSORI BUILDS INNOVATORS
    Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business in the MIT Sloan School of Management, says of his Montessori education:

    "The main thing I learned there is that the world is a really interesting place, and one that should be explored. Can there be any better foundation for an innovator in training?"

    THE WALL ST JOURNAL: THE MONTESSORI MAFIA
    "Ironically, the Montessori educational approach might be the surest route to joining the creative elite, which are so overrepresented by the school’s alumni that one might suspect a Montessori Mafia: Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, videogame pioneer Will Wright, and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, not to mention Julia Child."