|
The Montessori method will work for almost any child. However,
it's not always a fit with parents' values, beliefs, and expectations.
Partnerships between parents and a school work best when the school and home
reinforce each other rather than work at cross-purposes.
 Since most parents
were educated in traditional classrooms and schools, parents who choose to send
their child to a Montessori school must be willing to learn along with the
child. Parents must be willing to invest time in understanding Montessori
philosophy and how things are done in a Montessori classroom. Parents must also
be willing to learn how to discipline and guide children in a way that works in
harmony of the school and promotes the development of the attributes listed
within the parent-teacher-child triangle.
The first step in answering the question "Is Montessori right for
you?" is to look at the attributes listed with the
parent-teacher-child
triangle and ask yourself "Is this how I'd like to be able to describe my
child as a young adult?" If the answer to that question is "yes", then check
out TMA's mission, belief, and vision statements. Do
these statements match your own beliefs and what you want your child to
experience? Again, if the answer to this question is "yes" then there's a good
chance that a Montessori school will meet not only your child's needs, but also
your expectations. Alignment with your values and beliefs should be a priority
factor in selecting a school for your child.
The Montessori approach to education differs from a traditional
educational system in a number of areas:
|
The
Montessori Model |
Traditional Education |
|
Model whole child approach: values cognitive, emotional,
physical, and social development. |
Emphasis on acquisition of knowledge. |
|
Teacher is facilitator and guide; child is an active
participant. |
Teacher's role is dominant; child is passive
participant. |
|
Teacher uses individual and small group instruction;
personalizes instruction to meet individual student needs. |
Teacher uses mainly group instruction designed to meet the
needs of the majority of the students. |
|
Child sets own learning pace. |
Teacher sets instruction pace for the group. |
|
Mixed age grouping. |
Same age grouping. |
|
Children are encouraged to help, work with, and teach each
other. |
Most teaching done by the teacher; collaboration is limited
and controlled by the teacher. |
|
Children have choices within the classroom and are given
"freedom within limits":
- Child has choices regarding work (teacher will guide, as
needed, to assist student in making appropriate choices).
- Child has choices regarding where to work and can move
around and talk as long as others are not disturbed.
- Child has choices about how long to work on specific
activity or project.
|
Teacher makes most of the decisions in the classroom:
- Teacher chooses work for the child.
- Children typically are assigned seats at desks or
tables. Children are encouraged to sit still and listen; movement is
discouraged.
- Teacher decides how much time is spent on each
activity.
|
|
Discipline is designed to develop children who are
self-correcting.
- Norms based on mutual respect; children involved in
setting norms.
- Teachers set limits and offer choices to children within
the limits.
- Children experience the consequences of their actions,
promoting responsibility and accountability.
- Children make good and poor choices; poor choices are
viewed as an opportunity to develop the child's problem-solving skills.
|
Discipline is designed to control the behavior of
children.
- Teacher sets rules and enforces them.
- Rules are reinforced by rewards and punishments.
|
|
