All You Need To Know About Preparing Your Child For Success With A Balanced Education
Parents looking for a balanced approach to learning — where social interaction, academics, music, the arts, play, and study are all included and balanced with each other — find the Montessori method an ideal fit for their children. Montessori is more than an approach to education. It’s a way of seeing the world that fosters lifelong accomplishments.
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How does Montessori give my child a balanced education at school?
Montessori programs provide a balanced education and a solid foundation for not only academic achievement, but also leadership and social skills that are required for success now and in their future.
Some features that set our classrooms apart:
INTENTIONAL WORDS AND RESPECTFUL MODELING
Montessori teachers carefully choose words to convey consistent expectations for every child. Respect, kindness, and positivity are modeled to help students master the social skills vital to future success. Words that encourage children to be independent, intrinsically motivated critical thinkers are used consistently at school.
ENVIRONMENTAL
AWARENESS
Students learn to be aware of and initiate care for their environment by watering plants, decorating the classroom, cleaning tables, straight-ening the classroom, and other activities they can easily master at their particular age. Additionally, students cultivate the awareness of their classmates and willingly offer assistance as needed.
SELF-DIRECTED
DISCOVERY LEARNING
The Montessori approach encourages self-directed learning. Our teachers act as guides, offering assistance as your child explores the carefully designed classroom materials and discovers new concepts. This approach promotes your child’s intrinsic curiosity and desire to learn.
INVITE COOPERATION &
ENCOURAGE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS
When we need to remind children of a classroom rule, we avoid giving commands or offering judgments. Instead, we phrase the rules as reminders to invite children to cooperate and take initiative for choosing positive behaviors. This approach also helps to prevent power struggles between the teacher and child.
INDEPENDENT
THINKING
Montessori fosters your child’s ability to be independent and capable of self-care. We help children develop the skills to think for themselves.
INNATE
LEARNING
“Follow the child” is a phrase Montessori teachers implement. It reminds them to have faith in the child, believing in their ability to learn and grow according to their own internal developmental timeline.
“We seek to sow life in the child rather than theories, to help him in his growth, mental and emotional, as well as physical, and for that we must offer grand and lofty idea to the human mind.”
DR. MARIA MONTESSORI
“There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community.”
DR. MARIA MONTESSORI
How can I use Montessori at home to give my child a balanced education?
As a caring parent, you can nurture your child’s social, emotional, and intellectual development by implementing Montessori standards at home, and complementing the education your child receives at school.
Here are 6 phrases Montessori teachers use frequently that you can use at home to foster your child’s learning:
“I saw you working hard.”
Montessori values the process over the final product. Research shows that children who are praised for their efforts rather than their abilities develop strong self-esteem, confidence, and persistence—all keys to long-term success.
“What do you think about your work?”
At home, encourage your child to evaluate his or her work rather than seeking approval for it. Instead of telling your child whether you like what they’ve done, inquire about the process. Ask how it felt to do the work, why they used certain colors or shapes, and what their favorite part is.
“Where could you look for that?”
While it’s tempting to give a child a quick answer, it’s often better to answer a question with another question. Help your son or daughter walk themselves through the process of thinking things through. When your child loses something, the process of asking inquiring questions takes time, but it teaches your child how to solve problems.
“Which part would you like my help with?”
When a job is too big for children to handle on their own, it’s important to resist saving the day by fixing everything. But it’s also important to not leave a child overwhelmed and helpless. Achieve a balance that preserves their independence and confidence by asking what type of help they would like.
“At home, we . . .”
Like anyone else, children like to feel they have choices and are part of the family. So, invite cooperation in respecting house rules rather than issuing orders. Perhaps instead of saying, “Pick up your clothes,” say, “At home, we put our own clothes in the hamper.”
“Follow the child.”
Every child is unique, and has individual needs, gifts, and passions that we should encourage him or her to pursue. As a parent, you can help your child develop by paying attention to what he or she enjoys doing, and then offering it as a way to draw them into other areas of learning.
“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”
DR. MARIA MONTESSORI
How Montessori equips children for lifelong success.
Montessori is a powerful way to connect with your child so you can help bring their gifts and passions to the forefront, equipping them for lifelong success. Maria Montessori believed in encouraging children to develop their strengths and passions through individual, self-directed work. She also understood the value of encouraging them to develop socially. A Montessori classroom isn’t just about reading, writing, and arithmetic. Social development is an important element as well, and the students have fun while they are at school interacting with others.
The Montessori approach provides great opportunities for children to develop beneficial skills and attitudes that help them navigate life socially.
Here’s a closer look at the vital link between a balanced Montessori education and social success:
Children are encouraged to learn according to their natural stages of development.
In a traditional classroom, most of the activities are teacher-led, which means that children may be required to engage in more social interaction or more individual work than they are naturally inclined to do. But in a Montessori classroom, learning is very much determined by your child’s natural stage of development.
Children learn to know and value their individuality.
Success in life has its foundation in how well we know ourselves and how well we are equipped to pursue what makes us unique. The emphasis that a Montessori education places on allowing your son or daughter opportunities to explore and learn at their own pace is a vital way to ground your child with a strong sense of self.
Children engage in collaborative work.
Montessori schools strongly encourage and foster student interaction with their peers. For kindergarten and young primary school aged children, this can include a blend of partner work, whole class activities, and more. As children grow older, they are given opportunities to act as mentors to younger children, so that their social skills can grow even more.
Children actively practice grace and courtesy.
One of the key tenets of the Montessori approach is to instruct children in social graces. This means helping children to understand and practice politeness, respect, kindness, empathy, and courtesy. The daily activities your child will engage in at a Montessori school include:
- Properly greeting others
- Saying please, thank you, and you’re welcome
- Making eye contact when speaking with others
- Listening well
- Gracefully taking turns
- Following directions
Children develop emotional intelligence.
A great benefit of enrolling your child in a kindergarten or primary school that practices the Montessori method is that it’s a powerful way to help your child develop emotional intelligence. This skill set refers to a person’s capacity to know, control, and express his or her emotions effectively, as well as the ability to handle interpersonal relationships with wisdom and empathy. And children who have it do well in life.
How Montessori brings balance to technology in the classroom.
Today’s parents are faced with a new predicament:
How much screen time is appropriate for children?
Choosing and implementing the amount of screen time is a personal decision and varies from family to family.
Primary Montessori Day School enhances your child’s learning by limiting both the use of interactive and passive technology at the school during school hours and in before- or after-care programs.
INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Includes programs, applications, videos, eBooks, and noncommercial television programming
PASSIVE TECHNOLOGY
Includes non-interactive television, videos, or streaming media
By limiting screen time, Primary Montessori students enjoy freely engaging in hands-on learning which helps them develop curiosity, leadership skills, confidence, follow-through, and a love for learning. In the Montessori classroom, technology use is limited to typing and research—freeing students to learn through active and engaged discovery.
Happy Teachers Lead to Happy Students
Happy teachers produce students who enjoy school, love discovery, and become caring, successful adults. Our certified teachers, experienced assistants, and upbeat support staff create a positive atmosphere in which children thrive.
Montessori Teachers Inspire Students to Love Learning
Montessori teachers are among the most creative and compassionate people you’ll find. They love learning, and they pass along that love to their students.
Our teachers excel at developing successful students because we:
- Care deeply about bringing out the best in every child
- Consistently show children the joys of discovery
- Nurture compassionate, respectful people who add value wherever they go
- Are skilled in Montessori educational techniques that produce lasting results
- Take joy in seeing children who are happy, calm, and successful
- Foster children’s confidence by creating a caring, peaceful, safe environment for them
Enriching, Supportive Teaching Activities
To develop each child’s strengths, we provide a rich educational environment in which we:
- Believe in your child — By trusting and encouraging each student to be their best selves, we help them build self-confidence.
- Support curiosity — We give your child ample opportunities to pursue their academic interests, and guide their intellectual curiosity so they can grow.
- Address the whole child — We promote the holistic development of students — academically, emotionally, and socially.
- Collaborate with parents — We connect with parents regularly to ensure your child is successful in and out of the classroom, and we keep you informed of your child’s progress.
What Sets Montessori Certified Teachers Apart
Primary Montessori Day School is proud to be accredited by the American Montessori Society. And our accreditation isn’t just a piece of paper. It impacts every approach we take to bring out the best in your child.
There are many advantages of sending your son or daughter to a school where the teachers are certified by the American Montessori Society (AMS) or Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE).
- Trained — Our Montessori lead teachers and co-teachers have earned, at a minimum, a 4-year college degree and received post-graduate Montessori certification.
- Experienced — Our AMS-certified and MACTE-certified teachers have over 60 years of combined experience in guiding children to discover their strengths and gain self-confidence.
- Authentic — Our Montessori certified teachers are skilled at using genuine, proven Montessori materials and techniques that engage a child’s curiosity.
- Consistent — All our classrooms have a Montessori credentialed lead teacher and either a fully credentialed co-teacher or an experienced assistant to support them.
The Secrets of Montessori Teaching Methods.
“Do not tell them how to do it. Show them how to do it and do not say a word. If you tell them, they will watch your lips move. If you show them, they will want to do it themselves.” —Dr. Maria Montessori
Specially designed materials
Hands-on learning, a hallmark of Montessori education, requires the right materials from which to learn. Classrooms are equipped with specially designed materials for students to investigate in order to discover their world. Open, accessible shelves stocked with unique learning materials invite students to explore and grow by engaging in a sequence of simple to more complex tasks.
Students self-assess their progress and correct mistakes independently. As students gain mastery in one area, teachers replace materials with more challenging opportunities for growth, so the classroom materials literally evolve as students are enticed to embrace them and learn.
The teacher as “guide”
Montessori teachers facilitate stimulating learning opportunities in which students naturally embrace the chance to grow. Teachers guide children by offering new challenges from which to choose in the classroom; then they observe students at work individually and collectively—noting progress throughout the learning journey.
Multi-age groups within one classroom
Student ages span approximately 3 years, and healthy support from within the diverse classroom community is evident daily. Older students naturally model and mentor positive behaviors and skills for younger ones, and solid relationships are formed and foster an optimal learning environment for everyone.
A respectful community of learners
Students in the Montessori classrooms exhibit respect, courtesy, and care for each other. Teachers and students speak in kind, calm voices, and refrain from hurtful, rude interactions. Classmates work together, caring for their surroundings by placing items where they belong after using them, responsibly tending to classroom needs such as watering plants, or caring for a classroom fish tank.
The nurturing community involvement experienced in Montessori classrooms prepares students to be lifelong independent contributors to a meaningful community.
Classroom design which presents choices
Montessori students embrace learning in classrooms that offer a variety of choices. Spaces for individual study as well as group activities welcome participation and growth. Tables, cozy nooks, and defined rugs or mat spaces near shelves of inviting activities offer options within the learning environment and replace sterile rows of desks found in traditional classrooms.
Well-defined spaces within each classroom stock discovery opportunities in four teaching areas: practical life activities, sensory activities, language, and mathematics. Students make choices and learn from materials in each area.
Our building at Primary Montessori was designed specifically for Montessori education. Bright, sunny classrooms provide the perfect platform for learning in a space as comfortable as home.
How much does Montessori education cost?
An authentic Montessori school equips your child for lifetime success. We use our Montessori tuition and fees prudently so that your child can reap the benefits.
What Your Investment Gives You
- Superior Learning Materials —Rather than inferior, uninspiring plastic equipment, we provide well-made wooden materials that inspire fun, curiosity, and discovery — from binomial cubes and math checkerboards to child-sized comfy seating.
- A Home Away from Home — Instead of a sterile, cookie-cutter environment, our school is warm, inviting, and designed to foster curiosity and enrichment.
- Talented, Certified Teachers — Our teachers undergo rigorous, extensive training in the Montessori method, giving your son or daughter the highest level of academic inspiration.
Montessori Tuition and Fees that Are Clear and Simple
To assist you in making the most of your financial investment in your child’s education, we offer a straightforward, transparent approach to our cost structure.
- No hidden fees — We provide the complete cost of enrollment upfront, no surprises.
- Affordable application fee — It’s just $50 to apply. (Some schools charge up to $500.)
- Deposit comes back to you — We count your deposit toward your child’s final month of tuition.
- Non-profit advantage — As a non-profit school, we pour every penny into enhancing your child’s education.
- Sibling discounts — Enrolling more than one child is cost-effective.
- Financial aid — Available for children in kindergarten–grade 3.
- Class activities included — No extra fees for field trips, art projects, and other enrichment activities.
- After-school programs — We keep overhead costs as low as possible and pass along the savings to you.
- Flexible payment options — Pay in full at the beginning of each semester, or opt for a monthly payment.
Know What to Look for to Find the Best Montessori School for Your Child.
The Montessori method produces distinct benefits for young children — but only if applied as Maria Montessori pioneered. An authentic Montessori school ensures your child receives a tried-and-true, life-transforming education.
Signs of an Authentic Montessori School
Montessori schools are not all created equal. How do you know if a school adheres to the true Montessori approach proven to help children excel? Look for these traits:
- Accreditation — Be sure the school belongs to the American Montessori Society, which certifies teachers and ensures members adhere to its code of ethics.
- Student-Led Learning — In a true Montessori class, each child chooses their activities and learns at their own pace. Teachers act as facilitators, guiding students and modeling positive behaviors.
- Hands-On-Education — Authentic Montessori schools encourage children to discover how the world works through hands-on experiences, rather than rote memorization.
- Positive Collaboration — A Montessori classroom fosters social development. Children work collaboratively, and older students act as mentors to younger children.
- Innovative Learning Materials — Montessori materials are well-made and pleasing to a child’s senses. They create fun, engaging experiences that teach essential skills in reading, math, and other areas.
- Care For Self and Envrionment — Children are encouraged to engage in a thoughtful, loving way with their world. They learn practical life skills.
- Children Who Love To Learn — A true Montessori education inspires in children a passion for discovery, exploration, and curiosity. Montessori students love learning for a lifetime.
Find the Perfect Balance For Your Child’s Education
Experience Primary Montessori For Yourself
Primary Montessori is proud to offer an authentic Montessori education in Rockville, Maryland. If you’re looking for a balanced education for your child, here to help answer your questions and share with you the benefits of a Montessori education. Contact us to schedule a tour of our facilities and meet our caring and experienced staff ready to inspire your child.
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