This philosophy was developed in Rome in 1907, by Dr. Maria Montessori, who was the first woman in Italy to become a physician. Dr. Montessori believed that, given the right environment and opportunity, children will teach themselves – and each other. In her casa dei bambini (children’s house), the first Montessori school, she designed an environment where kids were free to choose from a variety of developmentally-appropriate activities. Today, the Montessori philosophy can be found worldwide, with programs ranging from birth to adolescence. The teachers in these types of schools must have specialized Montessori training and certification. This type of program arranges kids in three-year age groups (three to six year olds, six to nine year olds, etc.) with the idea that the younger children will learn skills by watching and interacting with the older ones, and that the older children will be eager to teach the younger ones. Group activities aren’t very common; the Montessori method favors self-selected work. The environment is arranged according to subject, and a child is encouraged to stay at a station for as long as he likes and then move to something else.
Summary: Montessori preschools focus less on toys for learning, and more on learning through real-life experiences. Kids are encouraged to learn at their own pace and by the example of the older children in the class. They’re allowed to work on things that interest them rather than being directed what to do, inspiring individual progress and self-teaching. The teachers are required to have training in the Montessori method.
Is this right for my child? If your child can follow instructions, and enjoys working individually or with two or three other kids, Montessori is a good option. Because the class will have children from ages three to six, there’s little chance of your child feeling developmentally behind or ahead of his peers.