Montessori Education is very popular around the world with early childhood professionals and parents. Designed to support the natural development of children in a well-prepared environment the Montessori approach has five basic principles. This include: 1) respect for the child, 2) the absorbent mind, 3) sensitive periods, 4) the prepared environment and 5) auto-education. Today we at Emanuel’s Child Development Center would like to discuss Montessori Education.

History of Maria Montessori & Her Education Theory

Developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori Method of Education is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. For over a century Dr. Montessori’s Method has been used in many parts of the world. Eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment, teaching is from the natural point of view of the child. The development of the whole child including physical, social, emotional, and cognitive stems from the approach of the values of the human spirit.

Elements of Montessori Method of Education

The Association Montessori International, or the AMI, and the American Montessori Society, or the AMS, cite these elements as essential, though a variety of practices exist under the name “Montessori”. Such practices include the following below.
1) Blended age classrooms. Classrooms for ages 2 1⁄2 or 3 through 6 years old are the most common by a large margin. Mixed age classrooms that also exist include the following:
– Ages 0-3 Years
– Ages 6-9 Years
– Ages 9-12 Years
– Ages 12-15 Years
– Ages 15-18 years
2) From within a prescribed range of options; students choose the activity.
3) Optimally three hours of uninterrupted blocks of work time.
4) Instead of direct instruction, students learn concepts from working with materials with a constructivist or discovery model.
5) Specialized educational materials made out of natural, aesthetic materials such as wood, rather than plastic that were developed by Montessori and her collaborators are utilized.
6) Children can easily reach appropriately sized and thoughtfully prepared materials in an organized environment to stimulate development.
7) Freedom to move and explore within the controlled classroom environment.
8) To increase the child’s success a trained Montessori teacher monitors and observes the individual child’s characteristics, tendencies, innate talents and abilities; and then nurtures and develops them naturally.

Benefits of Montessori Curriculum

Learning at your child’s own pace and with their own interests, they can develop a love for learning. Creating learning stations to help your child learn, they can get better acquainted with their letters, name recognition, colors, shapes and more. Your child learns social interaction and can use their active imagination with other members of the class with power of free to play and explore. Through their social interactions and active imagination with other members of the classroom, their development will excel.

Early Childhood Education in Catonsville, Maryland

At Emanuel’s Child Development Center we strongly believe in the Montessori Education Method approach in learning and find it very successful. Our educators are trained and experienced to encourage the development of natural learning and exploration through your child’s own interests and learning style. Call us to schedule an appointment today to come to our school and talk with our experts about your child’s learning potential.