“The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” – Maria Montessori
Philosophy
Montessori is a comprehensive educational approach that is based on self-directed activity and hands-on learning. Students work individually or in groups to explore and discover the knowledge of the world around them and to develop their maximum potential.
Key principles of the Montessori method include: Observing the child and fostering learning experiences based upon their interests and needs, helping the child develop independence and self-direction through freedom within limits, fostering natural curiosity and an innate love for learning, collaboration within a multi-age, family-like setting, and creating a prepared environment where the students can actively engage in experiential learning.
8 Principles of Montessori Education
- Movement and cognition are closely intertwined, and movement can enhance thinking and learning.
- Learning and well-being are improved when people have a sense of control over their lives.
- People learn better when they are interested in what they are learning.
- Tying extrinsic rewards to an activity, like money for reading or high grades for tests, negatively impacts motivation to engage in that activity when the reward is withdrawn.
- Collaborative arrangements can be very conducive to learning.
- Learning situated in meaningful contexts is often deeper and richer than learning in abstract contexts.
- Particular forms of adult interaction are associated with more optimal child outcomes.
- Order in the environment is beneficial to children.
The Montessori-inspired distance learning program embodies these evidence-based outcomes throughout all grade levels.
