Montessori, Too Alternative For Me?

What is Montessori?
Truth be told the first time I stepped into a Montessori classroom I felt like I entered a whole new world.  I was not prepared to work with children who could sit where they were comfortable and do their work, choose work that interested them or even prepare their own snacks.  Having a very traditional schooling background my first thought was “this educational philosophy is way too alternative for me”, but I needed a job.  
By my second week of working as a teaching assistant I was applying to a teacher training program and rethinking my career path.  That was 18 years ago and I am still in awe at times at what children are truly capable of given the right environment.
Montessori to the untrained eye can look a bit “chaotic” and unstructured.  The opposite is actually true.  The teachers are trained to observe and teach to each child as an individual.  We plan activities and lessons based on each child’s development.  Materials are made to be self correcting’ allowing children to explore and internalize the concepts after working with teachers individually.  Teachers work with children one on one, in small groups and as a class at circle times.  In working with children in this manner we are able to assess their progress and monitor for emerging Sensitive Periods.  These are specific times when a child’s brain is ready to learn certain concepts.  For example, you may notice your preschool child is coloring, wanting to “write”,  and/or interested in activities that require fine motor control.  As teachers we would begin planning lessons and work geared towards developing their writing skills.  Montessori also believes that a child’s mind is like a sponge.  Until the age of 6 a child absorbs all the knowledge and experiences around them.  They are able to store this information to be used later when they are older, thus creating a strong educational foundation.


The Montessori School located at 375 Rt. 50 at Lewis Place believes that education is not just taught in school but a way of life and work hard to develop lifelong relationships with their families.  If you are interested in learning more about our school or the Montessori Philosophy please call us at 518-384-0074.

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