It’s easy to become overwhelmed when we are trying to identify the right school for our precious little child as a parent. First of all, there are different methods of education to choose from. Even after we finalize the pattern of education which we think is right for our child, finding the right school is a big uphill task for all the parents. This article focuses on the key tips to follow in order to identify the right Montessori school for their child.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Dr. Maria Montessori never trademarked or patented her Montessori methodology. So around the world, a lot of schools are mushrooming and calling themselves Montessori schools. That doesn’t mean they are true Montessori schools that follow Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy to the core.
Some schools use Montessori materials to teach kindergarten classes and call themselves Montessori schools. Some schools are based on the play learning principles at a high level but wouldn’t mind terming themselves Montessori schools. So it becomes all the more important to identify the right Montessori school for your child.
How to Identify the Right Montessori School?
Please keep this list handy while visiting the school so that you can quickly understand whether it’s a true Montessori school or not.
1. Safe and Warm Environment for kids: A warm and child-friendly fitted with child-sized furniture into which the kids are welcomed by the friendly staff.
2. Child-sized accessories: We get to see only the miniature-sized tools and accessories in the classroom. This allows the child to handle all of them on their own, independently.
3. Absence of traditional blackboard: The traditional blackboard and the textbooks would be absent from the Montessori classroom
4. Engaging teachers: We get to see the teachers who engage with either a small group of children or an individual child so that they can give their presentations with full concentration. We wouldn’t see them lecturing the entire class at any point in time.
5. Multi-Aged students: The students belong to different age groups in a typical Montessori classroom. One can observe that the older children play the role models inadvertently, which in turn builds leadership qualities in them. Children learn from each other in this kind of setup.
6. Uninterrupted work time: A true Montessori school provides a 3-hour uninterrupted work period for all children daily. This is the time when the children tend to learn/practice on the topic of their chosen interest for the day. He/she would be either receiving presentations from the teacher (adult) or would be practicing the concepts he has learned the earlier day.
7. Individualized curriculum: A true Montessori school will not have a one-size-fits-all curriculum. In a true Montessori environment, the curriculum would be driven by the child based on his/her interests. This method brings out the individual uniqueness in every child and wouldn’t rob them of their joy for learning.
Ask Questions and Questions:
Choosing the right Montessori school for your child will enable him to embark on a beautiful journey called education. This journey would provide him with the required solid foundation. So it doesn’t hurt us to ask and ask a lot of questions to the school authorities to ascertain that the school really is a true Montessori school.
In a true Montessori environment, the teacher(adult) plays a very crucial role. The teacher should be well equipped to deal with the mixed-age classes and seem happy and contented to work with the kids. Only then can the school run the way Dr. Maria Montessori has envisioned?
It pays to do little quick homework about the school and its classrooms. Having a quick interaction with the teachers and assistants in the classroom would help you choose the right Montessori school. And that school would be, in fact, another safe haven for your child apart from his own home.
Author’s Note:
Dear Reader, this is the third part of the eight-part Montessori Method and its Philosophy Series, and please stay tuned for further updates on the same topic. You will get to read about How to Establish the Montessori Environment at home in the next part.
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I must say this is a really important post for every mother who is looking to try Montessori method of learning. The lot of confusions searching for a good school for your kids I am saving this post for sharing with my other friends it would be helpful to them is well.
Thanks a lot, Neha for your encouraging words
Helpful post for mommies. There is great stuff in this post.
these are some wonderful tips for parents who are looking for admission for their kids in Montessori School.
Thank you Simrit for your kind words
These are some great tips for parents looking for a Montessori school for kids. Thanks for sharing
Thank you Neha for stopping by and encouraging
A really good series for parents looking for a good education system for their kids. Wish they all see this!
This is such a useful guide to parenting. Definitely going to help those who are looking for a sound education system for their kids. And that I would say the advantage of living in a digital world. We can learn from the experience of others. New parents are going to learn so much from your series.
Thank you for your kind words
Thank you Brindha for your kind words
Well researched and well written. I also considered distance as an important factor while choosing my son’s preschool following the montessori method.
Thank you Sonia for dropping by. Yes distance is the number 1 factor to be considered while choosing the school. I am glad that Tuneer is settling well
I just went through the other posts in the series. Great effort to spread awareness on montessori schooling.
Thank you Shalini for the encouragement
Very helpful and important post for me personally
As Tiara is planning about to join her school
These are so informative and great tips for parents looking for Montessori school
Thank you Ruchie
These are some good tips for parents looking at how Montessori is helpful. Bookmarking it 🙂
Thank you Pratibha for your kind words
This is going to be a very helpful theme for most of the parents. Liked the tips you shared, very apt.
Practically useful tips
Thank you Rajesh
I am a montessori parent and I love it
That’s a great post to help parents who are looking for a Montessori School. I’m sharing this with my friends who might find the helpful.
Thank you Preet. Your encouragement matters. Thanks for dropping by
My son went to a Montessori school and really loved it…I can totally relate to all what you have written…
Thanks a lot for your encouragement. I was just trying to capture my journey in finding the right school for my kid
Your series is of great help to those parents who are searching for a good Montessori School for their children. Keep up the good work ?
#MyFriendAlexa
#AditiReads
aditikapur.com
Thank you Aditi for your kind encouragement
After explaining the Montessori method education, it is good that you have explained how to get the right school for your child because it gets difficult when you choose the path less traveled.
This is helpful for parents who will be going for selecting best school for their kids. I would share this with a friend.
Thank you Amrit for the kind words
Thank you Paresh, I am just trying to capture my journey in finding the right school for my kid
Great post dear and you had covered all points with proper details. will help a lot to parents to find good school for their kids. great theme..loved it. #Surbhireads #MyfriendAlexa
Thanks a lot Surbhi for your kind words
Very useful inputs …
Thank you Kushal
My daughter began her education with the Montessori method. Couldn’t agree more to your post. Very well-written.
My daughter started her education with the Montessori system. Very well-written article. #TinaReads
Thank you Tina for your encouragement
This is really helpful. I viewed a montessori a couple of months ago and they had blackboards. Although I can’t be sure how often they use them and what for, this definitely makes me think about everything else I saw there all over again!
Thanks a lot for stopping by Abby. Hopefully you would find the right place for your little one
These are great suggestions! It’s so important to know what you’re looking for and ask lots of questions when choosing your child’s school!
Well said. Thanks a lot for stopping by
Yes, this is so true! This is super helpful for finding an authentic Montessori school! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks a lot for the blog love
Ive honestly never heard of this before. Maybe because my kids are so young. But, thank you for this informational post. Ill need it for when the kids are older.
Thank you for dropping by..