Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning. Montessori classes place children in three-year age groups (3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and so on), forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones. Montessori represents an entirely different approach to education.
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Ask if the school is affiliated with any Montessori organization. Ask what kind of training the teachers have. Visit the school, observe the classroom in action, and later ask the teacher or principal to explain the theory behind the activities you saw. Most of all, talk to your child's prospective teacher about his or her philosophy of child development and education to see if it is compatible with your own.
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Specialized learning is a priority at Glendale Montessori and therefore we have a low teacher to student ratio. Our primary is 1 teacher per 12 students. In our lower elementary is currently 1 teacher to 10 students (with a maximum of 1 to 15) and our upper elementary is currently 1 teacher to 8 students (with a maximum of 1 to 11).
The students at Glendale Montessori do well compared to students in non-Montessori schools.
There is a small but growing body of well-designed research comparing Montessori students to those in traditional schools. These suggest that in academic subjects, Montessori students perform as well as or better than their non-Montessori peers. In one study, for example, children who had attended Montessori schools at the preschool and elementary levels earned higher scores in high school on standardized math and science tests. Another study found that the essays of 12-year-old Montessori students were more creative and used more complex sentence structures than those produced by the non-Montessori group. The research also shows Montessori students to have greater social and behavioral skills. They demonstrate a greater sense of fairness and justice, for example, and are more likely to choose positive responses for dealing with social dilemmas. By less stringent measures, too, Montessori students seem to do quite well. Most Montessori schools report that their students are typically accepted into the high schools and colleges of their choice. And many successful grads cite their years at Montessori when reflecting on important influences in their life.
For more information, see the "Overview of Research on Montessori Education" in our online Research Library.
Information provided by http://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/FAQs/. For more information, see AMSHQ's Overview of Research on Montessori Education.
Following their time at Glendale Montessori, our students transition to one of the local public or private schools. We find that after they finish our program in the sixth grade, they are well-prepared to go anywhere and be successful.
Because students develop such a strong sense of self at Glendale Montessori, we find that children transition very well from sixth grade to a public or private junior high environment.
Developmentally, they are at a point where they are ready for a more lectured style learning environment. They are equipped with strong social skills, and are well practiced in developing friendships and peacefully resolving conflicts.
We practice a purposeful process to ensure students are prepared for their new school environment. Our teachers equip students with skills for moving on academically. For example, in third grade, our students start taking weekly spelling tests. This exercise is meant to expose children to test taking—what does it look like, how do they feel, what should they do to prepare, etc. In sixth grade, our students receive their first report card—again this gives the students a sense of what that experience will feel like in a more traditional educational environment.
It is worth noting that because of their experience at Glendale Montessori, our students are able to avoid a lack of interest in learning or adversarial relationships with teachers that other adolescents sometimes experience. They’ve developed a love of learning that will serve them well as they go on.
Montessori schools teach the same basic skills as traditional schools, and offer a rigorous academic program. Most of the subject areas are familiar—such as math, science, history, geography, and language—but they are presented through an integrated approach that brings separate strands of the curriculum together. While studying a map of Africa, for example, students may explore the art, history, and inventions of several African nations. This may lead them to examine ancient Egypt, including hieroglyphs and their place in the history of writing. The study of the pyramids, of course, is a natural bridge to geometry. This approach to curriculum shows the interrelatedness of all things. It also allows students to become thoroughly immersed in a topic—and to give their curiosity full rein.
See our core curriculum here.
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Unfortunately, there is no way to limit the use of the name "Montessori." Parents must carefully research, and observe a classroom in operation, in order to choose a real Montessori school for their child.
There are several Montessori organizations to which schools can belong. The two major ones operating in the United States are the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI, with a U.S. branch office called AMI-USA) and the American Montessori Society (AMS). Parents considering placing a child in a Montessori school should ask about the school's affiliation(s).
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Grades, like other external rewards, have little lasting effect on a child’s efforts or achievements. The Montessori approach nurtures the motivation that comes from within, kindling the child’s natural desire to learn. A self-motivated learner also learns to be self-sufficient, without needing reinforcement from outside. In the classroom, of course, the teacher is always available to provide students with guidance and support. Although most Montessori teachers don’t assign grades, they closely observe each student’s progress and readiness to advance to new lessons. Most schools hold family conferences a few times a year so parents may see their child’s work and hear the teacher’s assessment—and perhaps even their child’s self-assessment. That said, at Glendale Montessori School, we introduce grades at the sixth grade to help our students transition as they prepare to graduate from our school and move on to their next school.
We believe that our size is an asset. It allows us to build a close-knit community.
Our students develop exceptional interpersonal skills. Because they spend a significant amount of time with their peers, they engage deeply with one another. Students learn to acknowledge, address and work through conflicts as they arise. Our teachers model social skills and guide students through difficult moments when needed.
Yes, of course! Children have time to explore and play outdoors and in the classroom.
Additionally, a terrific thing about a Montessori classroom is that a lot of our “work” looks and feels like play to the children. For example, our practical life exercises mimic real life. Children act out activities that they see their parents do, and while it’s fun to play pretend, they are also developing real skills that will serve them throughout their life.
Absolutely. Art and creative writing are integrated into our curriculum.
Additionally, time is dedicated each week to special art instruction. Our Upper Elementary students take part in a more in-depth art curriculum that covers art history, mixed media, composition, and styles. We believe that art helps to keep students engaged in learning and it reinforces the new information that they are absorbing.
Learning in our classrooms is cyclical. In the first year, students are exposed to new concepts for the first time. In the second year, they will recall concepts and build on what they learned in year one. By the third year, they recall concepts easily, are able to explore the concept more broadly on their own and master it by helping to teach it to younger classmates. Each year builds on the last.
Dr. Montessori observed that children are more motivated to learn when working on something of their own choosing. A Montessori student may choose his focus of learning on any given day, but his decision is limited by the materials and activities—in each area of the curriculum—that his teacher has prepared and presented to him. Beginning at the elementary level, students typically set learning goals and create personal work plans under their teacher’s guidance.
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Although students are free to work at their own pace, they’re not going it alone. The Montessori teacher closely observes each child and provides materials and activities that advance his learning by building on skills and knowledge already gained. This gentle guidance helps him master the challenge at hand—and protects him from moving on before he’s ready, which is what actually causes children to “fall behind.”
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Montessori teachers are educated as “generalists,” qualified to teach all sections of the curriculum. But many schools choose to also employ specialists in certain subjects, including art, music, foreign language, physical education, and science.
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An advantage of the Montessori approach—including multi-age classrooms with students of varying abilities and interests—is that it allows each child to work at her own pace. Students whose strengths and interests propel them to higher levels of learning can find intellectual challenge without being separated from their peers. The same is true for students who may need extra guidance and support: each can progress through the curriculum at his own comfortable pace, without feeling pressure to "catch up." We might note that from a Montessori perspective, every child is considered gifted, each in her own way. For every child has his own unique strengths—it is all a matter of degree.
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