4 Indicators To Help Determine Whether Montessori Preschool is Right For Your Child

Choosing the right preschool for your child is an important decision and has the potential to completely change her progress as she gets older. To help you determine whether Montessori is a good fit for your child, these 4 important facets of the Montessori Method are commonly regarded as some of the best things Montessori brings to the table.

1. Play-Based Learning

An authentic Montessori preschool uses hands-on, play-based learning as the primary method of instruction. This mimics the natural learning process that people have used for thousands of years, allowing children to explore their studies through interactive, self-correcting materials that were carefully designed and chosen to provide multiple facets of learning based on the current work in progress

2. The Prepared Environment

The Montessori prepared environment is unlike traditional public school environments. Everything is kept in its place, and the room is laid out from the child’s perspective rather than the adult's. This helps children feel more comfortable, and that allows them to spend more time focused on learning and less time making do with what is within reach.

3. Child Focused Teachers

Montessori teachers are specially trained in the Montessori Method. Instead of giving assignments to the class as a whole, Montessori teachers observe the interests and progress of the children and guide them to classwork that is appropriate for their individual goals. Maria Montessori understood that children learn different things at varying rates, and incorporated self-paced activities as the de facto learning environment.

4. Mixed Age Classrooms

Montessori preschool classrooms use a 3-year mixed-age grouping rather than grouping children of a single age. This promotes learning at individual rates without “falling behind” on the one hand and allows younger children to learn from older kids on the other. Because Montessori is a whole-child educational system, mixed ages also help children develop important social skills such as responsibility, diplomacy, and self-esteem.

Children who develop a love for learning in preschool are more likely to become interested and engaged in learning throughout their lives. And since keeping children engaged and interested is one of the primary goals of Montessori, this teaching method is popular. If what you have read here appeals to your goals for your child, then Montessori may be the right style of education for her.