4 Ways a Montessori Preschool is Better Than Traditional Schools

Asking whether Montessori preschool is better than traditional education models is a tough question because Montessori is a totally different approach to learning. Montessori focuses on developing a full set of academic and social skills whereas traditional methods focus on rote academic learning with a minimum of physical activity. These 4 aspects of the Montessori Method show how this method excels over traditional schools.

1. The Prepared Environment

The Montessori preschool classroom is a prepared environment. All of the children’s workstations are kept in an orderly manner and laid out for the maximum benefit of the children who will use them. The Montessori classroom stands apart in another way as well: Everything is placed at the perspective of the children rather than adults, from the furniture to the decorations on the walls.

2. Active Learning Vs. Passive Instruction

The Montessori preschool classroom is always alive with activity. Active, hands-on activities are the cornerstone of the Montessori Method, and children will be moving from one workstation to another throughout the day as they engage in different play-based lessons. In traditional schools, lessons are provided to all children in the same way and at the same time, forcing each child to be on the same schedule.

3. Individualized Lesson Plans

Maria Montessori understood that children learn different skills at different rates and ages, and incorporated learning at the pace of the child into the Montessori Method. Through observation, Montessori preschool children’s lesson plans are developed on an individual basis, allowing children to spend more time on lessons they are being challenged by or moving ahead when they immediately grasp the current lessons. 

4. Montessori Student Guides

Montessori preschool teachers themselves are an example of how Montessori stands apart. Authentic Montessori educators, referred to as student guides, are specially trained in the Montessori Method. Their mission is to observe and guide the progress of each child to provide the most effective course lessons for the children.

Your authentic Montessori preschool is better than traditional teaching methods because it is a whole-child developmental program that puts emphasis on everything from social skills to practical life experience that will last a lifetime. Even children who have been diagnosed with learning challenges profit from the child-centered, play-based learning environment.

Transitioning from Preschool to Montessori Elementary School

Moving up from preschool to the more structured environment of Montessori elementary school can be stressful for your children because it involves unfamiliar changes in location, interactions, and routines. To make the transition easier, you can take some steps to remove some of the apprehension from the equation.

Elementary Art Class: Holiday Crafts

Art plays a vital role in your Montessori elementary child’s development. Children use art to express feelings, explore creative mediums, and expand their imagination. During the holidays, supplying the themed materials encourages creativity and learning.

Nature Walk: Helping Elementary Students Learn in the Outdoors

Getting elementary students outside is beneficial on several levels. The fresh air is good for the body, peaceful surroundings encourage focus, and there is a lot that nature can teach us. The best locations are away from buildings and in an area where your outdoor forays will not distract other classes in the school. Be sure to take along a field guide to learn about different plants and animals, but give the elementary students opportunities to explore and learn in their own ways as well.

Assessing your Elementary Student after the First Semester of School

Montessori elementary schools do not use a list of topics that all children must learn at the same time. Montessori student assessments cover many non-academic aspects of education as well, limiting the value of traditional report cards. Instead, parent-student-teacher conferences are arranged where the student guide can give you first-hand observation information on your elementary child’s development.

Questions to Ask your Elementary Student's Teacher at the Beginning of the Year

As parents, it is normal to have a million questions about your child’s learning experience. A quick Google search yields dozens of articles dedicated to this topic alone! Fortunately, as the parent of a Montessori elementary student, many questions can be answered by having a familiarity with the Montessori principles that guide your child’s school and classrooms. However, there are still many more answers to be had, and you can begin to uncover them by asking a few larger questions that open the door for deeper and continued conversations with your child’s teacher.

Last Days of Summer: Fun Outdoor Games for Elementary Students

Before the summer comes to a close, give your elementary student a few last flings in the sun. All of the outdoor games presented here are kid-tested, and many can be modified for indoor play if the weather turns sour. The links provided here are not exact duplicates of the gameplay we describe, and we encourage you and your children to come up with even more variations.

Summer Reading: 5 Diverse Books your Elementary Student should Read this Summer

Research has shown that allowing kids to break the education cycle during the summer months can actually set them back in their learning. Instead, experts are suggesting that children be encouraged to continue learning and experiencing. Here are a handful of books written about life’s diversity, written for elementary school students and dealing with everything from racism to being differently abled.

The Foundational Lessons of a Montessori Elementary

In Montessori education, there are 5 “Great Lessons” which are used to establish the framework of the Montessori program and encourage children to take an active, interested part in learning. Each of the 5 lessons is meant to give children a foundation for learning and discovery, showing them their relationship to the world around them and inviting them to take an active role in shaping their own environments.