In one corner of the classroom, a 6-year-old reads a book to a 4-year-old. In another area, a 5-year-old watches a 6-year-old work on an advanced math material.

“Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.”—Dr. Maria Montessori

With traditional daycare programs, toddlers are cared for, kept safe, and given the opportunity to socialize. But even at this age, children have vast potential and can benefit from high-quality learning opportunities in school. Montessorians have known for decades that nurturing a child’s development to its fullest potential can make all the difference when it comes to acquiring fundamental skills and abilities and hitting developmental milestones on time (or early!)

Many parents express surprise when they find out that many children start their Montessori education as infants. To most people, school is something that only begins at around age five. But there is a lot of critical and foundational learning that starts much earlier than that.

The world’s most innovative, creative, and forward-thinking people all share some of the same traits. They’re great leaders, they think outside of the box, they’re able to adapt and reinvent themselves, they’re dedicated and determined, and they know how to communicate their ideas and collaborate with others.

Apple Montessori Schools believe in the proven benefits of multi-age classrooms for creating a stimulating, welcoming environment for children to learn a variety of life skills in the age groups of eighteen months to 3 years; 3-6 years old; 6-9 years old; and 9-12 years old.

Elementary school is a critical stage in your child’s journey of self-discovery and learning about the world around them. Creating an atmosphere where children love to learn is vital.

Dr. Maria Montessori was an innovative, revolutionary woman who was not only the first female physician in Italy, specializing in psychiatry, but also the founder of today’s world-renowned Montessori philosophy of child development and education.

Montessori teachers use a student-focused approach to lessons. Traditional school teachers build lesson plans based on pre-approved criteria. These traditional school lesson plans focus on rigidity and compartmentalized learning. Instead of forcing children to learn at the same pace across the board, Montessori schools focus on allowing children to learn at their individual pace and skill level.

We all want our children to be academically successful but also realize that they possess talents and needs that go beyond the academic. Most educators talk about meeting the needs of the whole child but somehow, miss the boat, in the implementation of various programs. Some schools are so concerned about the child’s social and emotional development that the academics suffer while others are so academically oriented that everything else is eclipsed. Montessori strikes a perfect balance between the two ends of the spectrum because we realize that unless the social and emotional needs are met little academic progress is possible.