What is a Montessori School?
Have you been curious about Montessori as an option for your child’s education? Even if you’ve just heard the term in your parenting circles, it’s important to know that Montessori is not just a buzzword; in fact, it’s an over 100-year-old educational approach developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician. She believed in independence and self-motivation, pioneering this hands-on learning technique that relies on an intentional, well-prepared, and a carefully crafted student learning environment.
To understand Montessori, it’s important to first understand its founder. Maria Montessori's story is a remarkable lesson in the pursuit of freedom to explore, discover, and share knowledge for the benefit of each individual child and all mankind.
“The child who has never learned to work by himself, to set goals for his own acts, or to be the master of his own force of will is recognizable in the adult who lets others guide his will and feels a constant need for approval of others.” Maria Montessori, Education and Peace
Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870, in Ancona, located in central Italy, about 170 miles northwest of Rome. She was the daughter of Alessandro Montessori, a successful Italian government official, and his wife, Renilde Stoppani. According to Maria Montessori biographer Rita Kramer, Renilde supported and encouraged her daughter's independence and ambitions throughout her lifetime.
Maria Montessori was one of the first few females to attend public school when she began her educational journey at seven years old. She went on to enroll in technical school and later the University of Rome, studying physics, mathematics, and natural sciences. She graduated in 1892 and subsequently pursued a medical degree. In her last two years of medical school, she studied pediatrics and would garner experience working with children with special needs. This important endeavor, in addition to studying other physicians’ works on the treatment of children, ignited her passion for providing a new type of schooling, one that was not one-size-fits-all.
1. Observe and respect each individual child — "help them to help themselves."
2. Develop the "whole" child — focus on advancing the physical, cognitive, social and emotional well-being of each child during sensitive periods of development, especially the critical stages from birth to age six.
3. Nurture and develop a child's natural, innate interests and abilities at their own pace.
4. Encourage hands-on, practical engagement and direct interaction with their environment for uninterrupted periods of time.
5. Create a classroom that is orderly and right-sized to the child, with small tables and chairs, accessible shelves, purposeful activities, and practical materials, as well as plants and other materials from nature.
6. Provide children the freedom to move about and select activities of their own choice.
7. Engage children in activities and "exercises of practical life," such as washing dishes, sweeping, preparing food, cleaning up, and watering plants.
8. Foster independence, self-reliance, creativity, and a love for learning where teachers are guiding observers to help the child do for themselves.
Maria believed that through exploration and discovery, children inherently love to learn by doing rather than by traditional instruction. She dedicated her life to impacting and improving the lives of children as a doctor, researcher, scientist, lecturer, teacher, mother, grandmother, philosopher, philanthropist, spiritualist, and humanitarian.
From the educational philosophy, curriculum, and materials she developed, along with more than five decades of teaching, writing, and lecturing, sprang a new way to educate children that flourishes today with more than 20,000 Montessori schools worldwide.
Maria Montessori died May 6, 1952, shortly before her eighty-second birthday. Her legacy lives on.
At Apple, we take it a step further with our modern Montessori approach, which includes pairing the workings of Montessori with modern technology, state-of-the-art learning tools, a strong parent partnership, and extensive teacher training. This modern approach evolves as the world evolves. Apple Montessori Schools is not just school—it's a place where children develop their best self in preparation for their best life. Meanwhile, our well-rounded curriculum offers more than just advanced academics; it also includes enrichment experiences such as music, art, yoga, foreign language, character development, and technology, while our unique phonics-based reading program has many children reading by age four.
When families walk into an Apple Montessori Schools classroom, many things jump out. The classroom is child-centric, thoughtfully prepared, and orderly, with aesthetically-pleasing color choices and materials that are simple and free from lights, sounds, and other distractions. The environment encourages discovery, concentration, and discipline. Each child is encouraged to move about freely, build relationships with classmates, and pursue their own interests. It’s Montessori, the Apple way.
“The teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child.” — Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
Through a minimal and appealing aesthetic, free from distractions and careful not to be overwhelming, the Montessori classroom teaches through a concrete reliance on the materials rather than an abstract one.
Montessori classrooms are broken into five parts, with designated learning areas for each.
- Practical Life (self-care, manners, movement...)
- Sensorial (vision, touch, taste...)
- Math (counting, money, decimals...)
- Language (vocbulary, grammar...)
- Cultural (botany, science, geography...)
Each part of the classroom is there for a reason, and all decisions are intentional, including the colors of the furniture and work areas, what hangs on the walls, and how bright the lights are.
Montessori teachers use a student-focused approach to lessons, focusing on the development of the “whole” child that Maria Montessori first set forth. Instead of forcing children to learn the same things at the same pace, Montessori schools focus on allowing children to learn material they have chosen, from a prescribed range of options, at their individual pace and skill level. This way, a student will not move on until the child is ready, and similarly, won’t stay behind if they’ve already mastered something. Every child learns and excels at their own pace and that’s okay (and celebrated!) in Montessori education.
In a Montessori school environment, children are encouraged to explore and discover on their own. Hands-on learning from the materials themselves helps children understand abstract concepts. Through self-discovery, children are more engaged, take ownership, and develop a real love of learning through the mastery of the material.
In traditional school environments, teachers tend to carry out more standardized lesson plans and topics across the entirety of their class. The lessons are typically conveyed verbally to students, who are expected to listen and memorize items without concern for full comprehension.
“An ordinary teacher cannot be transformed into a Montessori teacher, but must be created anew, having rid herself of pedagogical prejudices.” — Maria Montessori, Education for a New World
In Montessori classrooms, children have adequate time to approach, learn, and fully grasp concepts and lessons. In a traditional school environment, teachers establish a set timeline for when students will learn specific topics.
Montessori teachers avoid interrupting children whenever possible and allow for long blocks of work time. This interruption avoidance provides children with the freedom to learn at their personal pace, using methods that work best for them without feeling rushed.
Perhaps the most important aspect of a Montessori education is the relationship between the teacher and the student. Montessori teachers are present in the classroom to provide personalized guidance and attention to each student on an as-needed basis.
Students in a traditional school have minimal, if any, personalized time with their teachers. Montessori students, however, work directly with their teachers, taking as much time as they need to grasp concepts and gain the confidence to keep diving into learning.
The flexibility of Montessori schools compared with traditional schools is further illustrated by the grouping of children based on developmental range, such as 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 years of age. At Apple, our preschool classrooms, for example, include children ages 2 through 6.
Traditional schools tend to group children more directly by age, and children are expected to keep up or stay behind with other students their same age. Children that grasp certain concepts faster are forced to maintain pace with the other students. Students that need more time to understand lessons are shuffled through to the next grade without being fully prepared or are forced to repeat the grade year.
The mixed-age classroom is beneficial to children on both ends of the spectrum, as younger children learn from their older peers while older children gain valuable leadership experience and pride in helping their younger classmates. This arrangement also allows for siblings to sometimes be in the same class, just one more extension of the Apple family.
Traditional school curricula are predetermined, based on the “average” student in that grade. Teachers in traditional school environments have minimal to no flexibility in their approach to helping students understand concepts. Instead, they are expected to meet minimum testing standards to validate student comprehension.
In Montessori schools, teachers expand their methods and curricula according to students’ needs. Student understanding of a subject takes precedence to “testing well” on a subject. Children also get to follow their own passions at their own pace, with teachers directing them to relevant materials and activities.
Perhaps the most critical factor in a developing child’s learning is confidence in their ability to learn. Traditional schools focus on negative reinforcement through testing and a “just enough to pass” mentality.
Montessori schools focus on coaching children to really learn to enjoy the essence of learning new things and making sure they “get it.” Children manipulate and investigate Montessori materials until they master the lesson, and the self-correcting nature of the materials builds independence and confidence.
Children are born curious. It’s in our very nature to want to learn new things. Montessori education is built entirely around this concept. By focusing on the innate desire to learn, teachers of Montessori students tap a natural wellspring of motivation.
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.
Some people seem like they’re born with these traits, but they don’t come out of nowhere. They’re developed in a nurturing environment, with the help of supportive families, mentors, and teachers.
That need for nurture and support is what makes a Montessori education especially well-suited to developing those skills and characteristics. And there’s no better proof of it than the successful, influential, and towering figures in our culture who have had their start as Montessori students! Here are a few:
- Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipdea
- Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Co-Founders of Google
- Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon
- Julia Child, Chef, Cookbook Author, and Television Host
- And Taylor Swift, of course!
There’s no better testament to the power of a Montessori education than the incredible achievements of its students! While we can’t promise that your child will become the next Jeff Bezos or Taylor Swift, we can promise that they will be challenged academically, nurtured socially and emotionally, and encouraged to become the best version of themselves they can be.
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Be sure to head to our website as well as past blog posts for more information on the Montessori philosophy, the Apple difference, mixed-aged classrooms, and more.
