The Montessori pedagogy?

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The Montessori approach is both a philosophy and a method of education that highlights the child’s potential by allowing them a significant amount of freedom in a prepared environment. This freedom of action and movement fosters their full development. The teacher, specially trained in Montessori principles, guides the child through learning using materials and educational approaches developed by Dr. Maria Montessori.

Children have a natural and insatiable curiosity and a strong desire to learn about the world around them. The Montessori materials, made available in a prepared environment, stimulate and channel this innate curiosity. By handling, exploring, and working with sensory concrete materials, the child gradually assimilates the abstract concepts that these materials represent. Thus, the child does much more than memorize a concept; they deeply integrate it.

The Montessori method emphasizes individualized and progressive teaching, where each child advances at their own pace. This way, slower learners are not frustrated in their thirst for knowledge, while faster learners progress unhindered.

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What does “freedom” method in Montessori ?

In a Montessori environment, there is a balance between structure and freedom.

First, the child learns the framework and rules necessary to maintain the essential Montessori atmosphere. Then, the concept of freedom, which leads to responsibility, is gradually introduced to the children.

While offering them different paths to follow, we give them the tools to make wise and informed choices, always within the respect of the social values they grow up with. 

Does that mean the child does whatever they want at school?

NO! The child learns self-discipline, which is very different from a lack of discipline.

Being free means much more than “doing whatever one wants.” It also implies the ability to distinguish and choose what is beneficial and constructive for oneself and then to carry these choices through to completion.

In the Children’s House (ages 3–6), the only true limit each child sets is respect: respect for oneself, for others, and for the environment in which they evolve.

Flexibility in form is in no way synonymous with leniency in substance.

Older students are constant role models for younger ones. They know it is far more rewarding to be admired than to be a negative example.

Limits are set according to the general interest, as the freedom of one stop where the freedom of another begins.

Above all, we give children the opportunity to be happy. Being happy does not mean doing anything and everything. Naturally, it is essential to respect one of Maria Montessori’s core principles: “freedom within limits.” These limits are set by a prepared environment, structured by routines, rules, absolute respect for others, and non-violence. Such requirements preserve the ecosystem of a Montessori school.

What if a child doesn’t want to work?

In Montessori, it is up to the educator to be a keen observer and identify the child’s sensitive periods and interests. Nevertheless, such situations are rare because the materials, the mix of age groups, and stimulation from older peers create a natural desire to progress. Additionally, the environment offers such a wealth of materials that the child is typically highly motivated to explore everything a Montessori setting has to offer.

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What are the benefits of the Montessori method ?

In a Montessori classroom, learning becomes an exciting experience for each child because it is the result of their own choices.

Maria Montessori recognized that specific learnings occur more easily and joyfully during certain “sensitive periods” that children experience at various stages of growth. During these periods, children show intense interest and attraction to specific activities, achieving optimal levels of learning.

The Montessori approach allows children to freely choose activities based on their individual interests and progress at their own pace. This way of learning foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics makes the school experience positive, stimulating, and exciting.

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What is Montessori material?

Beyond the pedagogy itself, learning happens through the manipulation of various materials.

In a Montessori classroom, over 500 activities and tools are available to children, one at a time. This supports learning by capturing the child’s attention and developing their concentration. By handling materials, the child enhances coordination, learns to pay attention to details, and develops healthy work habits.

While Montessori materials may seem magical at first glance, they are remarkably simple and effective. They engage all learning channels (auditory, kinesthetic, visual, and sometimes even taste and smell).

Only a presentation by a Montessori teacher can fully demonstrate the power of this material. Schedule a meeting with us come with your child!

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How do Montessori students transition into the public school system?

The skills acquired in a Montessori classroom are deeply ingrained. Children adapt quickly and positively to new situations because they develop concentration, self-discipline, and a joy for learning while being socially well-adjusted. These qualities ease their transition into traditional schooling, even when faced with changes like relocation, language shifts, or new educational methods.

Rebecca Shankland, a psychology lecturer, compared university performance between students from traditional schooling and those from alternative pedagogies, including Montessori. The personalized attention and teaching methods of alternative pedagogies help students adapt successfully to higher education. However, given the differences between systems, the pedagogical team ensures a smooth transition when adequately notified in advance.

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What are the main differences between Montessori schools and traditional systems?

In a Montessori school, the educator suggests activities tailored to the child’s development and sensitive periods, then observes. The goal is to allow the child to develop intelligence, self-esteem, and autonomy through individual work. In contrast, traditional systems focus on the adult teaching and imparting knowledge.

In Montessori, the teacher acts as a bridge between the child and the learning materials, stepping back to allow the child to practice and learn independently. Additionally, Montessori educators operate over a three-year cycle to validate competencies and achieve objectives for each child. This timeline allows everyone to progress at their own pace.

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How do Montessori children transition to traditional secondary school?

Feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive. Adhering to the common core curriculum ensures a smooth transition to secondary school. Montessori children’s social skills and strong habit of cooperation often make this new stage easier to navigate. However, as with all students, the transition to Year 7 introduces a new school structure, notably with the presence of multiple subject-specific teachers. On average, children take three to six months to adapt, whether joining private or public schools.

Montessori students often become class representatives thanks to their ease in public speaking. Their autonomy and self-confidence are strong assets, though they may sometimes face challenges in adapting to a more restrictive framework for knowledge acquisition and creativity.

The school undergoes annual inspections by the Academy to ensure proper functioning.

There’s no cause for concern Montessori education is always a gem in a child’s journey. It helps them develop solid academic knowledge while nurturing emotional and social intelligence, ensuring they transition smoothly to traditional schooling.

Regardless of their previous schooling, all children will need time to adapt to a new system in secondary school.

The autonomy and self-confidence developed through Montessori education are significant advantages.

When the option of continuing in a Montessori secondary school exists, it’s a wonderful opportunity to pursue an approach so rich in experiences and learning!

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Does the school follow the national curriculum?

In practice, children are required to acquire the same knowledge as those in state-accredited schools by the end of the mandatory education period. In fact, Montessori pedagogy often allows children to exceed the expectations of the common core curriculum.

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​What can Montessori pedagogy bring to my child ?

The key qualities developed through Montessori pedagogy and the school’s overall educational approach include: autonomy, self-confidence, initiative, creativity, innovation, mutual support, self-discipline, respect for others and the environment, tolerance, and the joy of learning.

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Montessori and children with learning differences (DYS)

One of the key benefits of Montessori pedagogy and its materials is that it first and foremost restores a child’s self-confidence. The materials are designed to isolate specific difficulties, allowing Montessori educators to give dyslexic or dysorthographic children the time they need to gently internalize learning through sensory experiences.

In a calm and peaceful environment, children can construct their knowledge at their own pace.

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Montessori Adapted for Gifted Children

Montessori: An Education Suited for Gifted Children!

In the past, they were referred to as “gifted,” but nowadays we use terms like high potential or precocious. Sometimes, abbreviations like HP or EIP (Exceptionally Intellectual Pupils) are also used. Regardless of the label, the reality remains the same: gifted children possess a form of intelligence that diverges from traditional pathways and therefore have unique needs. These particularities can sometimes be challenging, giving children the feeling of being different. Rather than attempting to erase their uniqueness to conform to a rigid norm, it is far better to embrace and transform these traits into strengths. This is where a Montessori education, starting as early as preschool, proves invaluable.

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Nurturing Curiosity !

“Why are there stars in the sky?” “Why do animals have legs?” “Why do we need to follow rules?” Every day, gifted children are flooded with countless questions. “Why?” is arguably their favorite word. Their relentless desire to understand the world and ask questions is not an act of defiance but often a response to anxiety about a system they struggle to comprehend. To feel secure, gifted children need to satisfy their curiosity, receive answers, or, at the very least, be guided in their inquiries.

In our Montessori school, every effort is made to honor this need. First, we place great emphasis on the area of culture: scientific experiments, geography, botany, zoology, history, and more. Starting from age 3, our children are immersed in knowledge. We provide them with the tools to understand the universe and how it works. This approach is not only reassuring but also helps them find their place in the world.

We also introduce what Montessori calls The Great Lessons. These are captivating, story-like introductions to science, presenting the major milestones of knowledge: the birth of the universe, the emergence of life, the life of early humans, the development of writing, and the discovery of mathematics. Gifted children are particularly enthralled by these stories as they quench their thirst for understanding the mysteries of the world.

Finally, we welcome all their questions! Rather than silencing them—as is too often the case in traditional settings—we take the time to open meaningful spaces for discussion.

Honoring Sensitivity !

One of the core areas of Montessori education is what we call sensorial life, which focuses on refining and nurturing the senses. This approach gives full consideration to the child’s sensitivity. Furthermore, Montessori activities are precise, conducted individually, and follow a structured process. This promotes concentration, as external stimuli are minimized. Gifted children feel respected in their unique needs.

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Adapting to Each Child's Pace !

Another undeniable reality is that gifted children often suffer when their learning is restricted. In traditional systems, skipping a grade is often the only solution, which does not necessarily align with the child’s emotional maturity. In contrast, Montessori education does not structure learning around chronological age or grade level but instead adapts to the individual rhythm of each child.

Learning pathways are personalized: if a child is ready to read at age 4, we will not hold them back under the pretext of sticking to a curriculum cycle. Attuning to each child’s specific needs is the key to their success!

Children learn to respect one another and progress at their own pace. They are encouraged to measure themselves against their own achievements rather than comparing themselves to others. Montessori teaching materials have also been designed to avoid fostering performance-based competition uniquely, thus preventing feelings of ridicule or jealousy among peers.

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A Safe and Supportive Environment !

In our Montessori classrooms, gifted children find a space where their curiosity is encouraged, their sensitivity is respected, and their unique learning rhythms are honored. They are free to explore, question, and flourish without the constraints imposed by traditional systems. This nurturing environment transforms their unique way of seeing the world into a strength, helping them build self-confidence and a lifelong love for learning.

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Can Education Keep Up with Our Changing Times ?

“Let us not raise our children for the world of today. This world will no longer exist when they are grown up. And there is no way of knowing what kind of world theirs will be. So let us teach them to adapt.” – Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

In an era where digital technologies are transforming how we live, work, and learn, Maria Montessori’s words remain remarkably relevant. The Montessori approach emphasizes personalized learning, respecting each child’s unique pace without imposing the concepts of being “ahead” or “behind.” It recognizes the importance of sensitive periods—specific phases in a child’s life when they are naturally drawn to certain aspects of their environment, essential to their growth and development.

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