What is Montessori Education?
“What is Montessori education? For more than a century now, the child-focused approach that Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, developed for educating children has been transforming schools around the globe.
As soon as you enter a classroom, you know that something different is afoot. Montessori classrooms are immediately recognizable. You will see children working independently and in groups, often with specially designed learning materials; deeply engaged in their work; and respectful of themselves and their surroundings.
The Montessori Method fosters rigorous, self-motivated growth for children and adolescents in all areas of their development—cognitive, emotional, social, and physical.
Montessori education is student-led and self-paced but guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, the leadership of their peers, and a nurturing environment.
Within the community of a multi-age classroom—designed to create natural opportunities for independence, citizenship, and accountability—children embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate inquiry. Individual students follow their own curiosity at their own pace, taking the time they need to fully understand each concept and meet individualized learning goals.
Given the freedom and support to question, probe deeply, and make connections, Montessori students grow up to be confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners and citizens, accountable to both themselves and their community. They think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly and with integrity. What better outcome could you wish for your children?”
The Montessori Scope & Sequence
VA Kids Center utilizes Montessori Compass as a foundation for our Montessori Scope and Sequence. “Montessori does not organize curriculum by the grade level at which topics are to be taught. We assume that children learn at different paces and learn best in different ways. In most cases, students in Montessori programs will work on any given skill or concept over several years. We introduce students to new lessons as soon as they seem to be ready. Likewise, we have a plan of what Montessori students ought to learn and the age/grade levels at which which we expect mastery from most students. Instead of arranging our curriculum by grade level, we organize it by the subsets of concepts and skills and the sequence in which they will be taught” —Montessori Foundation
Infants (birth-18 months) & Toddlers (12 months - 3 years)
The curriculum areas for Infants and Toddlers include: Sensory, Cognitive, Language, Motor, Social and Emotional, Integrated Eye-Hand and Cognitive, and Practical Life
Preschool (2.5 years - 6 years)
The curriculum areas currently included are: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language Arts, Mathematics and Geometry, Geography, History, Science, Cosmic Studies, and Visual Art.
