Montessori education is a way of caring for young children stressing respect.  . . respect for individual differences and the learning environment. 

The educational beliefs underlying the philosophy include:

• Children should be respected as individuals who are different from adults and from each other

• Children learn to create through purposeful activity

• The most important years for learning are from birth to age six

• Children possess a heightened sensitivity for learning and absorbing information from their environment

 Goals are established for each child including:

• Developing independence through mastery of their daily environment

• Developing responsibility by learning to help maintain the learning environment

• Developing the ability to make good choices

• Developing positive self esteem through repeated success in the classroom

• Developing  respect for others

• Developing a sense of self discipline.

 In a classroom we have a set of “ground rules” to encourage a child’s development in these areas.  The “ground rules” include:

• walking in the room

• using soft voices (inside voices) 

• only good touching

• choosing one piece of equipment from a shelf at a time and returning it when you are finished ready for the next child to use

• asking another child if you can share their work and respecting their right to say no.

These ground rules are designed to help children develop respect for one another and the environment as well as a strong sense of responsibility and self-discipline.

The Montessori teacher as in any other classroom is a key element.  Always having a number of over-lapping roles, a Montessori teacher is at once an observer, programmer, and an exemplar.  This means the teacher sets the limits and serves as a behavioral example.  The teacher permits the child free choice of materials and thereby enables him to exercise his/her curiosity and develop independence.  The teacher is able to see when assistance is needed and when to stand aside and let a child work a little longer at something so that she/he may achieve success, a feeling of self-satisfaction, and joy.

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