What is the Montessori Method?

While many people have heard of Montessori education, not all understand what it implies or who Maria Montessori was.

This has been the case in the US for over 100 years, following the birth of the first Montessori school in Rome in 1907. The Montessori method is based on both a different philosophy and approach than most of us experienced in our own education.

• Montessori believed that the most important years of a child's education are not the years of high school and college, but the first six years of life. As a result, Montessori schools regard infant and early childhood education as the very foundation of everything that follows.

• Montessori recognized the overwhelming importance of allowing children to develop a very high degree of independence and autonomy from the adults around them. She saw a direct link between children's sense of self-worth, empowerment, and self-mastery, and our ability to learn and retain new skills and information.

• Montessori argued that children are born curious, creative, and motivated to observe and learn things. She dismissed the traditional notions of competition and external standards and reinforcement being the only effective way to motivate students to become well educated. Montessori children learn from one another as much as from adults and collaborate rather than compete for honors and grades.

• Montessori recognized that every child is unique; a universe of one. Because they learn at their own pace and in their own best ways, she designed an education that actually allows students to learn at their own pace and to select freely from work that they find appealing.

• And, finally, there is the profound difference between the lines of authority and relationships between children and adults that is central to Montessori education. Teachers tend to ask the right questions rather than give children the correct answers. They serve as mentors, friends, and guides, rather than as task masters and disciplinarians. Students are treated with profound respect as equals, in partnership rather than with condescension, external control and domination. (www.montessori.org)

Are all Montessori schools the same?

No. The name "Montessori" was never copy right protected and is in the public domain. Any school or program may incorporate it as part of its name, regardless of the extent to which it adheres to Montessori principles and practices. We recommend visiting several programs, noting the similarities and differences, and ultimately choosing the program that best fits the needs and desires of your child and family.

Are all Montessori schools private?

No. Public Montessori programs and Charter Schools continue to open up across the country. Although there are not any public Montessori programs in the State of New Hampshire at this time, there are a number of public programs as nearby as Massachusetts.

How many Montessori schools are there?

There is no definite answer. Because there is not a single Montessori licensing agency, and affiliation with Montessori Associations is voluntary, we do not have an accurate idea of how many Montessori schools exist at any given time. The total number of schools ranges from 6000-8000 schools, including public, private, and international schools.