For over a century the Montessori model has equipped children around the world with a distinct academic advantage that lasts a lifetime.
Children are born with an innate desire to learn, a natural curiosity that inspires them to explore the world around them. At Montessori we call this innate desire intrinsic motivation, which means every child is hardwired to be inquisitive. Children have an inner drive to learn and grow, and to be challenged.
The Montessori philosophy of education is designed to channel this intrinsic motivation and help it grow exponentially. Here are some of the most impactful benefits of a Montessori education:
Independance, Confidence and Self-Assurance
The Montessori method of educating children is grounded in a commitment to child directed and hands on active learning. Children are encouraged to lead themselves and learn to follow their own interests. They learn to be active and autonomous agents who forge their own path, to pay attention to what sparks curiosity, and to revel in their own inquisitiveness.
Children are given the chance each and every day to plan how to spend their time, what to focus on, and how to approach the work at hand. They are given a leadership role in their own learning, which reinforces a sense of follow through and honest evaluation of one’s own work. The bi-products of this type of learning environment include independence, confidence and self-reliance, healthy risk taking, impulse control and self-regulation.
Enhanced Social and Emotional Skills
One of the most impressive and last lasting benefits of Montessori education has got to be the incredible social and emotional advantages of the Casa– mixed age group classroom communities characteristic of Montessori learning environments.
Casas are versatile and diverse classrooms where children learn to negotiate difference and embrace their own individuality. They are encouraged to appreciate that the ‘self’ is not fixed but multifaceted and dynamic while they serve as role models for younger students and emulate the skills and abilities of those who are older and more experienced. The result is a greater sense of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and literacy, cooperation and conflict resolution.
Unparalleled Academic Preparedness
The overwhelming success of these classroom practices has given the Montessori philosophy of education it’s reputation as a ‘potent predictor of future success.’
Prepared Montessori environments are designed for key learning experiences and tailored to developmental stages for optimal effect. Focused time for concentration and dedicated work encourages children to channel ‘flow’ states as they channel their intellectual energy towards work that resonates with them on a deeper level and really lights up their passions. This has proven to be an excellent method for traditional academic skills like language and math. In fact, kids who attend Montessori score much higher on standardized tests than those who attend traditional schooling.
Plus, kids really like it!
At The Clover School we believe that kids ought to enjoy going to school because if they don’t they’ll learn avoidance behaviors for anything related to school, learning or work later in life. Montessori has proven time and again to help cultivate a deep love of learning, and that– above all else– is the most valuable thing an education can provide.
The benefits of encouraging children to learn social and academic skills in a variety of different ways, based on their own interests and strengths, and at their own pace reinforces a child’s sense of personal and community responsibility and follow through.
Montessori learning gives children an unparalleled sense of fulfilment, passion, proficiency, and purpose in the classroom.
And when children have that, their potential is truly limitless!
