What is Montessori?

Each Child Is Unique
 

Dr. Montessori believed that education should follow the child and not the other way around. At The Golden Rule, we too believe that each individual child has unique needs and talents. Our goal is not to shoehorn your child into our curriculum. Instead, using Montessori methods and materials, we observe each child closely to provide every child with an individual program for learning.

 

Practical Life
 

Montessori teaches self-reliance and independence. Montessori children learn to dress themselves, help cook, prepare their own snacks, and take an active part in their household, neighborhood, and school.

 

Hands On
 

Montessori activities encourage children to develop their observation skills by utilizing their five senses, kinetic movement, spatial refinement, small and large motor skill coordination, and concrete knowledge that leads to later abstraction. For example, letters are introduced to children first as sandpaper shapes, allowing the child to trace and feel the letter before tying it to a sound or a word.

 

Control-Driven

Every learning activity has a built-in control that allows the child to determine the success of his or her work. Too often, a child learns to fear failure and to be told he or she is wrong. The built-in Montessori control allows for the child to self-control and self-direct the work until success is achieved. For example, a child is directed to reconstruct a flashlight. Until the flashlight turns on, the project is not done. This allows the child to try until success rather than fail and be discouraged.

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Love to Learn

The end goal for The Golden Rule and any Montessori school or program is to foster and facilitate a lifelong love of learning in every child. The classroom belongs to the child and should be a peaceful, stimulating, safe place to explore. 

Because Montessori is so hands on, seeing it in action is often the best way to understand it. If you have more questions or would like a classroom tour, please contact us!

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