What is the Montessori method?
What is the Montessori concept of Freedom?
What is the Montessori Concept of Discipline?
At what age should a child enter a Montessori Class?
What happens when children go from a Montessori class to a traditional class?
What if the child enters in the middle of the year?
How do Montessori schools differ from nursery schools?

What is the Montessori method?
The basic idea underlying Montessori philosophy of education is that unseen within every child is the person the child will become. Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who developed this Method of teaching, recognized that only valid impulse to learn is the self-motivation of the child. The teacher prepares the environment, programs the activity, functions as the reference person and custodian and offers the child stimulations; It is the child who learns and is motivated through the work itself. If the Montessori child is free to learn, it is because the child has acquired an `inner discipline' from exposure to both physical and mental order. This is the core of Montessori philosophy.
The basic idea underlying Montessori philosophy of education is that unseen within every child is the person the child will become. Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who developed this Method of teaching, recognized that only valid impulse to learn is the self-motivation of the child. The teacher prepares the environment, programs the activity, functions as the reference person and custodian and offers the child stimulations; It is the child who learns and is motivated through the work itself. If the Montessori child is free to learn, it is because the child has acquired an `inner discipline' from exposure to both physical and mental order. This is the core of Montessori philosophy. Back to Top

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What is the Montessori concept of Freedom?
Freedom is pre-requisite condition for learning. Freedom is a goal, not a starting point. A free child is the one who has developed his potential and prefers to work out problems for him and is capable of and accepting directions when necessary. An undisciplined child is not free, but a slave to his immediate desires and is excessively dependent on others. The free child of course, grows into a free adult. Back to Top

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What is the Montessori Concept of Discipline?
Discipline is the second pre-requisite condition for learning. In Montessori approach, it is the inner discipline, which the child develops over his own behavior through working with the specially designed Montessori materials. A child lacking such inner discipline is usually frustrated but they become happier and self controlled after a period of time in a Montessori class in which they experience challenging tasks absorbing their energies and resulting in a sense of achievement. Back to Top

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At what age should a child enter a Montessori Class?
The years between two and six are the years that a child most easily learns the ground rules of good behavior. These years can be constructively devoted to civilizing the child - freeing the child through the acquisition of good manners and habits to take his or her place in the cultural growth. Back to Top

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What happens when children go from a Montessori class to a traditional class?
Ample research has shown that Montessori trained children develop a positive attitude towards learning. Montessori children are found to be superior in significant level to their peers in inter-personal relations and learning ability. Most children get adjusted readily to new classroom situations, because they have developed self-discipline and independence in the Montessori environment. Back to Top

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What if the child enters in the middle of the year?
Children begin right where they are when they enter the school. The materials are presented on an individual basis. Children are allowed to work with an exercise or a set of material as long as they feel the need to do so. They progress at their own rate through self- motivation. Children are not in competition in the Montessori classrooms. The key goal of the school is to provide each child with the opportunity to learn and develop positive attitudes towards him, toward others and toward learning. Montessori system is for normal children. This is a special type of effective education where each child is treated individually and respected for the child's own accomplishments. Back to Top

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How do Montessori schools differ from nursery schools?
Montessori schools prepare the children directly and indirectly for reading and writing, along with group activities. Nursery schools usually gear towards group activities and free play.

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