Innovative, inspiring, Intuitive.
The Montessori Method has been enriching the lives of children across the globe for over 100 years. This sustainable educational approach encompasses a holistic world view and lifelong learning, following the natural development of the child based on careful observation within a nurturing environment.
What Is Montessori?What is Montessori?
A unique, CHILD-CENTRED approach to education.
The Montessori Method is one of the most successful disciplines of learning which carries international recognition. Dr Maria Montessori saw that children learn best through experience and that it encourages a deeper and more consistent understanding of language, mathematics, science, music, social interactions and much more. She found that happy self-motivated learners form positive images of themselves as confident, successful people and created specially designed resources to foster independence and a love for learning from an early age.

How does a Montessori education help your child?
Development
Supports physical and cognitive development in response to the child’s individual needs.
Confidence
Develops children’s confidence in their emerging abilities, allowing them to take risks and go beyond expectations.
Environment
Provides children with a safe, engaging and nurturing learning environment that is responsive to their needs.
Trust
Encourages children’s trust in themselves, each other and the wider community.
Your questions answered
What is the Montessori approach?
When following the Montessori approach the child is seen as a dynamic learner, full of creative potential and in need of the maximum possible freedom to be allowed to develop as a happy, confident individual. Montessori schools therefore place greater emphasis on the importance of the learning process rather than the product. Montessori schools are learner-centred, where the inner abilities of the children are trusted. Adults in a Montessori school will not do tasks for a child (such as zipping up a coat or setting a table for lunch) but will show the child how to do the tasks for themselves. Observation of children is key, as through knowing what the child is able to do, and is interested in, the adult is better able to meet their individual needs.
What is the difference between Montessori and other approaches to education?
In more traditional schools children are seen to be in need of more active instruction and control from adults, and as a result there is less trust in the child’s own inner abilities and more emphasis on ensuring defined results. Montessori schools are learner-centred, whereas traditional schools tend to be more teacher-centred.
What are the principles of the Montessori pedagogy?
Montessori’s observations led her to formulate a pedagogy that focused on children’s sensitive periods (when they are better able to develop in certain areas), their capacity for active learning through their senses, and education, which takes place in a harmonious and respectful atmosphere. The principles include supporting active learning, respecting each child as an individual, trusting in them and their natural development, and encouraging self-discipline. These principles have been endorsed by neuroscientists of today and are reflected in many current approaches to early year’s education such as the EYFS or Reggio Emilia. The carefully prepared favourable learning environment supporting the individual progress of each child remains at the heart of Montessori education today.
What is Maria Montessori’s legacy?
As a pioneer of early year’s education, Maria Montessori (1870 to 1952) has left behind a legacy of early year’s pedagogy that celebrates the individual child. Recognising the child’s capacity for leading his/her learning in a well organised environment, that offers rich learning opportunities under the guidance of a well prepared educator.
How does the Montessori early year’s curriculum meet the requirements of the regulatory framework as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage?
The principles which underpin both approaches focus on the child, the learning environment and the relationships within it in promoting children’s learning and development. The synergy in the principles ensures that Montessori early years education works well alongside the EYFS without losing its key focus on following the child.
Tomorrow’s FUTURE is in the classroom today.
Whether you’ve just left school or are seeking a truly inspirational career change, MCI offers a range of training opportunities, including nationally recognised qualifications, to start your journey in Montessori education.
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