Academics
In today's polarized society, education is frequently torn between two camps. There is quite often a desire for either a rigorous curriculum, strong academic standards, and high test scores, or an integrated, arts based, multi-sensory/multi-modality (teaching topics through music, art, hands on materials...) open educational environment.
It is the Montessori belief, however, that both of these goals can be satisfied at once. Keeping this in mind, Montessori education is taught by teachers who believe in, and are able to integrate the teaching of all subjects, not as isolated disciplines, but as part of a whole. True Montessori programs offer the following:
Focuses Mathematics curriculum presented with concrete materials that simultaneously reveal arithmetic, geometric, and algebraic correlations. |
Techniques Use of timelines, pictures, charts, and other visual aids that provide a linguistic and visual overview of the first principles of each discipline. |
Montessori studies not only integrate different subject matters, but moral learning about empathy, justice, and appreciation for each other and other forms of life. Most of the Montessori Curriculum is oriented towards non-fiction and research. We believe that this not only follows the child's developmental desire to understand and make sense of the world around them, but builds an educational foundation for future knowledge while teaching the skills needed for students to be in control and further their own learning.