When you work in a Montessori School, the question “Just what is Montessori?” does come up quite often in one’s social circles. And for those of us who have studied the philosophy and pedagogy that Dr. Montessori put into practice over 100 years ago, it’s difficult to put into words, succinctly, all the benefits of this educational approach that took the world by storm back in the early 1900’s.
“Dr. Montessori was truly a woman ahead of her time. She saw the potential in every child. As a physician and a scientist, she used observation and a brilliant understanding of child development to figure out how to best support learning for life.”, remarks Colette Cross, Head of School at the Westmont Montessori school in #Mendham, NJ.
Indeed. But just what is this educational approach all about? Today, we will try to answer this question with one word (well…we might need to use a few “one word” answers):
- #Respect for self
- #Respect for others
- #Academic Excellence (coupled with a joy for learning)
- #Cultural appreciation
- #Love of #learning