Montessori education for children six and under emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classrooms have the freedom to learn at their own pace, choosing from a wide range of activities that suit their individual interests. Instead of sitting in traditional group lessons, children engage in hands-on, self-directed activities with materials that have been individually introduced by their teacher, who tailors lessons to each child's readiness. This approach fosters deep concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a genuine love for learning.

As children grow older, from age six onward, they transition to independent research, field trips, interviews with specialists, and collaborative projects like group presentations, art exhibits, musicals, and science experiments. In this environment of guided freedom, there are no textbooks or rigid schedules—children are encouraged to create and explore at their own pace. They learn to ask for lessons, share knowledge, and inspire one another, eliminating competition and emphasizing cooperation. Montessori children often meet or exceed the academic standards found in more traditional education systems, all while enjoying their work and maintaining a sense of wonder and curiosity.

Multi-age classrooms offer the advantage of tailoring the curriculum to each child's individual needs. This setup allows children to progress at their own pace while staying connected to their peers within the classroom community. Furthermore, the multi-age structure empowers older children to take on leadership roles, even those who may be more shy or quiet, helping them build confidence and responsibility.

Multi-age classrooms offer the advantage of tailoring the curriculum to each child's individual needs. This setup allows children to progress at their own pace while staying connected to their peers within the classroom community. Furthermore, the multi-age structure empowers older children to take on leadership roles, even those who may be more shy or quiet, helping them build confidence and responsibility.

No. Montessori educates children without reference to a religious denomination. As a result, our classrooms are extremely diverse, with representation from all peoples, cultures, and religions.

Montessori is not a franchise. The term Montessori is not trademarked and anyone, regardless of training, experience or affiliation can open a “Montessori” school. It is essential that parents researching Montessori act as good consumers to ensure the authenticity of their chosen program.

Dr. Maria Montessori wanted to be sure that guides were trained correctly, methods were applied as she intended, and a complete set of authentic materials graced the shelves of classrooms. Today, there are two major organizations that carry on her work and are generally regarded as the standard for Montessori education. They are AMI (Association Montessori International), which was created by Dr. Montessori herself, and AMS (American Montessori Society), which branched off from AMI in 1960. The two organizations maintain a positive working relationship and mutual respect for the work they both do. If you are looking for a high fidelity Montessori program, it’s important to find a school that is connected to either AMI or AMS. There are different levels of connection, depending on how closely a school aligns their work with what is considered ideal.

Montessori schools may be best known for their programs with young children, but the underlying educational method describes programs for students up through high school.

Montessori children are free to choose within limits, and have only as much freedom as they can handle with appropriate responsibility. The classroom teacher and assistant ensure that children do not interfere with each other, and that each child is progressing at her appropriate pace in all subjects.

The different arrangement of a Montessori classroom mirrors the Montessori method's differences from traditional education. Rather than putting the teacher at the focal point of the class, with children dependent on her for information and activity, the classroom shows a literally child-centered approach. Children work at tables or on floor mats where they can spread out their materials, and the teacher circulates about the room, giving lessons or resolving issues as they arise.

Yes. Montessori classrooms encourage deep learning of the concepts behind academic skills rather than rote practice of abstract techniques. The success of our students appears in the experiences of our alumni, who compete successfully with traditionally educated students in a variety of high schools and universities.

Montessori classrooms emphasize competition with oneself: self-monitoring, self-correction, and a variety of other executive skills aimed at continuous improvement. Students typically become comfortable with their strengths and learn how to address their weaknesses. In older classes, students commonly participate in competitive activities with clear “winners” (auditions for limited opera roles, the annual spelling bee, etc.) in which students give their best performances while simultaneously encouraging peers to do the same. It is a healthy competition in which all contenders are content that they did their best in an environment with clear and consistent rules.