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The Montessori Approach

'My vision of the future is no longer people taking exams and proceeding then on that certification but of individuals passing from one stage of independence to a higher, by means of their own activity, through their own effort of will, which constitutes the inner evolution of the individual"

Maria Montessori

The Montessori Method

Dr. Maria Montessori was born in 1870 and became the first woman doctor in Italy. By observing children in a scientific manner and without the usual pre-conceived educational ideas she was able to create new techniques of education which emphasized the 'unique' development of each child. This led to the Montessori system which has at its core an environment in which the child is free to develop their own skills and abilities. Dr. Montessori's first school achieved far greater academic success than the traditional state system and many of her ideas such as cross-curriculum teaching have now been adopted into 'mainstream' education.

However, Montessori's ideas, both practical and philosophical, are based on a coordinated approach tailored to each child's development. In the prepared Montessori environment, the child learns to explore and make their own discoveries about the world around them. Mixed age groups afford the child the opportunity to help and be helped by other children and take part as both the youngest and oldest member.

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