What I Like Most About Montessori

Today our students made a list of what they like most about Montessori. It's such a great list and really says a lot about what our children get from a Montessori education. This list starts with our youngest learners and goes through our oldest. Watch as their answers change from concrete to abstract - just like their Montessori education!

Our tots like Fridays, lunch, their friends, playing, and painting.

Our primary students like their teachers, Accelerated Reader books, color box three, the bank, the 10 board, the bead stair, nouns and verbs, the 100 board, BOB books, the puzzles, the cutting works, the calendar work, the flag ceremony, the hanging beads, writing word families, working on chains, word building, the movable alphabet, the U.S. map, stamping, practical life, push pinning, frame papers, and storytelling.

Our lower elementary students like time tests, the large bead frame, spelling, checker board, math operations, function of words, grammar boxes, adjective cards, live animals, reading skills, S.R.A.s, stamp game division, stamp game subtraction, rhyming words and verbs, fractions, and punctuation.

Our upper elementary students like the materials, the good teachers, the challenges, the self-selection of personal research, the group projects, the uniqueness of the school, and the privileges they get as the oldest kids in the school. The like that they are independent, impromptu, responsible, good time managers, respectful, and intelligent because they attend a Montessori school. The believe their school is inspirational, welcoming, and known for grace, courtesy, love, hope, and peace. They listed the familiarity they have with the staff and other adults as one of their favorite things. They say it is a comforting place where individuality is respected and fundamental needs are met. They like that they can have snacks in class. They think their school is a special place with great friends.

And, just for fun, here's a short list of what some of our parents said during a recent survey about what a Montessori education means for their child. It means:

• independence
• a chance to use all the senses to learn
• getting the foundation they need to start the educational process for life
• a peaceful environment with individual guidance
• the chance to learn by doing
• a love of learning
• confidence
• not treating a child as a test score
• learning rather than memorizing
• helping a child have pride in herself and to reach her greatest potential
• attention to individual pace of learning
• joyful learning and a natural curiosity
• learning in a fun and constructive way
• a happy and well-balanced child

It's been an awesome week celebrating 102 years of Montessori; and there's obviously a lot to celebrate! Happy Birthday, Montessori!