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6 Great Reasons To Choose A Montessori School For Your Child

Choosing your child’s school is one of the really big decisions you will have to make for your child. I found that out last year since we had to make some big decisions with my daughter starting Grade 1 this year. All schools are not created equal and there are a number of things you will need to look at when choosing a school for your child.

Your child will be spending a considerable amount of time at school and the school that you choose will play a huge influence in your child’s life. We all want to have the best child care possible for our children and the quality of education plays a big role here.

I would have loved to have had the option to consider a Montessori school for my children, but there are none within any reasonable traveling distance so we would have had to relocate which was is not an option for us.

The Montessori method of education (developed by Dr Maria Montessori) is a child-centered educational approach which is based on scientific observations of children from birth until adulthood.

In Montessori schools children learn at their own pace with teachers guiding them. While there is a focus on academics it is not limited to academic achievements. Children learn to care for themselves, for others and for the planet too.

6 Great Reasons To Choose A Montessori School For Your Child

Here are 6 reasons to choose a Montessori school:

The Child Approach

This is the thing that Montessori schools are the most well known for.

Children learn at their own pace without any pressure or competition. They learn to be confident and learns as he or she is best able to. Instead of trying to teach all children in the same way children are able to explore their own ways of learning and find the way that suits them best.

Teachers develop an individual learning program for each child that is specific to the interests and needs of that child.

Children Of Different Ages Learning Together

On the face of it this may seem like a bad idea, however when you think about it having children of different ages will work well.The older children will serve as role models and the younger children will learn from the older kids and benefit from seeing them succeed.

This creates a sense of community while developing team building skills and teaches children to respect each other.

Holistic Learning Approach

Mainstream schools focus mostly on the academic side of teaching children. Montessori schools focus on the full development of the children and cover 5 key areas – practical life, mathematics, sensorial, language and culture. The Montessori curriculum integrates the education you receive at school along with teaching children the real life skills that they need.

Children learn about doing daily chores and conflict resolution which helps children to develop a sense of responsibility and helps them to build self confidence.

Children also learn to respect other people, animals and the earth.

Learning to write

Freedom Of Movement

Children are free to move around the classrooms instead of being desk bound. This freedom of movement promotes self-control and children feel respected being able to make their own choices.

Visit the Montessori Danville website to watch a video showing their school,  classroom and work station set up. It is very different from the traditional school set up!

Educational Materials & Learning Environment

Montessori schools are highly focused on the design of their learning programs, classrooms and facilities in order to create a learning environment that supports children’s developing needs as well as their interests as they grow. Educational materials are rich in visual representation so as to be beneficial to the children.

Children learn through getting actively involved in activities that engage multiple senses rather than through traditional lectures. Children are engaged in a real and relevant way that helps them to experience things that they are trying to learn. This makes learning fun and interesting for children.

Independence and Self Confidence

Children are also encouraged to be independent and to learn to do things that adults would normally do for them. Children learn to cook, do dishes and tend the garden.

In learning to do these things and be independent it creates a sense of achievement for your child. It is empowering and nurtures your child’s self confidence. Your child will have a sense of pride at being able to do things for himself.

It is clear from all the above points that the Montessori method of education has some amazing benefits for your child that are very hard to ignore. It is easy to see why so many parents choose Montessori schools.

How do you feel about Montessori schools? Have you any experience with them.

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9 comments

  1. I visited a Montesorri school when trying to select the right school for my child, and I was really impressed with what I saw. In the end, we opted for a school that wasn’t Montesorri but has very similar principles, and I must say that I fully embrace an educational system that doesn’t focus solely on academics or try to restrict children too much. I have been blown away by how much children learn when they are allowed to give reign to their natural curiosity!

  2. Thanks for sharing this great and informative article.

    I’ve heard the phrase before but I had no idea what a Montessori school was or what it entails.

    This sounds like a dream school.

    Reading through this article, I wish that I had the pleasure of attending one of these schools when I was growing up. And I would love to have my JD attending one.

    I’m not sure if we have such schools in Nelspruit area and it would probably be above my price range if such a school exists. :’-(

    I love the approach of teaching children real life skills while learning a curriculum but not in a highly educational and strict environment like traditional schools.

    There were days where I hated going to school, especially during my high school days.

    I grew up in a small town and I loved my school.

    Then my parents moved to Nelspruit and I started standard six here. The school I attended is highly focused on educational as well as sport achievements. I didn’t flourish in this school and I couldn’t wait to finish matric.

    I think I would have benefited so much from the holistic approach to education that a Montessori school offers.

    It would be interesting to look into this and see if there are schools like this available in our area and what it would cost.

    I am intrigued ….

  3. Deciding if a Montessori Preschool is right for your child is not only dependant on your choice itself but more on your affordability.

    The fee structure at the Montessori Preschool that my son attended last year was R3250.00 per month, which included only a home cooked meal at lunch. I sent snacks and juices from home. These fees excluded school holidays as they offered holiday classes as an extra, off course with an extra daily charge rate at R100.00 per day. At a parent meeting one of the mothers requested certification of the teachers, which was never seen or confirmed. When considering such Montessori Preschool’s, parents need to ensure that the educators are certified as Montessori teachers.

    He did learn a lot in the period that he was attending the Montessori Preschool, but this year he is a private preschool and he is still advancing at the same rate. At the current school that fees are R 2950.00 per month, these fees include all snacks and meals, as well as holiday classes.

  4. My grandson was in a Montessori school…exellent…but very expensive..he really learned a lot…its truly a dream school
    …i had to take him out. Cos of transport problems…

  5. I choose a Montessori School for my daughter and it was the best decision I made her foundation phase was spot on in helping her development as she got bigger. I believe all children are smart but its important how to teach them, if you teach them with a lazy effect thats how they will be for a long time if not for their entire schooling life.

  6. My child enrolled in one. And I like the whole holistic approach

  7. HOW SAFE ARE SCHOOLS LIKE THIS?

  8. I feel like it depends on the schools academic success rate and how well the teachers are with the students as well as safety.

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