What Is a Montessori School?

Peek into an early-grade classroom at a Montessori school and you are likely to see children of different ages moving around and talking, free to explore a variety of activities. Each activity will advance learning and development, but may not include instructions on exactly what to do and when.

A Montessori school is an environment with plenty of materials for hands-on learning, and children are encouraged to focus on -- and often stick with -- activities that pique their interest. This stands in contrast to traditional school, where students in the same grade generally move through a structured and scheduled curriculum.

Montessori schools view children as explorers with different interests, recognizing that not all children learn in the same way and at the same time.

"Parents can expect their children will receive a differentiated education geared toward creating the optimal outcomes for the child," says Christiane Leitinger, director of enrollment management at the Montessori School of Evergreen in Colorado.

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What is Montessori Education?

Montessori education was created by Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy, whose work in a psychiatric clinic in the late 1800s drove her interest in child development. Montessori continued studying education, philosophy and psychology and opened a preschool in Rome in 1907.

Montessori recognized the importance of giving children ownership of their learning. Her successful, child-centered teaching methods caught on and, for the next several decades, she wrote and established teacher training programs throughout Europe. Her influence quickly reached the United States, where Montessori-inspired schools have blossomed for decades.

There are now more than 3,000 Montessori schools operating in the U.S., according to the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, and about 560 are public schools.

"She really understood the needs of children at a time when child development wasn't necessarily part and parcel of schools in general," says Jill Morgenstern, a teacher and writer in Texas, who attended a Montessori school and chose the same for her child. "It's amazing how far ahead of her time she was."

Teachers as Guides

Respect for child development is one of the foundations of Montessori classrooms. Students with mastery of certain skills are free to go on ahead of typical grade-level expectations, while those who aren't yet ready can take more time. Giving children that choice is a crucial characteristic of Montessori education.

"One significant difference is that children have the opportunity to choose their own activities and lessons in a way that's not possible in a traditional school environment," Morgenstern says.

Teachers in Montessori schools often play the role of guides and observers. Depending on what they see, they might intervene to assist or step back and take note of a particular child's ability to work through a problem. Proponents of Montessori education say allowing children to follow their curiosity and take control of their learning leads to more independence at an early age.

"Parents can also expect their children to develop a love of learning that is evident in their excitement to experiment, research and try to figure things out," Leitinger says.

Leitinger cites an example of a student who completed all the scope and sequence work in kindergarten math. Rather than putting his learning on hold, the teacher retrieved first-grade math lessons from the elementary school and the student moved on.

In higher grades, this same concept can bring students outside the classroom to learn practical life skills. Leitinger says students in grades 6-8 at her school have internship opportunities in which they can identify a skill they want to learn and find a mentor to help them.

"Much of what they work on is not only the skill but also project management, so they can complete the task in the time required," she says.

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A Parent's Perspective on Montessori

Sarah Thorson, whose 5-year-old son attends The Montessori School of Evergreen, agrees that this type of learning encourages independence.

"The freedom given to the children to select the lesson they want to focus on has really helped give him independence and developed his satisfaction with what he learns," Thorson says.

After teachers recognized that her son had some learning difficulties, Thorson and her husband agreed to switch him to a group of children in a slightly younger classroom, giving him the lessons he needed and the gift of time. "I was grateful they recognized it right away and thrilled that he was simply able to be in a classroom that made sense for him," she says. "We have seen his confidence really improve."

Katie Lewis, an associate professor of education at York College of Pennsylvania, points out that this student-led philosophy is not a free-for-all. There is still structure in a Montessori classroom.

"The focus is on student ownership of their learning through structured experiences," she says. "The teachers show the child the materials and several activities, but then allow the child to choose which activity to focus their time on exploring until they have mastery of the lesson."

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The Pros and Cons of Montessori Schools

While not all schools practice Montessori education in exactly the same way, parents and educators point to several key benefits found in almost all Montessori education.

-- Curriculum. The curriculum at a Montessori school moves from the concrete to the abstract. To illustrate, Lewis notes how hard it can be for adults to explain to children why 3 x 4 = 12. Hands-on learning using manipulatives makes the concept far more clear. "When math instruction begins with concrete materials, where children can manipulate the objects and spend as much time as needed to master the concept, then they are able to answer the 'why' questions and have a deeper understanding," Lewis says. "This is what facilitates the child to be ready to move to abstract concepts."

-- Student Ownership. Children have ownership in the classroom. Thorson says that when children are actively helping solve problems, a classroom culture evolves in which peers who need help are quickly recognized. "I watched as a child spilled some items in a classroom of 4- to 6-year-olds," she says. "These children all stopped what they were doing, immediately went over to help clean it up and then moved right back to their activities."

Of course, there are also drawbacks to Montessori education, in some cases. For example:

-- Accessibility. One big drawback is the fact that not all children can access Montessori education. While there are public Montessori schools in some communities, the vast majority are private schools that charge tuition.

-- Educational Fit. Montessori education is not necessarily a good fit for every child. Children with behavior issues who tend to thrive with plenty of structure might have difficulty. Leitinger says that not every student has the ability to responsibly use the independence offered in a Montessori classroom. However, most students adapt well.

"If they are curious, open to learning, open-hearted and energetic, they do well in Montessori," she says.

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