HOW TO SELECT AN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILD - TWELVE QUESTIONS TO ASK
If a pre-school presents itself as a Montessori school, does that mean it will follow and apply the Montessori Method? Not necessarily. Unfortunately Maria Montessori never protected her intellectual property, which means that any school can present itself as a Montessori school, but in reality not apply her methods. So this is actually a question of ‘buyer beware’, in particular because often a financial premium is associated with Montessori education, authentic or not.
The list of questions and observational guidelines below can be used by any parent to determine whether Montessori principles and guidelines are followed at any pre-school they are considering to enroll their child(ren) in. I would strongly recommend requesting two tours of the school; one before the arrival of the children to check out the state of the environment and how materials are displayed, and one when children are actively working in the classroom. For more specifics, see the list below.
What’s the classroom’s layout like and is it decorated?
Ideally, children should have their own desk, and not share it with others. What do you see hanging on the walls? Do you find there are posters with cartoon characters in vivid, sharp colors, or bright decals or stickers? Or do you see reproductions of artworks in more subdued colors? The last would be more representative of a Montessori environment, which aims not to distract a child unnecessarily. There should be elements representing nature in the classroom, such as a plant, an aquarium or a birdcage. The classroom should also feature a well-organized system for children to place their finished jobs, such as a filing system listing the name of each child in the classroom.
What’s the state and nature of the teaching materials used?
Materials are an essential component of the Montessori system and are used to teach children specific skills sets aligned with their unique stage of development. These teaching materials should ideally made from natural materials such as wood, glass or bamboo. Plastics cannot be entirely avoided, but should be limited as much as possible. Materials should also be organized (by color, for example), ordered, and clean. Nothing should be broken, and there shouldn’t be any missing pieces. Each morning, the classroom environment should appear as if it has never been used before.
What’s the status of the classroom’s library?
Check out their bookshelves. Books should be in excellent condition, and there shouldn’t be any fairy tale or books about fictional hero characters. Instead, in a Montessori environment, you’d find educational and more fact-based books.
Are there any toys present? If so, what type of toys?
How prevalent are toys in the school? Do you find them in the classroom? If so, they should be placed in an entirely separate area. What types of toys do you see? Ideally, the presence of toys should be limited, in particular in the classroom. The best toys should somehow be instructive; noisy cars or fancy dolls are best avoided here. Some schools use toys during a transitional period for new pre-schoolers.
Do the teachers have the qualifications that align with Montessori education?
Ideally, teachers should have the educational qualifications to teach the Montessori system – teachers should not only understand how to use the materials, but also the underlying theory and method. Therefore education is essential, and experience is useful to have in addition to this educational foundation
How are child development records kept?
The Montessori system is based in part on observing children and keeping a record of their development to prepare the environment for their evolving needs. The school should, therefore, have a plan for each child that includes a complete schedule of activities. The records should address all four areas of Montessori education, which are practical life, sensorial, language, and math exercises. Records should indicate the dates on which specific exercises were taught to each child, and contain notes from the teachers reporting the child’s achievements and emotional development. Records should be available upon parents’ demand – this indicates the school has solid and established principles.
What’s the class schedule like?
The schedule should include at least three hours of exercise time each day in the morning. Crafts, coloring or seasonal activities should not be included here, the three hours should be exclusively devoted to personal development. Scheduled circle times are not a critical requirement within Montessori, even though teachers can sit with children in small groups to find out more about what children would like to learn.
How are exercises taught?
Exercises should be taught via one-on-one lessons; in an authentic Montessori environment, group lessons are quite rare, and only applied in specific areas, such as math operations and geography. Children do their exercises with materials always on their own; therefore they must have their own desks
What are the school’s language activities?
It’s hard to see the physical evidence of language education in the classroom, but what would be good to find are cursive cutouts of movable letter sets and a sandpaper alphabet set. In addition, flash cards or word strips could be used.
How are the children disciplined and rewarded?
The school should define how children are disciplined and awarded. Montessori helps children to develop their own discipline; it’s not something that is applied from the outside. There should also be no rewards; the biggest reward is an achievement, a finished job.
Do the children bring jobs home? If so, what type of jobs?
How often do they bring jobs home? Children are not encouraged to take just any of their work home; if they do, it should be a well-organized, completed project that’s representative of their current state of development. Less than 10% should be jobs related to basic coloring and craft activities.
What role does cultural awareness play in the curriculum?
It’s essential in Montessori to expose children to different cultures and to expand their cultural horizons, seeding an understanding and awareness of diversity. There should be evidence of this in the classroom, such as celebrations of festivities within different cultures.
One final point: there are a number of Montessori associations that provide accreditation for schools on demand. If the school has been accredited by any of these organizations, that’s typically a good indicator that the school is following the principles of Montessori. The accreditation of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) is the highest level of accreditation, indicating the school meets all the requirements of the Montessori Method.