How can children learn if they’re free to do whatever they want?
Dr. Montessori observed that children are more motivated to learn when working on something of their own choosing. A Montessori student may choose his focus of learning on any given day, but his decision is limited by the materials and activities in each area of the curriculum that his teacher has prepared and presented to him.
Students typically set learning goals and create personal work plans under their teacher’s guidance.
If children work at their own pace, don’t they fall behind?
Although students are free to work at their own pace, they are not going to do it alone. The Montessori teacher closely observes each child and provides materials and activities that advance his learning by building on skills and knowledge already gained. This gentle guidance helps him master the challenge at hand and protects him from moving on before he’s ready, which is what actually causes children to “fall behind.”
Students typically set learning goals and create personal work plans under their teacher’s guidance.
How well do Montessori students do compared to students in non-Montessori schools?
There is a small but growing body of well-designed research comparing Montessori students to those in traditional schools. These suggest that in academic subjects, Montessori students perform as well as or better than their non-Montessori peers.
In one study, for example, children who had attended Montessori schools at the preschool and elementary levels earned higher scores in high school on standardized math and science tests. Another study found that the essays of 12-year-old Montessori students were more creative and used more complex sentence structures than those produced by the non-Montessori group.
The research also shows Montessori students to have greater social and behavioral skills. They demonstrate a greater sense of fairness and justice, for example, and are more likely to choose positive responses for dealing with social dilemmas.
Do Montessori teachers follow a curriculum?
Montessori schools teach the same basic skills as traditional schools and offer a rigorous academic program. Most of the subject areas are similar such as math, science, history, geography, and language but they are presented through an integrated approach that brings separate strands of the curriculum together.
While studying a map of Africa, for example, students may explore the art, history, and inventions of several African nations. This may lead them to examine ancient Egypt, including hieroglyphs and their place in the history of writing. The study of the pyramids, of course, is a natural bridge to geometry.
This approach to curriculum shows the interrelatedness of all things. It also allows students to become thoroughly immersed in a topic and to give their curiosity full rein.
