The Montessori approach supports children in making sense of their world through purposeful and intentional activities or ‘work’. Montessori education is about providing an environment with structure and activities that meet the interests and needs of the children by giving them freedom to move and act within it.
According to Montessori, each child has an inner-guide that leads them to the work in the classroom that they most need at that moment to further their own development. “The guide exists within them from the first moment. To care for, and keep awake, the guide within every child is a matter of the first importance”. Key to the Montessori approach is respect of the interests of the child to allow them to choose the work they are most interested in and provide the opportunity to explore materials at their own pace with guidance and support from the teachers.
Deeply rooted in Montessori education is the importance of helping children to build confidence and develop a sense of independence and self-motivation both within the classroom as well as in their lives outside of school. This approach has been successful for over 100 years because it encourages and draws its principles from the natural development of the child regardless of his/her level of ability and learning style or pace. Montessori children grow to be kind, responsible, patient, cooperative, eager to problem solve, self-motivate and with a love of learning.
