- Why do Montessori classes group different age levels together?
- Why is Montessori so expensive compared to traditional school?
- Is Montessori opposed to Homework?
- How do Montessori schools report student progress?
- Why do most Montessori schools require young children to attend five days a week?
- How can Montessori teachers meet the needs of children in a mixed age group?
Why do Montessori classes group different age levels together?
- Montessori classes are organized to encompass a two or three year age span, which allows younger children the stimulation of older children, who in turn benefit from serving as role models.
- By staying in the same class for a three year period, children develop a strong sense of community and stability with their classmates and teachers. It also allows the teacher to truly learn and understand individual child’s learning ability, style and developmental level, strength and weaknesses of a child.
- Older children learn to be patient and tolerant and teach the younger children. When an older child teaches the young one, it reinforces previously learned concept which have been taught by the teachers.
- The mixed age group creates an environment where children learn to help and be helped by other children as well as interaction of different age level among the children. Indirectly, prepares them into the society with social grace and courtesy.
Why is Montessori so expensive compared to a traditional school?
Montessori programs are normally more expensive to organize and run than traditional classrooms due to the extensive teacher education needed to become certified and the very high cost of purchasing the educational materials and beautiful furniture needed to equip each Montessori classroom.
Is Montessori opposed to Homework?
Most Montessori schools do not assign homework to children below the elementary level. When it is assigned to older children, it rarely involves page after page of “busy work”. Sometimes, teachers will prepare individually negotiated weekly assignments with the older children to prepare them for the Local National School, Private or International School.
How do Montessori schools report student progress?
As Montessori believes individually paced academic progress, we do not assign letter grades or rank children according to their achievements. Student progress, however, is measured in different ways, which may include:
- Parents and Teachers meeting will be held on the first three months from the date of enrolment and subsequently half yearly
- Portfolios of student work – parents and teachers will go through the child’s completed work and to discuss the child’s progress on their strengths and weaknesses
Why do most Montessori schools require young children to attend five days a week?
The five day programs creates the consistency that is so important to young children and which is essential in developing strong Montessori programs. The primary goal of Montessori involves creating a sense of order, consistency, in-dependency and empowerment, most Montessori schools expect children to attend five days a week.
How can Montessori teachers meet the needs of children in a mixed age group?
As every child develops at a different pace, in Montessori we do personalized individual lessons. We may have two children at the same age but learning different lessons.
Our Montessori teachers closely monitor the children’s progress as they normally work with each child for two or three years. We often use the children’s interest to enrich the curriculum and provide alternate avenues for accomplishment and success.
The ultimate objective is to empower our children to be self-independent learners and retain the curiosity, creativity and intelligence which they were born. As Montessori teachers, we don’t simply present lessons; we are facilitators, mentors, coaches, friends and guides.