Choosing a Montessori preschool

Preschool selection can be one of the most confusing decisions a parent has to make, but the decision process does not have to be difficult if parents begin searching for the right school fit early. January is a great month to start researching preschools. Children and teachers are back to work without the holiday pressure, and educators are more open to prospective parents observing their classroom. One of the options parents of preschoolers will encounter is a Montessori preschool.

Based on the scientific studies of Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori Method has a wide-ranging influence on how children are taught in our education system today, but the most popular use of her method in the United States is the three to six-year-old age range in Montessori preschools. The Montessori Method is not regulated, nor is “Montessori” a trademark name. Any preschool can claim they use the Montessori Method in their classroom, so it is important to visit the classroom and have some basic knowledge of Montessori’s principles before settling on a school.

Barbara Rhoe, an American Montessori Society trained Montessori teacher, stresses the key factors in a Montessori program. The program includes sensorial, language, and math materials with emphasis on a vibrant practical life program. The magic of the Montessori Method is how beautifully integrated the Montessori materials and lessons are woven together to provide order, structure, organization, and concentration to the child’s learning environment.

“Sensorial materials are magnets for a three-year-old,” said Barbara Rhoe, who has been teaching Montessori for over thirty years. Children have something concrete to manipulate and represent the concept they are learning. For instance, numerical rods show the physical difference between 10 and one, busy three-year-olds understand the concept of 10 being greater than one when they place the one unit and the 10 unit beside each other on the floor. An older child may find the same type of discovery with a binomial cube. A Montessori classroom is filled with a wide variety of proven Montessori materials like the numerical rods and binomial cube.

When observing a Montessori preschool, a parent should look at the quality of the Montessori materials: they should be uncluttered and at a child’s level. All furniture should also be at child-level, including tables, chairs, and sinks. Parents should talk to the teacher and ensure that he or she is Montessori trained. The two most popular training programs available in the United States are the American Montessori Society (AMS), and Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).

At first impression, a Montessori preschool will surprise parents. During open work time, children are learning time management, social skills, and cooperative learning—all while working through a process of discovery with the chosen work items. The surprise is that this is done at hushed levels where children respect their peers’ space and do not interrupt by using loud voices or acting out. A good Montessori classroom will allow each individual child to work uninterrupted for one and a half to two hours. Parents should look for a daily schedule that maximizes sustained open work time.

Parents choose Montessori for a variety of reasons. Daina Lusis, a Kingston parent, chose Montessori for her older child because he tended to think out of the box and would pursue activities beyond his age level. She also chose Montessori for her youngest child, but for different reasons. Her younger son needed to strengthen his social and fine motor skills.

Barbara Rhoe explains how different children meet their needs through the Montessori Method. “Children are accepted where they are and they are allowed to expand as much as they can. It is self-fulfilling.” As a teacher, Barbara is enthralled with the challenge. Ideally, children in a Montessori preschool will have the same teacher for all three years. She watches the children grow from the beginning sensory lessons to reading and writing.

A former Washington State Montessori student, now at Smith College in Massachusetts, wrote an email back to her mother saying she felt Montessori gave her the independence and study skills she uses to succeed at college. Certainly, a case for looking at Montessori as one option to giving a child a great start in life.