Why Montessori?
We know parents have choices when it comes to their children’s education. We know these choices are not easy. Why do so many families choose Montessori?
Montessori education has been successfully serving children and families around the world for over a century. Our methods are consistently backed by current research in education and human development. As we move forward into a new future, we believe Montessori has what it takes to prepare children.
Montessori Meets Children Where They Are, Without Judgement
Conventional methods of education were developed specifically to prepare large numbers of children to enter the workforce. Traditionally, little thought has been given to differentiating instruction or catering to the needs of individual children. That has been changing in recent years, but many schools are still in the early years of personalizing education.
At Pincushion, everything is specifically designed to allow each child to move at their own pace. We know that learning is not linear, and that every child is not ready to learn specific skills according to an adult-prepared timeline. If a child needs more practice with a certain skill, they're provided the time and support to master it. As soon as a child is ready to move ahead, they're offered the next lesson. We do not expect a whole class of children to learn and master a skill at the same time. It’s our job as educators to meet children where they are and give them the love and support they need to develop.
Our School Cultivates Community
Pincushion is more than just a school! First and foremost we are here for our students, but we aim to make meaningful connections between everyone involved. Some of the ways we do this include:
- Encouraging our teachers to form connections within the larger Montessori network
- Making sure parents and teachers have ample time to discuss the child’s growth and needs
- Providing opportunities for parents to form relationships with one another
- Supporting families via parent education events
- Whole school gatherings
- Reaching out to make connections with the local community
- Giving our educators and families a voice in school decision making
Montessori Emphasizes More Than Just Academics...
At Pincushion, we talk about ‘teaching to the whole child’ and we mean that on a very deep level. We do not teach just to convey academic information. We work to develop all aspects of the child, including their emotional and social skills as well as practical life skills. We integrate the arts and movement into everything our students do. We teach children how to navigate and resolve conflict and how to adhere to grace and courtesy social norms.
Our greatest task is, we believe, to give children a global view of the world. We want them to understand the interconnectedness of all things so that they may be fully integrated members of their greater community as they grow and mature.
...But the Academics Are a Huge Strength
The above mentioned being said, Montessori academics are often hailed as some of the highest standards there are. It is not uncommon to see four-year-olds in our schools reading, six-year-olds completing long division problems, and nine-year-olds classifying botanical specimens. These tasks are completed joyfully, in part because we present information in such a way that children discover it for themselves rather than passively taking in facts given by an adult.
Another reason Montessori students seem to work at an advanced academic level is because of what we call sensitive periods. Through years of observation, Dr. Maria Montessori noticed that young children seemed primed and particularly interested and ready to develop certain skills during very specific time periods. While, of course, there is variation between individual children, she noticed some general patterns that have helped us develop our curriculum. One interesting example is that of the study of geometry. Many of us were first exposed to the subject during our high school years, when it turns out that primary- and elementary-aged children are not only interested in geometry, but have a great capacity to learn far more than we typically give them credit for. This is why you may hear your five-year-old talking about rectangular prisms, or your seven-year-old discussing the differences between isosceles, right, and scalene triangles.
Montessori Aims To Lift Up Humanity
From the very beginning, Dr. Montessori saw it as her mission to improve the world through education. She believed that by giving children the honor and respect they deserved, families, the community, and society in general would be improved in the process. She believed in the equality of all people, and that all children deserved the best possible education.
Our school encourages peace in everything we do. From the moment children join us, we teach our students how to be kind and gracious toward one another. The children are taught self-regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution skills. In addition, they're taught the importance of consideration for the environment and other living beings, as well as a respect for the wide diversity of cultures and people around the globe. Combined, these elements cultivate within the child a respect for themselves and others, as well as a desire to ensure connection and fairness for all.