I began this blog because I was realizing how many private schools had Montessori in their name but not in their program. So many parents believe that their child is getting the benefit of the world renown Montessori method when they are not. It is important to know the Montessori name and method is not copywrite protected! I'm not judging those montessori-in-name-only schools, they may be very good traditional schools, I am just trying to help parents make an informed decision about their child's education.
How to recognize an authentic Montessori school
1. Every lead teacher in every classroom has been properly trained in the Montessori Method. In Ontario, this means they are MACTE accredited.
2. The shelves are open, accessible, and full of proper Montessori lessons. Montessori classrooms and lessons around the world are very similar in appearance. (My next post will focus on the appearance and content of a typical Montessori classroom.)
4. Classrooms include children of various ages within the same developmental group. Toddler (<3 yrs), Casa/Primary (3-6 yrs), Lower Elementary (6-9 yrs), Upper Elementary (9-12 yrs). The social/individual benefits are maximized in this manner.
These 4 points represent the visual cues for some of the foundational concepts of the Montessori theory put into practise - They cannot be excluded or modified. There are other cues and clues in a classroom that follows the authentic Montessori method, but these 4 are the easiest to spot and MUST be in EVERY Montessori classroom. Do not accept an explaination of "blending" or "mixing" curriculums.
Here is the link to a great video about the Montessori Classroom:
http://vimeo.com/46107251)
One very important point: If you have questions or concerns about the Montessori method or philosophy, please, please, PLEASE, talk to a Montessori trained teacher/organization, or research on a reputable Montessori website. I say this because many traditional early childhood teacher training programs do not understand the Montessori method.
I've taken Early Childhood courses in which the very kind and intelligent instructors were teaching incorrect information on the Montessori method. Even the text book for the class was full of incorrect and misinformed facts about Montessori! Other Montessorians have encounted the same bias. Sadly, this means that many traditionally trained teachers cannot give well-informed advice on this topic.
Here are a few places you can contact for accurate Montessori information:
Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators - http://www.ccma.ca/
(The CCMA has an accreditation for proper Montessori schools. Not all authentic Montessori schools have applied for accreditation for various reasons. New Montessori schools my need to wait several years before becomming accredited.)
Toronto Montessori Institute -
http://www.tmi.edu/motion.asp?menuid=4646&lgid=1&siteid=100344
Foundation for Montessori Education -
http://www.montessori-ami.ca/
