• Home
  • About Us
    • Our Facility
    • Our Staff Family
    • Our Admin Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Our Philosophy
    • History of the School
    • Parent Testimonies
  • Programs
  • Photos & Events
    • Photo Album
    • Event Calendar and Fundraising
  • Parent's Section
    • School Calendar
    • Lunch Menu
    • Newsletters
    • Kindergarten Considerations
  • Admissions
    • How To Apply
    • Forms and Tuition Schedule
    • Withdrawal Policy
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Form
    • Career Opportunities
 
< Back to board of directors
History of the school >

Our Philosophy

Picture
WHAT IS MONTESSORI?

The Montessori classroom is a child sized world. To the child the world is unmanageable - it is too big, too complex and too confusing. By careful selection of materials an environment is set up that allows the child a place to explore life on a level he/she can understand. The materials or exercises are designed to stimulate independent exploration. 

Montessori assumes that children are born intelligent, they simply learn in different ways and progress at their own pace. The Montessori approach to education is consciously designed to recognize and address these different learning styles. Children progress as they master new skills, moving ahead as quickly as they are ready. Montessori educators understand that they must "follow the child," adjusting their strategies and timetable to fit the development of each individual child. 

Montessori children learn through hands-on experience, investigation and research. They become actively engaged in their activities. Maria Montessori said, "The hand is the chief teacher of the child." Thus the teacher designs a classroom that is exciting to learn in with materials and curriculum centered around Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, Geography, History, Science, Art and Music. 

WHAT IS THE BEST AGE TO START A CHILD?

Dr. Maria Montessori outlined various periods of "sensitivity". During these times a child is more capable of and interested in learning specific concepts. At age 2 1/2 to 3 a special sense of order, concentration, coordination and independence begins to emerge. This time is ideal to begin a child's experience with Montessori, as the child is at the perfect period to build a strong foundation for future learning. 

WHAT ABOUT SOCIALIZATION?

Socialization is very much a part of the Montessori method. In the classroom you will notice children interacting continuously, choosing to work on projects together and older children helping younger ones. Montessori classrooms bring children together in multi-age groups, normally the span of 3 years, and since the Montessori classrooms embrace the idea that the children can manage their own community, the best "teacher" of a three year old is often another child who is just a bit older and has mastered a skill. 

WHY A FIVE DAY PROGRAM?

As we encourage independence, we find the need for consistency. Five day programs are ideal because they allow for the spontaneous learning of the child to flow smoothly. Preschool children have not yet developed an understanding of "time." A child taken in and out of school every other day misses the security and continuity the five day program offers.



How is a Montessori Classroom different from a Traditional classroom?

Traditional Classroom

Textbooks, pencil and paper, worksheets and dittos

 
Working and learning without emphasis on social development
 
Narrow, unit-driven curriculum
  
Individual subjects

 
Block time, period lessons

Single-graded classrooms

Students passive, quiet, in desks

 
Students fit mold of school

Students leave for special help

Product-focused report cards

Montessori Environment

Prepared kinesthetic materials with incorporated control of error, specially developed reference materials 
 
Working and learning matched to the social development of the child

Unified, internationally developed curriculum

Integrated subjects and learning based on developmental psychology

Uninterrupted work cycles  

Multi-age classrooms

Students active, talking, with periods of spontaneous quiet, freedom to move

School meets needs of students

Special help comes to students 

Process-focused assessment, skills checklists, mastery benchmarks
< Back to board of directors
History of the school >
Midland Montessori School, Inc.
5709 Eastman Avenue - Midland, MI 48640
phone 989-835-3921
fax 989-923-0169
visit us on facebook! Visit us on facebook!
Read our blog - www.mmsmichigan.com
Celebrating our 50th anniversary!
Wikipedia