What is the Montessori method? A parent's guide
If you're looking at nurseries, you'll keep meeting the word Montessori. You'll get more out of your visits once you know where it comes from and what to look for.
Where it came from
Dr Maria Montessori was an Italian doctor who spent years watching how young children learn. She saw them learn fastest when they could choose their own work and repeat it at their own pace, in a room set up for them.
She opened her first Casa dei Bambini, or Children's House, in Rome in 1907. More than 20,000 Montessori schools now teach children from birth to their teens.
How it works
In a Montessori room, children choose activities from low shelves stocked with purpose-made materials. The teacher moves among them, watching and guiding. Children work in mixed-age groups, so the younger ones learn from the older ones.
Teachers plan across five areas: practical life, sensorial, language, mathematics and culture.
Why parents choose it
Parents choose Montessori for more than early reading and numbers. Their children learn to concentrate and look after themselves, and they carry those habits into school.
At Buckingham Montessori we combine the method with the Early Years Foundation Stage. Your child gets Montessori's freedom to explore, and our teachers use the EYFS to check they reach each milestone.
What to look for on a visit
- Low, open shelves with wooden and everyday materials.
- Children busy with different things at the same time.
- Teachers sitting at child height, watching more than talking.
- Staff with Montessori training. Ask them.
