Principles (The Woodland Montessori Verison)

Once you begin to get acquainted with more than one Montessori teacher or school, you may also begin to      realize that different individuals or schools interpret Montessori in different ways. There is no copyright to either the Montessori name or, fortunately, the Montessori ideas. Although this makes possible a widespread application of Montessori’s theories, it also allows for a great deal of public confusion as to what Montessori education is all about – since there can be as many versions of “the truth” as there are people involved in Montessori. 

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Must one use only materials which were designed (or sanctified) by Maria herself or can other materials be included? Is a school “Montessori” if it uses the materials, or is the way they are used special, too? Is it “Montessori” to encourage children to explore the materials, or must each task be performed only in certain ways? If a child has trouble getting interested, does it mean he’s just not “the type” for Montessori, that the teacher has neglected him, or that he is somehow abnormal? 

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As you can see, there is potential for disagreement about basic identity elements of the Montessori approach, even among professional Montessorians. In this section, we wish to set forth to parents our view of Montessori in an effort to reduce confusion, build understanding and minimize conflict between home and school. 

At Woodland Montessori, we believe that Dr. Maria Montessori, on the basis of astute observation and tremendous insight, developed an integrated educational scheme that is still the best starting place available to early childhood programs. Building on the knowledge of physical development available to medical science at the time, she proceeded to build an intuitive grasp of the corresponding cognitive (mental) development and a recognition of its interaction with social and emotional factors. 

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Jean Piaget, the Swiss epistemologist whose work pioneered the field of cognitive psychology, provided support for many of Montessori’s insights. Erik Erikson’s characterizations of social-emotional growth phases fit with Montessori’s description of child needs during the early childhood period. 

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Modern psychology is still in the process of discovering and verifying knowledge about the complex phenomenon of human learning. As the body of knowledge grows, we find most of Montessori’s insights are supported, particularly in the area of how a person learns . The philosophy and implementation of the Woodland Montessori School starts with Montessori’s insights and builds with new information as it becomes available. In our view, one goal underlies our whole approach: 

 

To promote the child’s growth toward autonomy (a state of being that is capable of self-nurturing and self-government of both personal and social responsibility). 

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Montessori’s concern about the world’s problems led to her vision of the “ideal adult” as an informed person who could think for himself and do for himself, as well as take his share of social responsibility, in short, an autonomous being. She structured her method of education to facilitate such a person. 

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A typical Montessori classroom contains children within a three-year range (i.e., 3 to 6-year old’s), adults who guide and facilitate rather than direct, and a wide variety of materials and activities that are structured sequentially to facilitate natural development and to communicate concepts basic to our culture. The uniqueness of the Montessori approach to education is immediately apparent as each child chooses his own work, receives a teacher demonstration if needed, uses his chosen materials independently, and then returns them to their place on the shelf. 

 

Embracing Diversity 

The Montessori philosophy embraces and celebrates the rich cultural diversity of our world. Diversity, equality, and respect among our students and staff are all priorities at Woodland Montessori. In our classrooms, we actively teach racial and gender equality and religious tolerance. ​

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Peacemaking

Peacemaking is an integral part of the Montessori philosophy and our mission here at Woodland Montessori School.  Our students learn, and practice each day, how to intentionally make good choices in how they care for (love) and respect themselves, others and the natural world so that they might proactively create a more peaceful community and world.

 

"Peace, according to Montessori philosophy, does not mean weakness, and it does not mean the simple absence of war.  It means inner harmony and strong individuality, a full participation in community life, responsiveness to the world, and stewardship of its resources.  It means respect for human dignity and diversity, and due diligence in protecting and supporting the rights of all.  It is to this definition of peace that we dedicate our most passionate efforts."  - American Montessori Society

 

School Affiliation and Teacher Education 

There are some nationally known organizations that train teachers and certify schools as members. One such organization is the Association Montessori International (known as AMI), a European-based continuance of Maria Montessori’s original teacher training organization. AMI was headed by Maria’s son, Mario, until his death in 1982. 

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Another nationally recognized organization is the American Montessori Society (AMS), founded in 1960 by Nancy McCormick Rambusch in response to the overwhelming public demand for more information about Montessori education. Today, AMS is a national, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to promoting better education for all children through teaching strategies consistent with the Montessori system and the incorporation of the Montessori approach into the framework of American education. 

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