Choosing an alternative when it comes to your child’s education can be a little scary. You, as the parent, want to make sure your child gets a complete education so that they can do well academically in higher education and, ultimately, be successful in whatever they choose to do later in life. For so many parents, public school has been the set standard in their minds and for society as a whole. But public school varies so much depending on the state, the city, and often comes down to the individual teachers. Parents so often want to know about the academic rigor of a Montessori program compared with public school. The truth is, while there are certainly challenging topics and skills that a child can tackle in a Montessori curriculum, the undue stress that can also accompany so many school “challenges” is not used as a tool placed on children’s shoulders in the Montessori method. A Montessori program aims to support the child throughout their learning and skill development while avoiding the cram study habits that can so easily form in a traditional classroom.
Self-paced
Students are allowed and encouraged to go at their own pace. It is an exceptional idea in today’s world that a child will understand a topic more thoroughly and be much closer to mastery when allowed to go at their own pace. Instead of being pulled along through a challenging subject or having to wait for the rest of the class to catch up, students can spend as much or as little time as they need on a topic or skill until they fully understand it.
Interest led
Children are really remarkable. Very rarely do students struggle in all subjects of learning. There may be one or two that are difficult, but there is usually at least one subject that captures their interest and curiosity, allowing them to excel faster than what was expected. In a Montessori classroom, your child is able to find the skill or subject that they are interested in and they can dive into it, while enjoying the whole learning process.
Students move around
One of the most unique aspects of a Montessori classroom is that the students move around the classroom, interacting with the different stations that are set up for them to learn and enjoy. Instead of having a teacher standing in the front of the classroom directing all children at once and verbally delivering the lesson, students use their eyes, hands, and feet to explore, balance, count, read, and interact with their skill challenge.
The challenges that a Montessori curriculum brings does not intimidate or defeat the students. Students are encouraged to try again and stick with something until they master it which builds their confidence along with putting a new skill in their tool belt. To observe a Montessori classroom in action in California, give Fountainhead Montessori School a call today.