Finding the right school for your child is an important process. The school you choose will impact your child’s educational experience now and how he or she approaches learning in the future. Montessori school and public school are two very different educational options. In order to determine which one is right for your child, you need to explore what each has to offer and how those things will impact your child.

Montessori School

Montessori programs stand apart from other options because of the educational philosophy on which they are based. The Montessori Philosophy of education was developed by Maria Montessori over one hundred years ago. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician and educator who worked with children that were considered difficult and ‘unteachable.’ As she worked with those children, she developed the philosophy of learning that is the basis for Montessori education today. One of the foundational tenets of the Montessori Philosophy is that all children are smart and curious. This tenet significantly impacts the design of Montessori programs. In Montessori school, your child will be provided with a range of learning options and activities and allowed to follow his or her natural curiosity. Presenting students with options in what and how they learn is one of the most significant ways Montessori education differs from public school. There is not a single learning path that each student follows. Instead, students get the opportunity to explore their interests and have a say in how they learn about those interests. Other ways that Montessori school is unique include: multi-age classrooms, individualized learning plans, and a small student to teacher ratio.

Public School

Public school is an option that many people consider for their kids. If you live in an area with highly-rated public schools, then you may want to explore the option as part of your search. In public school, the education your child will receive is just like the education that the other kids in that school will receive. Public school programs are regulated by the state. Each public school is required to meet certain standards, teach specific subjects, and have a minimum passing rate on standardized tests. Requiring public schools to meet a set of minimum standards is a way for the state to ensure that each student has access to the same level of education.

Which is right for your child?

Determining which school is right for your child depends on your goals for your child and his or her needs. Every child needs to get a solid foundation in the core subjects in order to build upon them and move on to more complex learning. A Montessori program and a high-quality public school can both provide this basic foundation. However, if you want your child to go to a school that also provides an individualized focus, then Montessori school is the right choice.

As you continue to learn more about the differences between Montessori school and public school, you will see that they are vastly different. The differences discussed here are just a few of the many differences between the two. You can explore the Montessori Philosophy of education more deeply to help you with your decision by looking through the information available in the Parent Library provided by Fountainhead Montessori School.