There is no doubt that information overload is a real problem when you are trying to find reliable information about an important topic. Few topics are more important than the education that your children will receive. A simple search online about Montessori education will provide you with millions of results. Where do you start? How do you decipher the expert information from everything else online? Where do you go to learn about Montessori education? These are important questions to ask because the information you find will impact the decision you make about your child’s education.
Where do you start your search for information about Montessori education?
When people are looking for information about any topic, the logical place to start is online. In this situation, it may help to narrow the search a little more so you are not overwhelmed with information. A good place to start is with the resources provided by established Montessori experts. You can visit the website of the American Montessori Society (AMS) to find resources and expert information about Montessori education.
How do you decipher expert information about Montessori education from everything else?
There are a lot of websites and blogs dedicated to Montessori education. However, all of those websites and blogs are not created equal. How do you know if the information you are getting is quality information? One thing you can do is consider the source. A personal blog about Montessori education, for example, may not follow the tenets of the Montessori Method as closely as information posted by the AMS. You can also look at the resources provided by the Montessori programs you are considering. For example, Fountainhead Montessori School has an online parent library that includes links to expert and reliable sources of information about Montessori education. Anything written by Maria Montessori herself is also a good place to look for expert information.
Where do you go to learn about Montessori education?
You will not learn everything you need to know about Montessori education by reading books and browsing websites. To truly understand what makes Montessori education unique, you need to experience it in person. As you explore Montessori education and look at specific schools, make it a priority to visit a Montessori school in person. You can schedule a tour and a time for class observation. Seeing the layout of the school, the design of the classroom, and the interaction between the children and the environment/teacher will help you gain a deeper understanding of Montessori education.
There is no need to get overwhelmed or frustrated about the amount of information out there when you are researching Montessori education. It is also unnecessary to dig through a ton of irrelevant information in order to find what you really need. Start with reliable sources of information – such as the AMS and Fountainhead Montessori School parent library – and then take your research a step further by visiting a Montessori program in person.