Authentic Montessori

The School

• The school’s overall aesthetic feels calm, structured, and inviting.
• The school team speaks about the Montessori Method and how it aids in developing the whole child, not just academics.
• The school incorporates nature with opportunities like caring for plants and gardens.
• The staff embodies grace and courtesy, engaging with respect, patience, and kindness to other adults and children.

The teachers called lead guides, are certified Montessori educators from a program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE).

“A school’s commitment to Montessori pedagogy is most telling based on the accreditation of training for their teachers.”

• All Montessori teacher training centers are accredited by MACTE. Many are also affiliated with Montessori organizations such as American Montessori International (AMI) or American Montessori Society (AMS).

The Classroom

Children are grouped in three-year, mixed-age classrooms, not same-age: 3-6 for primary, 6-9 for lower elementary, and 9-12 for upper elementary.

• There are no “baby containers” for infants and toddlers, and freedom of movement is emphasized with low shelves, movement areas, and low furniture. The classroom appears structured and orderly.
• The furniture is designed to the children’s level, with learning materials accessible.
• Learning spaces are flexible, with small-group tables and work rugs instead of desks.
• The classroom functions as child-led, not teacher-led.
• Instead of an hourly schedule, the guide protects a long “work cycle,” where the children freely choose their own work. (The Work  Cycle is at least two hours for toddlers and three hours for children ages 3 and up.)
• The guide can articulate the importance of the children’s Work Cycles concerning skills like concentration, growth mindset, executive functioning, and intrinsic motivation.

The Materials

• The classroom has the full scope and sequence of Montessori materials, not just some of the materials.
• The learning materials, including wood, glass, and metal, are high-quality rather than plastic. Additionally, there are no battery-operated toys.
• Exploration of art and music is readily accessible.
• The guide can explain the importance of “control of error.”
• • The guide can explain the progression of the Montessori materials.
  • The guide can explain Montessori’s emphasis on “concrete before abstract.”
  • The guide can discuss the role of creativity in the classroom and how it correlates to Montessori’s emphasis on giving children real-world experience.
  • The guide can discuss what “work” and “play” means in a Montessori context and how they are one and the same.

The Children

• Children are free to move as part of their learning, not only during recess.
• The guide can explain the Montessori framework of “freedom within limits” and how this differs from free-range.
• The children are clearly empowered to care for themselves, their peers, and the classroom environment.
• Discipline is not treated as punitive but handled with natural and logical consequences.
• Emphasis is placed on modeling socially desirable behaviors with “grace and courtesy.”
• Children are supported in their academic, social, and emotional development based on nurturing intrinsic motivation.
• There are no reward charts, bribery, punishments, or over-praise. Children learn to evaluate their own accomplishments rather than depend on someone else’s approval of their accomplishments.
• The children are not administered traditional worksheets/quizzes/tests. Instead, assessment is built into their ongoing lessons and through the guide’s individualized, daily observation of the child’s work.

If you have found a school or daycare that checks these boxes, chances are the staff are deeply committed to providing an authentic Montessori education.