Montessori FAQ's

There are a number of questions that we are asked quite often about our Montessori program. There are two sections below. First are the questions about Montessori in general. Then, there are a few questions directly related to Christ the King’s programming.

What is the difference between Montessori and traditional education?
Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.
Montessori classes place children in three-year age groups (3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and so on), forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones. Montessori represents an entirely different approach to education.

How many students are typically in a Montessori class?
Unlike some private schools, which strive for very small classes, Montessori values the lessons of community when the size of the class is somewhat larger. This can be 20+ students per class.
Rather than teaching predominantly through large group lessons, the Montessori teacher gives lessons one-on-one or to smaller groups. The students then have the freedom to work at their own pace until they have mastered the skills and satisfied their need to learn.

Do children really learn if they are given so much freedom?
Dr. Montessori observed that children are more motivated to learn when working on something of their own choosing. A Montessori student may choose his focus of learning on any given day, but his decision is limited by the materials and activities—in each area of the curriculum—that his teacher has prepared and presented to him. So, freedom is limited by the classroom and the expectations of the teacher to a certain degree.

Why is there so little “play” in a Montessori school?
When Dr. Montessori began, she included a lot of pretend play items and toys. The children never played with them as long as they were allowed to do real things - i.e. cooking instead of pretending to cook. It is still true. When given the opportunity, children prefer to learn real life skills.

If children work at their own pace, don't they fall behind?
Although students are free to work at their own pace, they’re not going it alone. The Montessori teacher closely observes each child and provides materials and activities that advance his learning by building on skills and knowledge already gained. This gentle guidance helps him master the challenge at hand—and protects him from moving on before he’s ready, which is what actually causes children to “fall behind.”

Can Montessori accommodate gifted children? What about children with other special learning needs?
An advantage of the Montessori approach—including multi-age classrooms with students of varying abilities and interests—is that it allows each child to work at her own pace. Students whose strengths and interests propel them to higher levels of learning can find intellectual challenge without being separated from their peers. The same is true for students who may need extra guidance and support: each can progress through the curriculum at his own comfortable pace, without feeling pressure to "catch up."

We might note that from a Montessori perspective, every child is considered gifted, each in her own way. For every child has his own unique strengths—it is all a matter of degree.

Do Montessori teachers follow a curriculum?
Montessori schools teach the same basic skills as traditional schools, and offer a rigorous academic program. Most of the subject areas are familiar—such as math, science, history, geography, and language—but they are presented through an integrated approach that brings separate strands of the curriculum together.

While studying a map of Africa, for example, students may explore the art, history, and inventions of several African nations. This may lead them to examine ancient Egypt, including hieroglyphs and their place in the history of writing. The study of the pyramids, of course, is a natural bridge to geometry.

This approach to curriculum shows the interrelatedness of all things. It also allows students to become thoroughly immersed in a topic—and to give their curiosity full rein.

How do Montessori teachers assess student progress?
Christ the King teachers will monitor student progress and provide feedback to students and parents. Christ the King will also continue the use of the NWEA Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) testing.
The Montessori approach nurtures the motivation that comes from within, kindling the child’s natural desire to learn. A self-motivated learner also learns to be self-sufficient, without needing reinforcement from outside. In the classroom, of course, the teacher is always available to provide students with guidance and support.

Although most Montessori teachers don’t assign traditional grades, they closely observe each student’s progress and readiness to advance to new lessons. Christ the King school holds family conferences a few times a year so parents may see their child’s work and hear the teacher’s assessment—and perhaps even their child’s self-assessment.

How well do Montessori students do compared to students in non-Montessori schools?
There is a small but growing body of well-designed research comparing Montessori students to those in traditional schools. These suggest that in academic subjects, Montessori students perform as well as or better than their non-Montessori peers.

In one study, for example, children who had attended Montessori schools at the preschool and elementary levels earned higher scores in high school on standardized math and science tests. Another study found that the essays of 12-year-old Montessori students were more creative and used more complex sentence structures than those produced by the non-Montessori group.

The research also shows Montessori students to have greater social and behavioral skills. They demonstrate a greater sense of fairness and justice, for example, and are more likely to choose positive responses for dealing with social dilemmas.

Perhaps a better way of speaking to the success of Montessori education is by pointing to some important adults who were Montessori children. What is more interesting is that many of these people attribute their success directly to Montessori formation. Here is a brief list of some of the more innovative.

A quick search on the internet will reveal even more.

• Jeff Bezos – Founder of Amazon.com
• Larry Paige and Sergey Brin – Founders of Google.com
• Julia Child – innovator and popularizer of French cooking.
• Anne Frank – diarist of WWII
• Anne Sullivan – teacher of deaf and blind girl, Helen Keller
• Joshua Bell – Grammy award-winning violinist
• Yo-Yo Ma – award-winning cellist
• Prince William and Prince Harry

Do Montessori students take standardized tests?
Montessori children are prepared with skills that are generally at or above the standards for particular grade levels. Because we believe that it is important for parents to have an opportunity to see that that is true, we will administer any standardized tests that are prepared for the children at the age levels of our Montessori programs.

Can parents choose morning or afternoon for the half-day program?
Yes, we will ask parents their preference and try to honor that request, understanding that the sections and children’s houses will need to have balanced enrollment totals and balanced class size in the morning and afternoon.

Will there be a dress code?
The current CTK dress code will apply and if any modifications are made parents will be informed of changes.

Can I choose the teacher I prefer?
Parents will be allowed to indicate a preference, however once a class is full, choice may be limited?

Why is it called Montessori Pre-School? My child is kindergarten age.
The children in Montessori will be ages 3-6 and there isn’t a distinction for kindergarten. The materials are designed to grow with the children over a three-year period from around age 3 through age 6. The kindergarten-aged children will not be behind in preparation for 1 ^st grade the following year. Children who begin now and have the full three-year cycle in the Montessori classroom will be even better-prepared.

What are the times of the half-day program?
It is very important that the children have three-hour work periods. Our normal school day begins at 8:40, so the morning session will run from 8:40-11:40. The afternoon session will conclude at the end of our regular school day at 3:20, and begin at 12:20 to ensure the three-hour work period.

Are music, physical education and other subjects where students leave the classroom part of the curriculum?
Yes. The structure of Montessori allows for a variety of ways to approach what are traditionally called “pull-out” subjects where the students leave the classroom. In the coming year, our kids will leave the room for a few subjects. For example, we have a very fine music teacher in Mr. Flores who will also work with the Montessori kids in the music room. The kids will also have physical education and religion. Students in the half day program will be less involved in the “pull-out” subjects, so that they can maximize their time in the Montessori classroom.

Many of the questions were inspired by or borrowed from materials at: http://www.montessori.edu/FAQ.html and www.amshq.org/montessori-education/faqs