Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an early expert on child development and revolutionized education practice by shifting the paradigm of a teacher-centered system to a learner-centered one. She believed that children are motivated by a natural curiosity and that children learn better if they are allowed to choose what they want to learn and are able to do so at their own pace. The Montessori Method has contributed in a profound way to our understanding of how children learn, what a child-centered learning environment should look like, and the importance of optimizing learning during a child’s early years, the time of the “absorbent” mind.
Children
today face a rapidly changing world full of new ideas and technology. Most Montessori schools try to remain faithful to their understanding of Dr. Montessori’s insights and research, though many struggle under their accreditation with remaining open to the influence of this ongoing evolution of culture, technology and pedagogical understanding. It might be foolish to suppose that the Montessori Method is the last word in educational reform, and it would be shortsighted to dismiss innovative Montessori-inspired programmes that work in harmony with other early learning curricula. As a parent, you will be looking for an early learning program that best fits your child. Consider Rowntree Montessori Schools, which offers an Outstanding Nurturing Education (ONE) that is reflective of the changes in the world and in our community, is inspired by the philosophy and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori, and is delivered within a modern, innovative and comprehensive early learning environment.
As an innovative school, Rowntree integrates many beliefs and practices, including…
- Learning through exploration and discovery, with concrete, hands-on Montessori materials.
- Respect for the individual and recognition of individual learning styles and paces – meeting the child where they are at developmentally and using the child’s interests to spark learning.
- The value of Visual Art and Music classes to develop the whole child
- The importance of early French language development
- Exposure to Computers and Technology in sync with our modern world
- The balance of freedom and responsibility in the classroom (freedom within structure).
- Respect for each child as a competent learner, and trust in the child’s basic desire to learn.
- Opportunities for both independent and cooperative work.
- Social and learning environments designed to help children feel good about whom they are and what they have the power to accomplish.
- Participation in a coherent Physical Education program
Rowntree’s Kindergarten Montessori (Junior Kindergarten) programme for 3 and 4 year olds and Prep-ONE (Senior Kindergarten) full-time programme for 5 year olds takes full advantage of the hands-on foundational learning that comes with a Montessori introduction to school, while offering the best of 21st century learning practices. Look for more on Rowntree’s Outstanding Nurturing Education (ONE) and innovative programmes in upcoming articles.
Combining Montessori-inspired education with academically progressive education makes Rowntree Montessori Schools unique. The results speak for themselves – our students consistently achieve above provincial standards. Come and see what the Rowntree experience is all about.
We look forward to seeing you and sharing with you the private school community of which we are so proud!
To learn more about Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS), continue browsing our website and ideally drop by any of our 5 welcoming, friendly and family oriented campuses for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:00am-3:00pm. If you prefer, call to book an appointment for a personal tour anytime Monday-Friday 9:00am-3:00pm.
More details about Rowntree Montessori Schools‘ approach to education can be seen by clicking here.
