This is what you need to know about Montessori education
Image: Shutterstock
Choosing the right primary school for your child is not an easy task. Are you going for a public school, a Waldorf school or special education? Another option is Montessori education. To help you on your way, we have listed the most important information.
Montessori education is a form of general special education that does not work from a religious conviction, but from an educational conviction. The brain behind this form of education is Maria Montessori, who developed it in the early twentieth century. According to her, children have a great need to discover and learn things on their own. It is the task of teachers and parents to sense this and to give the child the tools at the right time. Central to this is learning at your own pace.
Montessori Education
At a Montessori school, children are challenged to work independently. They have few classroom lessons, but they do work in small groups. Children decide for themselves what they work on and for how long, as long as they finish their tasks at the end of the day or week. To keep an overview, they use a special planner. According to Montessori education, when a child has a need to learn certain knowledge or a skill, there is a ‘sensitive period’. A teacher or master should notice this eagerness to learn and then give the child space and material to get started with this. Speaking of the material: it has been specially developed for children in different phases. A few features: mistakes are clearly indicated so that the child immediately knows what to improve, there is always one skill at a time and only natural materials are used for the teaching materials.
Also read: From ‘public’ to ‘denominational special’: 5 types of primary schools in a row
Multiple ages together
In Montessori education it is normal for children of different ages to sit together in the classroom. Groups 1 and 2 often share a classroom, just like groups 3, 4, 5 and groups 6, 7 and 8. According to Montessori, such a heterogeneous class is important because children learn to be the youngest, the middle and the oldest. . And by helping older children, they discover the development they have gone through themselves. Another advantage of heterogeneous classes: a teacher spends longer in the same class, which means he knows the children better and can therefore guide them better. In most cases, Montessori schools do not work with grade reports, but this can vary by school. Also, children can’t sit still. If a child develops a little more slowly, the teaching material does not have to be recreated, but it stays at its own level for a little longer.
Other habits
Because according to Montessori children do not belong in school, they sit at separate tables or for some assignments on a rug on the floor. Furthermore, in and around a Montessori school you will usually find a library, cupboards with things within reach (so that they can pick up and put materials back themselves), a schoolyard and a garden, where children discover and learn all kinds of things. You should also not be surprised if your child tells you about a plant at home. In Montessori education it is customary for a child to take care of his own plant, in order to develop care for the environment. And of course it also looks nice in the classroom.
There are more than 160 Montessori primary schools in the Netherlands. Your child can then choose to continue on to a Montessori school for secondary education.
Source: Wij-learning, Education consumer, Montessori.nl, Ouders van Nu
Read the best stories, most recognizable columns and the best tips for you and your kids every month. Subscribe now to Kek Mama and get up to 45% discount.
