Parents have many options for early childhood education. To make the important decision about which type of early educational environment is best for your child, you should assemble research and ask questions. One option that has endured through the years is the Montessori Method of early childhood education. If you’re wondering how Montessori works and if it’s the right decision for your child’s future to locate a school teaching young people through the philosophy of Montessori in Garden Grove, read on for more information. Dr. Maria Montessori founded the early childhood educational method that bears her name in 1907. She was already a pioneer, having become the first woman doctor in Italy’s history. Dr. Montessori specialized in pediatric medicine and began working with children who had mental disabilities, which inspired her ideas about how children learn. Montessori believed that children played a role in their own education by teaching themselves, and that schooling should be adjusted so each child could learn at his or her own pace. In a Montessori school, children are placed in age groups broken down by 3 to 6 year spans; in other words, groups of 0 to 3 years old, 3 to 6 years old, and 6 to 12 years old. The older children in each group share what they’ve already learned with the younger children. Youngsters are encouraged to actively participate in their education and not simply listen passively to lectures and presentations. Montessori teachers are rigorously trained to understand the philosophy behind the Montessori Method, which is less effective if not taught in the proper fashion. Work periods in a Montessori environment last for 3 hours each, allowing children time to absorb their lessons and tasks. Children may choose their learning activity from a wide range of available subjects and lessons. By allowing children to make their own choices, Dr. Montessori believed that a child’s education would be enriched since the child would have a greater involvement with what he or she is learning. Children are allowed to move around the classroom as they wish, but both teachers and students are not allowed to interrupt another student who is concentrating on a task. Some people have questioned whether or not the Montessori Method is an effective way to teach children. For instance, is the less-structured environment that allows children to study whatever they wish a good way for youngsters to learn? Dr. Montessori believed that the freedom to select what they will learn increased the child’s motivation to tackle new tasks. And, although children can choose what they study, lesson plans and goals are created by the pupil with the teacher’s assistance. The topics presented in Montessori schools are the same as in other, more typical schools. Children learn language, science, math, geography, and history. All subjects are taught in a unified way that emulates the interconnectedness of life. The Montessori Method grew in influence throughout Europe and came to the United States in 1912. The system began to achieve wider acceptance in this country in the 1960s, when parents began a push to improve inner-city schools using the Montessori educational philosophy. Today, more than 5,000 Montessori schools, and schools using some elements of the Montessori Method, exist in the U.S. Dr. Montessori believed that children educated using her method would lead the way to a more peaceful world free of wars. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize a total of six times, but never won the award. The Montessori Method is increasingly shown to be an effective philosophy for the successful education of children, rewarding them with achievements that they will carry through life. If you are considering locating a school utilizing the principles of Dr. Montessori in Garden Grove, you are taking an important first step toward building a rich and rewarding future for your child.
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