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A Progressive Education for 3 Months to Grade 12

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Why Montessori?

toddler doing work

Exploring the Montessori Method

The Montessori Method is rooted in the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, who believed that the formative first six years of life are critical, and that a child's powers of absorption are highest and attitudes and patterns of learning are formed during this period. She came to realize that children have a natural love of learning and that education, as an aid to life, must be provided in a secure and harmonious environment.

Dr. Montessori believed that children learn better when they’re choosing what to learn, and that philosophy is present in Montessori classrooms today. A Montessori classroom likely looks different than what most people are used to. Things that make it unique include:

  • Various activity stations for children to choose from throughout the day.
  • Teachers moving from group to group instead of standing at the front of the classroom.
  • A nontraditional grading system.
  • A focus on the whole student—social, emotional, intellectual and physical development are all considered.

Like with any instructional method, some teachers and parents love the approach, while others aren’t as enamored. Read on to learn more about some of the potential pros and cons of Montessori education.

montessori toddlers with meddie Teddy doing yoga

Yoga teaches children how to control their breath, which then helps them learn how to regulate their emotions. Meddy teddy is a tool our teachers use that can do the poses with them. 

Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori

The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.

Dr. Maria Montessori

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Many of Barrie's Montessori teachers train future Montessori educators through the Barrie Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies. For more than 30 years, the Institute has been a source of innovative curriculum development and a sought-after center for Montessori teacher education. 

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