Montessori Principles

Three Tree Montessori School endeavors to cultivate the child’s sense of independence, self-respect, social responsibility, passion for work done well, and concern for their immediate environment and the larger community. With this in mind, we have established the following Montessori principles to guide us:

The Classroom Environment

• Children are allowed to learn at their own pace and are not limited by an inflexible curriculum.
  
  
• A three-year age span in each class except toddler (3-6, 6-9, 9-12) allows for modeling leadership, mentoring and multi-age socialization. This classroom structure encourages the development of the whole child: intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially and spiritually.
  
  
• Eighty percent of the children in each class will have prior Montessori experience (for Primary and higher).
  
  
• A solid foundation of structure and limits set by the teachers and fostered by the classroom community allow a unique freedom in the classroom. A commitment to responsibility and consequences develops through this structure.
  
  
• The classroom schedule allows large blocks of uninterrupted work time (two hours for toddler, three hours for primary and higher).
  
  
• Each classroom is equipped with a complete set of age-appropriate Montessori materials, in excellent condition.
  
  
• We strive to nurture in the children a sense of stewardship, beginning with contributions in the class and school community. As the child gets older, he/she contributes to the community and interaction with society outside of the school will become a significant component of the curriculum.

The Prepared Adult

• We employ teachers educated in the Montessori philosophy and methodology appropriate to the age level they are teaching, who have the ability and dedication to put key concepts into practice. The teachers have a comprehensive understanding of the human tendencies and the planes of development as established by Maria Montessori’s work. The prepared adult will adjust his/her approach according to these planes.
  
  
• Our teachers are committed to careful observation in their classroom environments.

The School Community

• A partnership is established with the child’s family. This collaboration is considered an essential part of the child’s total development. This partnership includes open communication between home and school, on-going parent education with regards to the Montessori philosophy, and parent involvement in the school community.
  
  
• The administration and the teachers are dedicated to ongoing professional development and continuing education including observations in the classrooms of other Montessori schools.

Revised August 30, 2004

 

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