Pros and Cons of Montessori School Education

A high-quality preschool has many benefits for children, including better educational outcomes and increased earning ability over their lifetime.

Montessori schools provide children with a structured and engaging environment to learn in. Students are given more independence and responsibility as they progress through the program.

The Montessori approach is based on the belief that children develop an awareness of self as an individual and a sense of responsibility for their own actions. When they feel this sense of independence, they have a better understanding of themselves and become more confident about themselves.

Montessori preschools are a great way to learn how to be independent and develop skills that will help them later in life. It also provides a child with a safe environment that is not full of distractions. The Montessori method is about learning through hands-on experiences. Young children learn through playing, exploring, and doing practical tasks that are both meaningful and engaging.

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Now, let’s focus specifically on the benefits of sending young children to Montessori Preschool.

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Child Centric Learning at Montessori Schools

Montessori preschool students are not rushed into learning. As a matter of fact, the curriculum is created around their specific needs and abilities that allow them to explore and learn at their own pace and in their own style. The classroom is designed in such a manner that all equipment is within children’s reach, and the furniture is sized according to the child’s ergonomics.

Besides, there is no concept of clubbing the same age group in one classroom. In fact, there are older children in the classroom along with younger ones, hence developing empathetic and mentorship skills in children.

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Children Learn Self-Discipline

Maria Montessori believed that freedom and discipline were two sides of the same coin. She believed that those children are able to learn and develop self-discipline through freedom. Children cannot develop discipline by an adult giving commands and threatening the child with punishments.

Through freedom and practice, the child learns from mistakes and develops the necessary skills to become a confident, self-motivated member of humanity with a high sense of honesty.

Although Montessori schools allow children to choose the activities they want to work on each day, and how long they will work on a specific task, there are specific “ground rules” for the class that are placed by the teacher. This environment naturally teaches children self-discipline, and it teaches important skills like attentiveness, self-control and enthusiasm.

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Montessori Preschool Education is Very Effective in Developing Important Life Skills

At a Montessori preschool, children are given more freedom than any other school. They are encouraged to figure things out for themselves and become problem solvers.

From washing hands, eating independently, dressing up, cleaning the mess to solving maths problems on their own, children are allowed to do things on their own with the guidance of the teacher. This helps children to become independent thinkers, problem solvers and initiators from an early age.

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Montessori Education Develops a Love for Learning in Children

In a Montessori classroom, children learn about all areas of the curriculum by enthusiastically participating in activities that involve several senses. For example, children learn about art and culture by playing dress up as historical characters or painting/drawing historic monuments. They learn to cook cuisines from diverse cultures.

In a Montessori environment, learning doesn’t come from listening to teachers, it is experienced by actively participating in day-to-day activities in an engaging, real and relevant way. And that is what makes learning so much fun for children that they want to know more about the world around them and keep learning.

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Montessori Education Focuses on Key Developmental Stages

Montessori education focuses on crucial developmental milestones in children between the ages of three and five years. Younger children focus on refining gross motor and language skills.

Four-year-olds work on fine motor skills and complete everyday activities, such as moulding and arts and crafts. Older children widen their learning experience to their communities, through field trips and special events, as well as helping younger children with their activities.

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Montessori Education Brings Out Children’s Creativity

Creativity in a Montessori preschool classroom is part of every activity and subject. By default, children are curious about their world and this educational system identifies, permits, and celebrates natural curiosity.

The physical classroom in a Montessori school is also designed to foster creativity. Classrooms in Montessori help children learn through discovery, investigation and synthesis. Some of the standard early childhood education activities, such as building block exercises, form the fundamentals of future revelations.

Montessori materials are designed in such a way that they are self-correcting in the same way puzzles are. Teachers don’t judge children for doing something wrong. The child is free to explore and learn until they get it right. You don’t get scolded when the puzzle piece doesn’t fit, and neither does the teacher interfere. You grab another piece.

Classroom materials in Montessori encourage exploration, open-ended interaction, and establish a fun, educational place to take creative risks.

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Although Montessori schools are growing in popularity among parents, not everyone opts for a Montessori curriculum for their little ones.

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Here are a few reasons that discourage parents from sending children to Montessori Preschool.

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Difficulty in Adapting to Other Schools

It might be difficult for a kid to transition to the rigid structures of standard schooling after being exposed to the Montessori Method.

Many Montessori students struggle with specific regulations and expectations in traditional schools after spending three years or more in the Montessori Method. They're used to taking a hands-on approach to learning about the world.

For them, being in a classroom and learning about the world through textbooks and lectures is a completely new concept that makes them feel uneasy.

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Not Every School Provides a Montessori Curriculum

Despite its popularity, the Montessori method is not offered in every town. Montessori isn't offered in every public school district. Only private schools in some areas provide this option, while others do not provide it at all.

In any case, parents are encouraged to become more active in their children's education, including student transportation. The demands of the school system may not be something that the parents can meet, depending on their job schedule.

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Conclusion

Montessori philosophy is more of a way of life than an educational system because it addresses your child's physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. So, before you make a decision, consider whether you are comfortable with what Montessori has to offer and how it will influence your child.