What makes parents decide to use the Montessori method when raising their children?
To help you decide whether the Montessori method when raising their children, we asked PR experts and business leaders this question for their thoughts. From hands-on learning to allowing kids to learn at their own space, there are several benefits to the Montessori method and several reasons why parents use this method when raising their children.
Here are seven reasons why parents use the Montessori method when raising their children:
- Hands-On Learning
- To Question Authority In A Healthy Way
- Independence And Confidence
- It Closely Mirrors The Way Life Is
- It Allows Kids To Learn At Their Own Pace
- Creativity That Uncovers Unusual Talents
- Lifelong Learners
Hands-On Learning
What makes the Montessori method so effective is that it is a self-directed, hands-on way of learning that allows children to develop independence and a lifelong love of learning. Our classrooms are set up in such a way that the child gets to make their own choices about what and how they learn, making them more capable, accountable, and have a strong sense of self!
Jeanne Kolpek, Cadence Education
To Question Authority In A Healthy Way
I’ve been interested in Montessori education to raise my children ever since I read this quote from Marissa Mayer about Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brian in the book, In The Plex.
“You can’t understand Google unless you know that both Larry and Sergey were Montessori kids. It’s really ingrained in their personalities. In Montessori school, you go paint because you have something to express or you just want to do it that afternoon, not because the teacher said so. Do something because it makes sense, not because some authority figure told you. This is really baked into how Larry and Sergey approached problems. They’re always asking, ‘Why should it be like that?’ It’s the way their brains were programmed early on.”
Questioning authority in a healthy way and doing something because it makes sense is reason enough to consider adopting Montessori methods for kids.
Brett Farmiloe, Markitors
Independence And Confidence
A big reason we choose the Montessori method when choosing preschools is the independence and confidence it gives children. It is grounded on allowing children to improve on their strengths and also explore areas that cater to their creativity and interests. It has also allowed our child to learn independence and explore things on her own without guidance. It is very child-centered and really helps us understand their abilities and potential.
Gabriela Babila, Matana Organics
It Closely Mirrors The Way Life Is
When my wife and I looked for daycare options for our daughter, we chose Montessori because the education model more closely mirrors the way life is. The openness allows the child to organically find what they both enjoy and excel at. This in turn helps create the habit of introspection with the assistance of the parents. It is our philosophy that as parents we are to guide our children to find their voice and passion; then develop and give them tools to learn how to create a living within that end.
Steven Brown, DP Electric Inc
It Allows Kids To Learn At Their Own Pace
There are no artificial curricula that pigeonhole the kids into the same box with expectations strictly based on age and not talent, interest, and varying pace of learning. Montessori flips the traditional model upside down, making the learning process much more organic, grassroots, and intrinsically oriented, vs a top-down hierarchy of educators that claim to know what’s best for all children. Children work at their own pace and their own level and therefore are not mandated to achieve some arbitrary benchmarks. Ultimately, it’s about first noticing and then leveraging the child’s individuality and their unique proclivity for certain topics and ways of exploring the world.
Bart Turczynski, ResumeLab
Creativity That Uncovers Unusual Talents
The Montessori method allows children to unlock their creativity and go beyond the range of subjects and skills taught in the traditional environment. Exploring a more comprehensive spectrum of talents early in life enables children to test their abilities comfortably. Such a “no-commitments” environment for exploring one’s abilities is much more aligned with how knowledge and skills are acquired nowadays.
Rebeca Sena, GetSpace.Digital
Lifelong Learners
One of the biggest reasons that I think most parents consider the Montessori method is because it is poised to create lifelong learners. Other top reasons include individual (customized) instruction, hands-on learning, social skills, as well as respectful behaviors that are encouraged. Because the method is focused on individualized learning, it supports the natural strengths and interests of the student as part of their learning journey.
Mark Christensen, LifeGuides
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