Spontaneous Education in Brevard
It is a natural occurrence that a child will develop interest in those things he or she encounters in their environment. They learn by touching and experiencing what is around them. The “active life” of a child is solely in his environment; he doesn’t yet know how to “be active” outside of what is known to him.
The Montessori environment is carefully planned and prepared to meet the needs of the child and to invite or entice the child to touch, smell, see, hear and taste the many possibilities. It was through scientific observations and extensive experiments and conclusions that the Montessori environment was developed.
The Montessori environment is a place that “nourishes the child” by not only meeting the needs for his education, but preparing it so a child is able to develop at his own pace. It is an environment richly developed by an experienced, finely-trained observer, whose purpose it is to provide what is interesting and purposeful, and to guide when needed. She is the Montessori directress.
It is important to note that the Montessori philosophy does not view the classroom as a replacement for life, but as a facilitating means to reach the potential life within the child, who is step-by-step self-producing the adult they will become; it’s happening…now…
In the Montessori environment, the children are of mixed ages, most often 3 to 6, with the children developing at different paces. Mixed age classrooms provide built-in, peer-to-peer teaching and role models for younger children. Older children take on the responsibility of demonstrating to younger ones their knowledge. Younger children aspire to conquer what the big kids are able to do, and the culminating results are characters who know and appreciate respect and empathy, while using words to set boundaries and encourage others in the community.
In the Montessori classroom, there are scientifically and carefully crafted materials that are aesthetically pleasing in their simplicity. The directress is trained in the order of lessons and order of placement and presentation of the materials on the shelves. The layout is such that everything has a place, and the children learn quickly and responsibly to return things to their places in the designated areas of practical life, sensorial, culture (science/geography), language and math.
The Montessori materials most often contain a “control of error,” the ability for the child to self-correct and for the teacher to stand back to observe and then to guide when necessary.
Consider carefully into what environment you place your child, for spending three, six or even 10 hours a day, actively engaged in his/her surroundings. What better place to gift your child with than a Montessori environment which integrates such a rich and diverse setting?
Learn more:
Cynthia Thomas founded her first Montessori school in Brevard County in 1983. She now operates five schools throughout Florida. She discovered Montessori’s unique approach when her children attended a school in Hawaii. She received her masters in education specializing in Montessori from Charminade University in Hawaii.
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