MYTH: Montessori Schools are all pretty standard

Actually, since the Montessori name is not trademarked, there can be a wide variety of approaches within schools that call themselves Montessori. It is important to look for a school’s level of accreditation and the Montessori features to tell if your child would be in a truly authentic Montessori environment. Characteristics of an authentic Montessori program include:

• Trained and Certified Montessori teachers who are thoroughly versed in the Montessori method and put students at the center of their education.

• A prepared environment designed specifically for the developmental stage of the individual child.

• No homework, no grades are essential steps in fostering the child’s desire to soak up knowledge without interrupting their natural curiosity.

• Natural learning inspires internally motivated children who are far more likely to become responsible, self-disciplined, confident, initiative-takers with strong academic skills and a lifelong love for learning.

• Freedom to choose work and develop their individualized learning plan.

• Customized learning at the individual and group level, based on the developmental stage of the child with a carefully planned curriculum.

• Freedom of movement within their safe and carefully prepared environment.

• Uninterrupted work periods of 2-3 hours to allow students to focus on their learning.

• Mixed-age groups in which younger students learn from older students, and older students learn leadership and responsibility as they teach and mentor the younger students.

MYTH: Montessori students do whatever they please

This myth derives from a misunderstanding of the term child-centered learning. It is true that students enjoy freedom in what pieces of work they choose. This enables the child to choose the challenges which they are most excited by, and to take advantage of “sensitive periods” in their learning, in which they are driven to master a certain skill by repeating it again and again. The teachers are well trained, though, to spot the differences between a child mastering a skill through repetition and a child that wants to repeat tasks out of boredom or for lack of knowing what to do next. Students do not have the freedom to, say, eat snack all day or do nothing but talk to friends for two hours. Montessori teachers allow students the freedom of choosing their direction while ensuring they still reach the final destination.

MYTH: Montessori students have to be quiet all the time

We have heard other people repeat this myth, but since we’ve never seen an all-quiet Montessori classroom, we’re not sure where this myth comes from! While we do help children understand appropriate volume levels for different conversations and different environments as part of our grace and courtesy lessons, our classrooms are always buzzing with activity and conversation.

MYTH: Montessori is all work and no play

In her years working with children, Maria Montessori noticed that children developed a sense of peace and happiness when they were engaged in purposeful work. Of course, children do enjoy laughing, running, playing, and making friends. Luckily, we arrange our days to allow for all of those activities in addition to work time. The true test is to ask a Montessori child how they feel about school. Our students love to come to school and find joy in learning.

MYTH: Montessori is a style that is only useful for preschool aged children

Our Primary graduates who move to first grade often find that they are well ahead of peers from traditional environments, in academics and maturity. However, Montessori benefits don’t stop at age 6. Our Montessori Elementary and Montessori-IB blended Middle School programs foster academic prowess, love of learning, responsibility, independence, and leadership. Elementary and Middle School graduates excel at self-management, creative problem solving, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication skills.

MYTH: Montessori kids struggle to adapt to the structure of traditional schools

Entering a traditional school environment where students sit still at desks and work on one subject at a time, as a full class, requires a brief transition period for Montessori children. Our alumni families report, however, that the transition is managed with great composure by our students. They have learned self-management skills and personal responsibility, so they are able to adapt well to new circumstances and different learning environments. Our alumni are accepted to, and thrive at, the top high schools in New Jersey, New York, and out of state, and they go on to do amazing things in high school, college, and beyond! Check out the graduates page on our website to see the list of high schools and colleges our students have been accepted to.