Individual Education In A Prepared Environment

The Prepared Environment is a term which describes more than the classroom. It includes physical surroundings in scale to the young child, tools for the child’s learning, a guide who facilitates and observes the child’s progress, and a community of peers. Curriculum includes: Practical Life, Sensory Awareness, Language, Mathematics, Science, Music, Movement, and Outdoor Ed. with Gardening. Our spacious classrooms and grounds offer room to move and grow. Learning and Development occur at a personal pace and yet in recognizable stages. The teachers observe, guide, and interact with the students with respect and care.

Each child learns in unique ways and with a personal style, so our educational environment is flexible and offers opportunities for independent discovery. The child interacts with the environment to explore, discover, and learn with free choice and personal responsibility. The limits of freedom are respect and responsibility towards oneself, others, and the environment.

Montessori Vs Conventional

Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning. Montessori classes place children in three-year age groups (3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and so on), forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones. Montessori represents an entirely different approach to education.

  • Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they've been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children are problem-solvers who can make appropriate choices and manage their time well.
  • They have been encouraged to exchange ideas and discuss their work freely with others. Their good communication skills ease the way in new settings.
  • Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a positive sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop strong self-images and the confidence to face challenges and change with optimism.
Montessori Method:Conventional Method:
  1. Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom activity; child is an active participant in learning.
  2. Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline.
  3. Instruction, both individual and group, adapts to each student's learning style.
  4. Mixed age grouping.
  5. Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other.
  6. Children choose own work from interests and abilities.
  7. Child works as long as he/she wishes on chosen project.
  8. Child sets own learning pace to internalize information.
  9. Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration.
  10. Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process.
  1. Teacher has dominant active role in classroom activity; child is a passive participant in learning.
  2. Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline.
  3. Instruction, both individual and group, conforms to the adult's teaching style.
  4. Same age grouping.
  5. Most teaching is done by the teacher and collaboration is discouraged.
  6. Curriculum is structured for the child with no regard to the child's interests.
  7. Child is generally given specific time for work.
  8. Instruction pace is usually set by group norm or teacher.
  9. Fewer materials for sensory development and concrete manipulation.
  10. Voluntary parent involvement, often only as fundraisers, not participants in understanding the learning process.