What More Could You Want for Your Child?

Lynn A. Weddle wrote this in 2003:

For me, the three most important benefits of continuing Montessori education through eighth grade is that our children develop respect, self-confidence and a desire to learn.  

One of the many advantages of a Montessori education, is the sense of respect our children develop and continue to demonstrate to each other.

• Montessori educated children learn compassion and empathy early on by nurturing others and being nurtured because of the mixed age groupings of each classroom.  This is not to say they never have disagreements—they do—but Montessori students learn to constructively work things out and move on--a great life-time skill.  This becomes particularly important in the latter elementary and middle school years.  Given the small classroom sizes, Montessori students cannot just “drop out” and become anonymous when conflict arises.  These students learn to work together and respect each other’s differences—another great life-time skill.

 Montessori educated children also develop a terrific sense of self-confidence. 

• In Brickton’s toddler classroom, my young daughter was encouraged to put on her own clothes and shoes (even if they ended up on the “wrong” feet!) and she felt such a tremendous sense of accomplishment.  At age 2 ½, we were no longer permitted to dress her!  Cleaning up their lunch tables, helping to shovel snow or plant flowers and even now, for my daughter, being encouraged to make her own lunch (at age 7) creates a strong “I can do it” attitude.  I have seen the effects of this not only in my child, but in the middle school students when they are taking breakfast orders and serving during Planet Coffeewood* mornings.  They conduct themselves with such poise and confidence that we “patrons” cannot help but be very impressed and encouraged for our own future middle school students!

 The continued desire to learn is truly a wonderful “legacy” that Montessori educated children benefit from.

• Because the classroom environment is self-directed and the Montessori works are self-correcting, children are not passively learning or being required to sit still at a desk and all receive the same information at the same time.  In a Montessori classroom, it’s hands on—a sense of discovery and mastery on their own—with individual direction or guidance from the Directress.  They’re taught to problem solve by understanding the big picture first, then the parts.   A directress explained it to me this way:  “Imagine getting hundreds of puzzle pieces and you have no idea what the picture is that you’re trying to form…with Montessori, children are presented with the picture first so that they clearly understand what they’re doing with the bits and pieces.  In this way, these kids don’t easily get bored---they’re actually excited about going to school!

 Respect, self-confidence and a life-long desire to learn…what more could you want for your child?

* Planet Coffeewood - a student-run business

Lynn's daughter, Lily, graduated from Brickton Montessori School in 2011.