Question 1

Every child is a unique, valued individual.

Accepted Answer

Montessori education acknowledges that children learn in different ways, and accommodates all types of learning styles. Students can advance through the curriculum at their own pace, guided by the teacher and their individualized learning plan.

Question 2

Montessori students develop order, coordination, concentration, and independence from a young age.

Accepted Answer

Classroom design, materials, and routines support everyone’s ability to educate one’s self and think about what they are learning from toddlers through adolescents.

Question 3

Students become part of a caring, close community.

Accepted Answer

The multi-age Montessori classroom, which typically spans 3 years, re-creates a family-like structure. Older students enjoy serving as mentors and role models; younger children feel supported and build confidence. Teachers are role models for respect, loving kindness, and a belief in peaceful resolutions.

Question 4

Montessori students are given freedom within limits.

Accepted Answer

Students are active participants in deciding what their focus of learning will be, while working within parameters set by their teachers. The Montessori philosophy recognizes that internal satisfaction drives the child’s curiosity and interest, resulting in joyous learning that is sustained over a lifetime.

Question 5

Students become active seekers of knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Montessori teachers provide an environment where students are given the freedom and tools to pursue answers to their own questions. The teacher serves as a resource as students go about their work, helping each child move through the curriculum as they master new concepts and skills. Don’t expect to see the Montessori teacher as the center of attention, but rather circulating throughout the classroom—and sometimes sitting on the floor—demonstrating a material, giving a small group lesson, and quietly taking notes on how each student is progressing.

Question 6

Self-assessment and self-correction are central to the Montessori classroom approach.

Accepted Answer

As they grow and mature, Montessori students learn to look critically at their work. They can recognize, correct, and learn from their errors on their own.

Question 7

Higher Academic Standards.

Accepted Answer

– Private schools can be more academically rigorous than public schools, and students who attend private school may have to meet more criteria to keep up their grade point averages. According to The Condition of Education 2001, from the National Center for Education Statistics, “Private high schools typically have more demanding graduation requirements than do public high schools. Compared with public schools, private schools required more coursework (in 4-year high school programs).” Private schools may also be more likely to instill within their students the expectation of attending college, and provide more access to information about college options.

Question 8

Lower Student Teacher Ratios.

Accepted Answer

– Private schools tend to control their class sizes, offering a lower ratio of students per teacher. Placing students in small groups may lead to closer working relationships between teachers and students, thus enhancing learning. Lower ratios may also offer more personal attention and allow the teachers to have a better sense of who your child is, as well as what his or her unique strengths and weaknesses are.

Question 9

Enhanced Discipline and Safety.

Accepted Answer

– With lower ratios, teachers are often better able to keep the children focused on learning. Most private schools also place special emphasis on discipline. Strict disciplinary policies and lower student teacher ratios often mean that any major problems will be handled and eradicated more quickly.

Question 10

More Exposure to the Arts.

Accepted Answer

– Government regulations on public schools often prevent them from spending more than a certain percentage of funds on the arts. However, private schools are not subject to the same regulations. They have more freedom to develop and expand these programs as they wish, and often develop programs that emphasize the arts, maybe more so than local public schools.

Choosing a Montessori School – Are Private School and Montessori Benefits Being Maximized?

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Brooklyn Park

Chaska

Corcoran

Edina (Southdale)

Maple Grove

Plymouth

St. Anthony

Wayzata

Brooklyn Park

Maple Grove

Chaska

Plymouth

Corcoran

St. Anthony

Edina (Southdale)

Wayzata

Brooklyn Park

Corcoran

Maple Grove

St. Anthony

Chaska

Edina (Southdale)

Plymouth

Wayzata