Meadow Montessori School

What we are witnessing at MMS has been going on for many years in Europe where the educational philosophy of Maria Montessori originated. In this country MMS is one of a growing number of Montessori schools — public private and parochial. At MMS a child enters an environment filled with appealing materials and learning apparatus. The child always first learns through the manipulation of three-dimensional objects. In time he/she moves naturally to the abstract and learns to use the materials as checks or proofs of the work. A Montessori program emphasizes problem solving creativity and independence. Children learn and grow in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Each Montessori classroom incorporates an age range of two to three years. The extended time the child stays with one teacher allows a strong and caring relationship to form between the student the family and the educator. The multi-aged environment benefits the students in other ways as well. Older children help the younger ones to learn in the process reinforcing their own knowledge. Conversely the younger children idolize their older classmates and eagerly anticipate the day when they too will know “almost everything.” Due to the caring and generous atmosphere that evolves among the children the classroom is devoid of the petty cruelty and unhealthy competition that has become too common among children.