Montessori education in Canada

Montessori vs. conventional schools
The Montessori philosophy of education is unique. Its progressive approach is an appealing alternative to the approach followed by most schools today. In fact, Montessori education, in many ways, is contrary to the approach currently used in conventional or mainstream schools.

At their core, Montessori schools are child- or student-focused. They provide a learning environment which places kids front and centre. In this way, they’re similar to Waldorf and Reggio Emilia schools.

Students, in Montessori schools, work in a decentralized learning environment, usually by themselves or in small groups with peers of different ages. They often collaborate, with each other and their teachers. There is no one-size-fits-all curriculum. This means kids have quite a bit of freedom to choose their own projects and work at their own pace.

Today’s conventional schools, on the other hand, tend to be teacher-focused. Teachers deliver lectures to the whole class. These are meant to impart knowledge to students. Students need to demonstrate they’ve acquired this knowledge through teacher-administered tests and assignments. With a preset, age-specific curriculum, students have much less opportunity to explore their interests and passions.

All in all, there are many differences between Montessori schools and today’s conventional schools. Below, we outline some of the main ones. We’ll discuss many of these differences in greater detail throughout this guide.

The Montessori philosophy informs its method and classroom policies. That said, schools can vary in their classroom policies and the way they implement them.

In this section, we discuss Montessori classroom policies. These include common and less common ones.

Common Montessori classroom policies
Below, we outline classroom policies that are commonly found in a Montessori school. Remember, though, not all Montessori schools follow these policies, and there’s a lot of variation in how they’re implemented.

• Mixed-age classrooms
• Decentralized learning
• Self-directed learning
• Focus on the concrete
• Minimal pretend play
• Integrated curriculum
• Uninterrupted work time
• Character education
• Minimal external rewards
• Minimal homework
• Minimal technology

Mixed-age classrooms
Montessori schools have mixed-age classrooms, often with 3-year age groupings. There are toddler classes from birth to age 3, primary (or casa) classes for ages 3-6, and elementary classes for ages 6-9 and 9-12. At some elementary schools, all six years are combined into one class. Most middle and high schools have mixed-age classes as well. Parents are encouraged to keep their child in school for at least one full 3-year cycle.

Mixed-age classrooms promote lots of interaction, problem solving, and child-to-child teaching. Children can work with and learn from older peers, who teach, mentor and model behaviour to them, often better than adults do. Older children also reinforce their own knowledge this way. In this setting, children are often stimulated and rarely bored.

“Our schools,” says Montessori, “show that children of different ages help one another. The younger ones see what the older ones are doing, and ask for explanations. … There are many things which no teacher can convey to a child of three, but a child of five can do it with the utmost ease.” (The Absorbent Mind, 1967)

Decentralized learning
Students can roam around class, work on their own tasks, join groups, and work with peers. Teachers rarely provide whole-class lectures. Instead, they observe, guide, and sometimes give brief lessons to small groups of students.

This creates a dynamic learning environment. Students often work well alone and in groups. Freed from teacher interference, they tend to learn skills and concepts more easily. They also become more independent and confident.

Self-directed learning
Students have a lot of leeway to choose tasks and learning materials. While structure is provided, students can often choose tasks they’re interested in and likely to complete.

When given freedom, students tend to choose work that’s developmentally appropriate and helps them grow. They also often choose tasks that interest and challenge them. This promotes enthusiasm and a love of learning.

Angeline Stoll Lillard, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, is a renowned expert on Montessori education and childhood learning. In Montessori: The Science behind the Genius (2005), she describes how self-directed learning feeds children’s natural curiosity:

“People learn best about the topics they’re most interested in…Montessori allows each child to choose what to work on, and when, with occasional limits if a child is not getting to parts of the curriculum. The elementary child invests a great deal of time researching and writing about topics of personal interest. Children’s studies radiate from a core of deep interests into all curricular areas, rather than having all curricular areas delivered in a predetermined array and schedule.”

Focus on the concrete
Students work with a lot of concrete learning material. This includes puzzles called manipulatives, which are self-correcting. They also work with blocks, tiles, pink towers, sandpaper letters, golden beads, and other material.

Concrete learning has a lot of benefits. They include the following:

• It helps to develop fine motor skills and improve muscle strength.
• It helps children connect with the real world, which helps them mature.
• It combines learning with movement, involving many of the senses in learning.

This last point is crucial. The more of our senses that are involved in learning, the more our cognition is “embodied.” And research shows that embodied cognition has much to recommend it. For instance, it improves children’s focus and engagement. It also can lead to faster and more efficient learning.

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“When given freedom, students tend to choose work that’s developmentally appropriate and helps them grow. They also often choose tasks that interest and challenge them.”

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Minimal pretend play
Pretend play is rarely encouraged. Work is emphasized over pretend play. Even in preschool, classrooms don’t have dolls, dollhouses, pretend kitchens or houses, dress-up clothes, or other common playthings. Rather, they have real kitchens, real (child-sized) furniture, work tools, food, cooking utensils, and other practical objects. Below, we provide an extensive list of standard classroom materials.

The focus on work over play is based on several key claims about children.

• They prefer to work with real things than play with pretend things.
• They learn better through tasks than through pretend play.
• It’s important for them to start to connect with the real world at a young age.

There’s nothing wrong with pretend play, according to Isabelle Kunicki-Carter, director of Foster Hill Montessori School, in Toronto, Ontario. The mistake, rather, is to force-feed it. “Imposing fantasy on children is unhealthy. They should come to it themselves. What’s most important is that children choose their own learning paths.”

Integrated curriculum
Subjects are rarely taught on their own. Interdisciplinary learning is a big focus. Even subjects such as science and math are often integrated into other parts of the curriculum. For instance, students may be given what schools refer to as a great lesson on the start of human communication. Here, they’ll learn about science, but also about history, language, and other subjects.

There are widely known benefits to this approach. Most importantly, it allows students to connect concepts from many different disciplines, and view them in a wider context. This often makes learning more engaging. And for many, learning the wider applications of a subject is exciting and instills a passion to learn more.

Uninterrupted work time
Students are usually given at least one full uninterrupted work period of three hours a day. Some schools have two of these work periods. These periods exclude outside play, group storytime, circle time, music, or anything that takes time away from a chosen task.

Uninterrupted work time allows students to choose and complete their chosen work, either on their own or with peers. If they’re interrupted when they’re learning something of special interest to them, it can be hard to regain focus and interest. Uninterrupted work time thus nurtures focus, concentration, and a love of learning. These traits are crucial to future success, in school and beyond.

“Montessori schools,” says Montessori (To Educate the Human Potential, 1948), “have proved that the child needs a cycle of work for which he has been mentally prepared; such intelligent work with interest is not fatiguing, and he should not be arbitrarily cut off from it by a call to play. Interest is not immediately born, and if when it has been created the work is withdrawn (for recess or any other adult-imposed break), it is like depriving a whetted appetite of food that will satisfy it.”

Elizabeth Hainstock, a renowned Montessori researcher, agrees. She argues, in The Essential Montessori (1997), that every child has a strong desire to see tasks through.

“He needs to complete what Dr. Montessori called his “cycles of activity”—those periods of intense concentration on a particular task that should be worked to completion. Not to allow this causes the developing child great frustration. It is the inner need that compels him to work so long and hard at a particular task, long after the older child or adult would have lost interest and grown weary.”

Character education
While academics are important, this is only part of the focus. Montessori schools aim to educate the whole child: their character, sense of self, and values.

For instance, students are taught to take care of themselves, each other, and their environment. They do this through tasks such as cooking, cleaning, building, and gardening. They’re also taught to move with grace, be polite, be helpful, and do work in the community, among other things.

Students thereby grow in key ways, including the following:

• They become more well-rounded and mature.
• They learn several key values and traits, such as justice, responsibility, independence, and patience.
• They learn many practical skills and acquire useful knowledge.

Rachel Meltzer, whose son Kalil attended the preschool program at Taddle Creek Montessori, in Toronto, Ontario, raves about the program’s focus on the whole child. “I love how they emphasize much more than academics, things like character, self-sufficiency, collaboration, and knowledge and skills. The holistic approach is great. Kalil learned a lot more than his letters and numbers.”

Minimal external rewards
Tests or assignments are almost never given, at least in primary and elementary school. Sometimes they’re given in middle school, but mostly for practice. Usually, though, they’re not graded.

In high school, tests and assignments are given and graded. But this is mainly done to meet provincial curricular requirements in Canada and prepare students for university. Other than that, grades are not given out.

Also, students are rarely praised. And when they are, it’s for effort—not outcomes.

Rewards are rarely given, since they can impede learning and motivation. Instead, students are encouraged to find motivation from within. By choosing their own tasks, learning becomes its own reward. This can inspire a love of learning, sometimes a lifelong one.

Recent research seems to show some of the costs of the reward systems used in many mainstream schools. In “The Risks of Rewards” (1994), Alfie Kohn discusses some of these costs.

“Grades in particular have been found to have a detrimental effect on creative thinking, long-term retention, interest in learning, and preference for challenging tasks (Butler & Nisan, 1986; Grolnick & Ryan, 1987). These detrimental effects are not the result of too many bad grades, too many good grades, or the wrong formula for calculating grades. Rather, they result from the practice of grading itself, and the extrinsic orientation it promotes.”

Focusing on reward systems in general, he adds

“Studies over many years have found that behaviour modification programs are rarely successful at producing lasting changes in attitudes or even behaviour. When the rewards stop, people usually return to the way they acted before the program began. More disturbingly, researchers have recently discovered that children whose parents make frequent use of rewards tend to be less generous than their peers (Fabes et al. 1989; Grusec, 1991; Kohn, 1990).”

Minimal homework
Homework is almost never assigned, even in middle or high school. It’s usually not encouraged either. Some teachers allow students to take work home, if it needs to get done. But when work is taken home, and whether it’s taken home, is normally the student’s call.

This policy has several benefits. And, it’s supported by some potent claims.

• Students should be free to choose their own learning paths. Assigning homework interferes with this freedom, and the love of learning that comes from this.
• Homework can interfere with precious family time.
• Learning materials need to stay in the classroom.
• Students accomplish enough during the school day.

Minimal technology
Very little, if any, modern-day technology is used. This is especially true in the early years. Computers, tablets, whiteboards, TVs, and similar devices are rarely used in class. And when they are, it’s typically for a specific purpose, such as a research project.

It’s believed that too much screen time can interfere with focus and development. For instance, it can lead to shorter attention spans and impede concentration. It can also limit interaction between peers and stunt social development. Overall, too much screen time can prevent a child from becoming what Maria Montessori called normalized: independent, disciplined, focused, and mature.

Less common Montessori classroom policies
Below, we discuss some classroom policies used less commonly in Montessori schools. While some schools use them, others don’t (or they may be less strict about them). We also discuss the rationale for these policies.

• High teacher-to-student ratio
• Minimal arts and crafts projects
• Minimal unstructured activity
• Few specialist classes
• Minimal commercial materials

High teacher-to-student ratio
Some schools have a high teacher-to-student ratio, at least at the upper levels. For instance, there may be 1 teacher to 25 or 30 students in middle or high school (or even elementary school).

Anne E. Laws, coordinator of the Montessori Assurance Program in Canada, considers high teacher-to-student ratios a crucial feature of the Montessori program. According to Laws, this prevents teachers from needlessly interfering with students’ work. It can thus promote focus and engagement. It can also enhance learning.

“A large group of students can create excitement and a dynamic learning environment. It makes for an active classroom with a lot of collaboration. Children try to discover things on their own, and with the help of their peers. They ask their classmates questions. They don’t rely on adults to solve things.”

Minimal arts and crafts projects
Some schools have little, if any, time allotted to arts and crafts. And, they may have no arts and crafts projects. Even in schools with no assigned arts and crafts projects, though, students normally have the option of working on art or creative projects.

Art projects, it’s claimed, can limit self-direction. Like other assigned work, they interfere with students’ freedom to choose their own work and complete it. Also, students should spend a lot of time on practical work. But some artwork, the claim runs, doesn’t seem practical.

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“The Montessori classroom reflects its unusual philosophy, and provides the basis for its classroom policies.”

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Minimal unstructured activity
Some schools have little, if any, unstructured time. For instance, they may have minimal or no scheduled recess or time for “free explore.” Even some (though not many) preschools and elementary schools limit free-play time in this way.

This policy is supported by a few key claims about free-play periods:

• They can be an unwanted interruption. In particular, they can interfere with a student’s focus on a chosen task.
• They can stifle motivation and a passion for learning.
• They can cause frustration.

According to Lillard (2005), Maria Montessori believed scheduled recess should not be part of the school day. Montessori’s main rationale is that it interferes with concentration.

“Recess time could be detrimental in Montessori because for any given child on a given day a clock-imposed recess time might well come at a moment of intense concentration on work. Of course such concentration must be broken at some times, notably at the end of the school day, but Dr. Montessori’s goal was to minimize these interruptions.”

Few specialist classes
Some schools have few, if any, specialist classes, such as art, music, gym, or foreign languages. All or most of these classes, in these schools, will be taught by the core teacher, rather than a specialist. Also, some schools may not have a designated period for some of these classes.

The core teacher, it’s reasoned, knows students the best, and is thus best able to teach all or most subjects. And in general, content should be delivered more through material and short lessons than through direct instruction (for instance, by a specialist teacher).

Lillard (2005) stresses the second point:

“In Montessori education, the material and lessons, rather than the teacher, are intended to operate for the child as organizing structures. Rather than an expert teacher providing core principles around which the child can organize his or her knowledge, the material provide those principles. The Montessori materials embody basic principles, and they structure knowledge in each area of the curriculum.”

Minimal commercial materials
Some schools have few, if any, commercial materials. For instance, they may have no toys, board games, jigsaw puzzles, or other material often found in mainstream schools.

The reasoning is that this material is conducive to play, not learning. Moreover, using it can detract from students’ focus on work, even when it’s used during free time.

Summary of classroom policies and rationales
The following table lists each Montessori classroom policy, and briefly summarizes its main rationale(s). The policies are divided into “common” and “less common.”

Classic and supplemented schools
Different schools have different interpretations of the Montessori philosophy. And they implement it in different ways. This means there are different types of Montessori schools.

Some theorists divide Montessori schools into two main groups: classic (or traditional) and supplemented (or progressive). For instance, Lillard (Preschool children’s development, 2012), adopts this useful classification:

“The existing literature rarely discriminates Montessori program implementations, but two basic styles can be observed ... : a classic approach that adheres tightly to Dr. Montessori’s original program as outlined in her books (Montessori, 1967, 1989a, 1989b) and a supplemented one in which conventional school activities and materials are added to the core program.”

Classic (or traditional) schools stick to the original Montessori program, and rarely make changes. According to Chertoff (The Great Montessori Schism, 2012), they tout

“the continuity of instruction across all … schools, and … resistance to fads. If your child switches instructors [between classic schools], he’ll be taught the same way. If you move, you can be sure that your new school will use the same pedagogy. Short-lived trends in education won’t affect how your kid learns. You’ll know exactly what you’re getting.”

Supplemented (or progressive) Montessori schools, meanwhile, have a different approach. While they’re faithful to Montessori principles, they supplement them with more modern curricular approaches and materials. For instance, they might have lower teacher-to-student ratios and more specialist classes than classic schools.

The main rationale for this approach is that schools must evolve to meet the needs of children. As our understanding of science, society, the environment, psychology, and other important areas of study evolves, so does our understanding of children’s needs. Our teaching practices, it’s urged, must in turn adapt.

“Here’s the problem, as some Montessori teachers saw it, even in the 1950s: Sometimes those short-lived trends aren’t short-lived, and sometimes they are not trends. As we discover more about learning, or as the times change, does the way we teach kids have to change as well?” (Chertoff, 2012) [Emphasis in the original]

In fact, according to some theorists, support for the supplemented approach can be garnered from Maria Montessori’s work. Montessori’s research, writings, and observations, it’s claimed, support supplementing her teaching methods, in some cases.

“Dr. Montessori adjusted and adapted her educational system to better serve children’s needs, and well-functioning Montessori classrooms typically share many features reflecting those adjustments.” (Lillard, 2005)

Given their different outlooks, it’s not surprising that classic schools often have different classroom policies than supplemented schools. Below, we outline some of the possible differences.

The scale from classic to supplemented
Of course, almost no school falls neatly into either of these categories. Few schools are strictly classic or supplemented. Most have both classic and supplemented classroom policies, as well as some policies that fall somewhere in the middle. And naturally, each school will have its own unique culture, character, and feel.

In truth, then, the distinction between classic and supplemented schools (not to mention the above table) is simplistic. Most Montessori schools are really on a scale from classic to supplemented. Where they fall on the scale will be based on how they interpret the Montessori philosophy, and how this is reflected in their classroom policies.

Moreover, the policies are themselves on a scale from classic to supplemented. For each policy, there are a wide range of ways it can be implemented, on this scale. For instance, a school might have three-year age groupings in all its classes (classic), most of its classes (moderately classic), a few of its classes (moderately supplemented), or none of its classes (supplemented).

It can be helpful to see where a school’s policies fall on this scale. This can give you some much-needed perspective when considering different Montessori schools.

In the end, though, what’s most important is to focus on a school’s policies themselves, rather than where they rank on the scale from classic to supplemented. For any school, you should take a close look at its classroom policies (among other things), and gauge whether they’re a good fit for your child.

The Montessori philosophy is unique. It also has progressive classroom policies that contrast with those of conventional schools.

The Montessori classroom reflects its unusual philosophy, and provides the basis for its classroom policies. Below, we look at three features of this classroom: the classroom setup, learning materials, and role of the teacher.

Further down the page, we outline some benefits of Montessori education, and provide a table looking at what types of students might be suitable for it. Near the end, we provide tools for comparing Montessori schools in terms of their academics, tuition, and financial aid.

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Classroom setup

The Montessori classroom has an unusual setup. Unlike most schools, no desk is at the front. And, the teacher is often found in some part of the room with a small group of children, discussing their work or giving a lesson.

Classrooms are usually large, open spaces, with low shelves, different sizes of tables that seat one to four children, and child-sized chairs. They have different areas, divided by low shelving. Each area has learning material for subjects such as language, music, science, math, and culture. Material is also grouped by area of interest and in order of increasing difficulty.

The Montessori classroom is often quiet, even at the lower levels. For instance, in an elementary class at Forest Hill Montessori, in Toronto, Ontario, students could be seen working calmly. They were also well behaved, had good manners, and had a strong rapport with the teacher and each other.

Since the students weren’t assigned seats or desks, they moved freely about. Most of them worked at tables, but some worked on the floor on small rugs. Some students worked alone, but many worked in groups—asking and answering questions, observing, and helping each other. So, while the class was calm and orderly, it was also lively and dynamic.

Classrooms, in most schools, are quite neat. Extra materials are kept out of sight in a closet and brought in and out of class, based on students’ needs and interests. Each material has its place on the shelves, and students must return them when they’re done. There’s no limit, though, to how long they can work with any material.

Below, you can view a Montessori classroom in action. You’ll also get the inside scoop about the Montessori teaching method.

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Montessori learning materials

Most Montessori schools don’t have textbooks, assignments, or tests. They do have many other learning materials, though. The norm is one of each material, with students expected to wait their turn. (This is thought to promote patience and respect.)

Elizabeth Hainstock, in The Essential Montessori (1997), divides Montessori learning materials into four main groups. Keep in mind, not every school has all or even most of these materials. And, some are used only at certain levels.

Some schools have other material as well. You’re more likely to find the following material in elementary and secondary schools. You may also find it in more supplemented Montessori schools.

The American Montessori Society (AMS) provides a more comprehensive list of classroom materials. It divides these materials by age level and subject. You can also check out Montessori services.

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Montessori teaching method

In class, the teacher’s main role is to connect students with the right tasks, so students can pursue their own learning. They also prepare the classroom to provide structure for students and protect their freedom.

Teachers guide and direct learning. While aware of all the students, they move around the class, giving lessons to individuals or small groups. They also allow students time to repeat and practice work. And, they help plan work for students.

Teachers don’t give many lectures, at least to the whole class. Nor do they try to impart knowledge to students. Thus the term “guide” is used in some schools instead of “teacher,” to highlight students’ role in their own learning.

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“In class, the teacher’s main role is to connect students with the right tasks, so students can pursue their own learning.”

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Unnecessary help is thought to hinder growth. Helping a student with something they can do on their own leads to too much reliance on adults. When students seek help from peers, on the other hand, this can spark insight and lead to excitement.

Pat Payne, mother of Jasmine (age 10) at River Valley school in Calgary, Alberta, sees the value of the Montessori teaching method:

“There’s lots of focus on personalized learning. Kids really become engaged in their work when they help choose it themselves. Jasmine loves working both with her friends and by herself. She loves asking lots of questions, and trying to solve problems with a group.”

Yet, she sees the teacher’s role as pivotal:

“The teachers are interested and attentive. They really care about the kids. They treat them as individuals, and make sure they find special learning opportunities.”

In most Montessori classes, teachers don’t give students tests or assignments. Nor do they grade work, except in high school (and sometimes middle school). Instead, they guide and monitor the progress of students.

Each student’s progress is tracked by following them for around three years. Teachers gauge progress by the handling of materials, accuracy of written work, ability to transfer concepts to new situations, and in other ways.

Sometimes teachers have a non-teaching assistant. The role of the assistant is to observe the class and assist students who need help. Assistants are meant to support teachers and allow them to give lessons and engage students in tasks.

We’ve looked at different types of Montessori schools and their classroom policies. We’ve also looked at Montessori teaching methods and classrooms. And, we’ve discussed many of the benefits of this approach.

Below, we go into the benefits of Montessori education in far more detail. In particular, we describe many, though not all, of the academic and social benefits it can have for your child.

To learn about the research behind some of these claims, read our Montessori benefits guide.

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Benefits of a Montessori education

Montessori education has a lot of benefits for students of different ages and learning styles. Yet, like other approaches, it’s encountered criticism. As far back as the early 20th century, the American philosopher and educator John Dewey, and his student William Heard Kilpatrick, denounced the Montessori approach. In fact, Kilpatrick went on a crusade against it, attacking it in a popular pamphlet.

More recently, Chattin-McNichols and Weiss (1998), and Lopata, Wallace, and Finn (2005) have critiqued Montessori education. While they don’t dismiss it outright, they raise a number of concerns with it.

Below, we look at some of criticisms of Montessori education. We’ll also discuss potential responses to these criticism, as well as some controversial questions that call out for further study.

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Criticisms of Montessori education

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Suitability for Montessori education

There are plenty of reasons to pursue a Montessori education. And, many students are a great fit for it. But is Montessori for everyone? Maybe, but it’s worth looking more closely at this question.

Below, we outline which students may be suitable for Montessori education. Just keep in mind: there’s far more to deciding whether Montessori is right for your child than the points below. This table is meant to stimulate your thinking, not replace it. Also, note that your child might display traits from both columns.

Bear in mind, this table doesn’t focus on specific schools. What’s most important is to look at the school itself, to see whether it’s the right fit for your child.

To find a Montessori school near you, see our list. You can also compare schools by their academics, tuition, and financial aid.

When choosing a Montessori school, cost can be a factor. You want to find a school that’s a good fit for your child. But you also need a school that’s at a price you can afford.

Tuition
Private Montessori schools tend to be reasonably priced. And, they’re typically on the lower side of private school tuition in general. They can cost anywhere between $5,000 and $30,000 per year.

Pricing will vary based on several different factors. For instance, the size, location, level of schooling, and resources can affect the cost of tuition. And of course, boarding schools will tend to be more expensive than regular day schools.

In general, though, there are plenty of affordable Montessori schools in Canada. And keep in mind, if a school provides you with childcare, this may be tax deductible. The amount that is deducted is based on the part of the day devoted to childcare, such as after school supervision.

Funding
Many Montessori schools, like other private schools, offer funding to families. The two main kinds of funding are needs-based and merit-based financial aid.

Needs-based: If you can demonstrate need, some schools will help finance your child’s education. They might offer you a bursary to help you cover tuition and possibly even room and board (if your child is in a boarding school).

Merit-based: Some schools also offer merit-based financial aid. Based on certain criteria, such as academics or athletics, your child may be offered a scholarship that helps pay for their schooling.

Scholarships are less common than bursaries. They also tend to provide less support. But every little bit helps. So, don’t be afraid to apply. On OurKids.net, we list scholarships offered by private schools in Canada.

Not all Montessori schools are certified, but many are. And sometimes this can factor into your decision about which school is the right fit.

There are many certifying or accrediting centres for Montessori programs in Canada, the United States, and elsewhere. Below, we list of some of the main ones. Some of these centres align to some extent with a classic or supplementary approach.

Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators: The Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA) is a Canadian, not-for-profit centre. The CCMA “provides a unified voice in negotiations with government and other agencies.” It’s an accrediting centre and provides teacher training programs. The CCMA is the dominant accrediting centre in Canada. There are 91 CCMA-accredited Montessori schools in Canada, most of which are in Ontario.

On the CCMA website, you can find the criteria for becoming a member school. You can also find a list of accredited CCMA member schools.

Association Montessori Internationale: The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was established by Maria Montessori and her son, Mario, in 1929. Its main headquarters are in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. AMI schools often have a classic curriculum, with three-year age groupings, large classes, and high teacher-to-student ratios. They also often have few lectures and less free-play time. There are 11 AMI Montessori schools in Canada (8 in Ontario, 1 in Quebec, 1 in British Columbia, and 1 in Alberta).

American Montessori Society: In the late 1960s, Nancy McCormick Rambusch, an AMI Montessori trained teacher, founded the American Montessori Society (AMS). She believed the Montessori method had to be modified to adapt to the culture in North America. In AMS schools, the Montessori curriculum is supplemented with resources, materials, and ideas used in more mainstream schools. Examples include the use of specialist teachers and classes, arts and crafts projects, commercial games and puzzles, and computers. AMS only accredits schools in the United States.

Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education: The Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) is an internationally recognized, standards setting, and certifying body for Montessori teacher education. MACTE certifies teachers but not schools. It also provides teacher training.

International Montessori Council: The International Montessori Council (IMC) is a global community of Montessori schools, teacher education programs, school administrators, educators, trustees, parent leaders, and friends of the Montessori movement. Members of the IMC are dedicated to “enriching the lives of children and adults through Montessori education by promoting Maria Montessori’s insights to the general public.” The IMC is an accrediting institution. It doesn’t have a teacher training program, though.

As mentioned, teachers play a huge role in Montessori programs. They really impact their value. The quality of teachers can sometimes make the difference between an effective and an ineffective program. You should look closely, then, at the credentials of the teachers of any school you’re considering.

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Montessori teacher training

There are many Montessori teacher training centres. Some also accredit schools, including AMI and AMS.

Some Montessori training centres don’t accredit schools, though. The main one in North America is MACTE. In Canada, most teachers are trained by AMI or MACTE, though some are trained by AMS (which is affiliated with MACTE).

The main AMI training centres in Canada are the Foundations for Montessori education, in Toronto, Ontario, and the Montessori Training Centre of BC, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Both these training centres have strict standards of evaluation. These are sanctioned by a governing body: Montessori Quality Assurance (Assurance Qualité Montessori).

Different training centres use different approaches to train teachers. There are also different training courses for each level of education. Oral and written exams are required by most training centres.

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Montessori teacher preparation

The standard Montessori training is a full year of graduate work for each of the main three age-levels: 0-3, 3-6, and 6-12. There’s a wide range of teacher preparation, though.

Some teachers take intensive, year-long graduate courses. For instance, this is standard for AMI Montessori teachers.

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“When it comes to choosing a Montessori school, you’ll want to look at its classroom policies. You’ll also want to consider its culture, philosophy, learning environment, and developmental aims, among other things.”

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Sandra Girilato, director of training at Montessori Quality Assurance (MQA), sets the record straight. As she points out, MQA ensures that AMI-trained teachers are well prepared. “All AMI-trained teachers in Canada must take a full-time, 9-month training course which employs strict criteria of evaluation sanctioned by MQA.”

Of course, some teachers have less rigorous training. In fact, some have simply read some of Maria Montessori’s books and applied some of her ideas in a school setting.

Due to the variance in teacher training, the quality of Montessori teachers and schools also varies widely. It’s important, then, to inquire about the expertise of teachers. This can help you decide whether a school is the right fit for your child.

Is a public Montessori school right for your child? Maybe, but there aren’t many in Canada.

There are a few such schools in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. They usually start in kindergarten or grade 1 and continue until at least grade 6. They also must be licensed by the Ministry of Education and meet provincial requirements. This means that they normally have two-year, instead of three-year, age groupings. It also means they tend to have smaller classes and more direct instruction than private Montessori schools.

Almost all Montessori schools in Canada are private. Unlike public schools, private schools don’t need to meet provincial curricular standards. They usually do meet them, though, and often surpass them.

Most private Montessori schools in Canada are accredited through the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA), headed by Katherine Poyntz. The CCMA requires that these schools meet very strict criteria, related to curriculum and teaching. Here’s how the CCMA describes their accreditation role on their website:

“The Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA) is an authority and voice for Montessori Administrators in Canada. Accredited member schools and applicant schools are accountable to CCMA for ensuring that qualifying programmes meet the standards and criteria established by the Council. CCMA recognizes teacher training institutes that meet the standards of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and/or the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE).”

If you can’t afford a private Montessori school (and there’s no public one in your area), teaching Montessori at home might be an option for you.

Affordable Montessori materials can be bought or made. And many Montessori activities and lessons are adaptable.

For more on this, see Elizabeth G. Hainstock’s Teaching Montessori in the Home: The School Years (1997). You can also attend local workshops to learn how to adapt the method to your child’s needs.

There is no cut-and-dry method for teaching Montessori in the home. But the American Montessori Society (AMS) suggests a few basic principles.

Create an ordered environment: Have a place for everything, on a child-friendly scale. Children should know where to find what they need, and where to put it when they’re done. This allows for better focus and fewer distractions.

Teach real-life skills: Take the time to teach your child to wash tables, organize shelves, prepare meals, and assist younger children. Tasks should be age appropriate.

Young children, for example, can peel vegetables, fold their clothes, match their socks, and care for pets. Older children can sort the mail and take out the recycling. And, adolescents can make dinner, read to their younger siblings, help with computer and home repair, and manage their own bank account.

Promote concentration: You can help develop your child’s concentration by observing what interests them. Set your child up with the means to explore their interests, and let them work without interruption.

While your child’s work should be free from distraction, it doesn’t have to be away from the family. Some children prefer working at the kitchen table or reading in a corner of the living room to working alone. Observe your child’s response to various environments, ask questions, and make changes as needed.

Nurture inner motivation: Children are most willing to apply themselves when they enjoy and see value in their work. Don’t use external rewards as motivation. And, praise should be given for effort only—not outcomes.

Many parents believe that a Montessori education is the greatest gift you can give your child.

Montessori schools, as we’ve seen, are child-centred. They provide a unique learning environment tailored to children with different interests and abilities. And, this can begin as early as preschool or kindergarten.

“We see it as an individualized approach to education from toddlers to high school,” says Katherine Poyntz, executive director of the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA). “It’s sort of a buzzword in education now, but this is an approach that encourages curiosity and leads children to ask questions and think for themselves, and that’s central to Montessori.”

The child-centred approach, introduced by Maria Montessori, is highly effective. Like the Waldorf and Reggio Emilia approach, it tends to produce students who are mature and well rounded. These students tend to have advanced intellectual, social, and practical skills. It also often produces students who are curious, have a love of learning, and are great critical thinkers and problem-solvers.

It should be no surprise, then, that graduates of Montessori schools have gone on to great things. Many have become world leaders in the arts, culture, business, technology, media, and other sectors. These graduates include:

• Larry Page and Sergey Brin (co-founders of Google)
• Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com)
• Yo-Yo Ma (professional cellist)
• Conrad Chow (professional violinist)
• Helen Keller (author, educator, activist)
• Anne Frank (author, diarist from World War II)
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez (author, Nobel Prize winner)
• Katharine Graham (former owner of the Washington Post)
• Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (former first lady)
• Sean Combs (singer)
• Taylor Swift (singer)
• Prince William and Prince Harry (British royalty)
• T. Berry Brazelton (pediatrician and author)
• Julia Child (chef and author)
• Elizabeth Berridge (actress)
• George Clooney (actor)
• Helen Hunt (actress)
• Kami Cotler (actress)
• Melissa and Sarah Gilbert (actresses)

What’s more, Montessori education has become more popular over the years. Since the middle of the 20th century, the number of schools has steadily increased worldwide. For example, Our Kids now profiles the growing number of schools in Poland (szkoly Montessori, as well as przedszkola Montessori) in our look at Montessori schools in Poland. A rough estimate is that there are 20,000 schools in the world, 4,500 in the United States, and 500 in Canada. While some of these schools are Montessori in name only, the vast majority are firmly committed to the Montessori philosophy and implementing it in the classroom.

Parent discussion forum:

To discuss Montessori education, visit the Our Kids discussion forum.

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Useful Montessori websites:

• Montessori Science
  This website is run by renowned professor of psychology and Montessori researcher Angeline Lillard. It gives readers access to much of her own work on Montessori education, as well as the work of other researchers. Most of this work focuses on the science behind the Montessori method.
• The Montessori Observer
  Run by professor of media arts and sciences and director of the Montessori Wildflower School. This website curates recent Montessori articles, books, websites, blogs, news, videos, and other valuable resources.
• Montessori Guide
  Run by several Montessori advocates. Also provides a useful collection of Montessori resources, such as websites, media coverage, books, as well as school locators.
• Montessori Services
  Provides a comprehensive list of Montessori resources that can be used in class or at home. This includes classroom materials, practical life activities, games, and toys. It also provides information about Montessori organizations and conferences.

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Useful Montessori articles:

• Montessori: philosophy, education, and the method
• Montessori teaching and learning approach
• Choosing and getting into Montessori schools
• Montessori school curriculum
• Montessori education and special needs
• Benefits of Montessori schools
• Montessori schools and progressive education
• Montessori criticisms
• Montessori versus Waldorf schools
• Montessori versus Reggio Emilia schools
• Montessori versus Waldorf preschools
• Montessori versus Reggio Emilia preschools
• Montessori versus play-based preschools
• Montessori versus academic preschools

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