Why so Different?
Montessori Education was scientifically designed around the stages of human development, and so each aspect answers an age-appropriate need. In traditional education, core features came from a need to systemize learning, and so the students must adapt to the teaching — rather than the teaching adapting to them.
For example, grouping children in mixed age communities in Montessori is intentional, not operational like same-age groupings. Children between 3 and 6 do not learn like we do as adults. Their senses are heightened, and their brain is forming connections at an unprecedented rate. Different times of life bring different cognitive capabilities.
At age five, children are still learning through heightened absorption of their surroundings; they still benefit immensely from hands-on, concrete introductions to abstract concepts, and they are still wired to work individually so they can finish refining their sense of self. Montessori kindergarten mirrors these aspects of their development.
After age six, they will undergo significant shifts. They will become more imaginative, capable of more abstract thinking, socially motivated, and hungry for intellectual knowledge, but The Children’s House does not seek to rush this transition; it meets them precisely where they are — empowering them to “secure that roof.”
“The children are working towards high level work for two years before the Kindergarten year. They look forward to those challenges, and accept them with enthusiasm and tremendous pride. It's important to give them the opportunity to use this year as a passage to more abstract work and to complete the academic work they've been building their skills towards.” - Jessie Beerman, M. Ed - Montessori Mentor, Higher Ground Education
Learning to Embrace a Different Model
Kindergarten is the first time when your family’s alignment with Montessori may start to clash with traditional options, and it can be confusing to navigate. Here are four of the most frequently asked questions around this milestone year:
1. Will my kindergartner grow bored in the same classroom for a third year?
Boredom is more likely to arise in traditional schooling because the children must move at one collective pace under the teacher’s lead, and if something is too easy or too hard, they must wait. In Montessori:
There is greater autonomy for each child to lead their learning
There is more time for children to take deep dives of areas that interest them, or in areas where they crave more support.
The Montessori Guides have more flexibility to personalize lessons
There are new learning materials since progression is sequential. Finally having access to this advanced work is exciting!
2. Why would it be good for my kindergartner to be the oldest in the classroom?
Working with younger children is naturally motivating. Being the oldest gives the child a sense of responsibility that is not felt in a same-age dynamic, nurturing a wider range of social skills. It also cultivates a more encouraging learning experience. Mixed-age classrooms promote collaboration because learning at different rates is treated as normal. Same-age classrooms foster competition, where every student is expected to learn at the same rate, which can be quite stressful.
3. If my child is going to attend traditional elementary, wouldn’t it be better to get them out of Montessori sooner rather than later?
Departing Montessori early doesn’t stack up to the known benefits of time maximized in a Montessori environment. The early years are the most critical period in a child’s development, and ongoing research validates that Montessori education helps children thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
Montessori children have a strong foundation for learning new skills and being flexible learners. Their experience in the three years of Children's House will prepare them fully for the changes that come in traditional elementary learning.
4. The “leadership year” sounds applicable to kids with more assertive personalities. Is Montessori Kindergarten right for every child?
The leadership year in the Children’s House is beneficial to all personality types. Socialization in the Montessori classroom is not forced or adult-constructed; the mixed-age format inspires peer interactions to unfold naturally. This is a pressure-free way to boost confidence in both assertive and reserved children, who will learn to handle a variety of exchanges on their terms.
Adapted from Guidepost Montessori Blog
