The Montessori Method of Teaching
The Montessori Method is an approach to education developed by Dr. Maria Montessori that emphasizes independent, purposeful learning and allows children the freedom to develop at their own self-guided pace.
On this page, we will explore the five core concepts underpinning the Montessori pedagogy:
How does the Montessori Method work?
The Montessori Method is firmly rooted in the science of childhood development.
Dr. Montessori noticed children go through specific stages as they mature, and that each stage contains predictable strengths and vulnerabilities. Her research identified four planes of development which became the foundation on which the Montessori pedagogy was built.
Montessori’s Four Planes of Development
Dr. Montessori felt it was the job of educators to understand the stages of development and to create environments and experiences that best meet children’s needs and tendencies during each of the four planes:
- Infancy: 0-6
- Childhood: 6-12
- Adolescence 12-18
- Maturity: 18-24
The first three years of each plane (0-3, 6-9, 12-15, 18-21) are characterized by intense growth and development. The second three years of each plane (3-6, 9-12, 15-18, 21-24) function as periods of integration and relative stability. Dr. Montessori believed that education could be successful only if the particular needs and tendencies of each plane were identified, understood, and addressed. She set about to design methods, materials, and classroom environments that would accomplish this.
As Cynthia Brunold Conesa explains for Montessori Life, “The curriculum is spiral-sequential and integrated across all curricular areas, and by completing the three-year cycle in an environment specifically designed to address their developmental needs—whether in the Early Childhood, Elementary, or Secondary program—the child’s possibilities for working toward their potential are maximized.”
Montessori classrooms and the impact of a Prepared Environment
The absorption of the environment is an intellectual activity. It is a psychic necessity that the child explores the environment; it satisfies his spirit. After he has had the satisfaction of observing one thing that interests him, he goes on until he is attracted by something else. In this way the child can walk for miles.
To help meet the needs and appeal to the tendencies of each developmental plane, Dr. Montessori emphasized the importance of a “prepared environment.” For example, classrooms for small children are appointed with child-sized tables and chairs, and materials placed on low shelves easily accessible to them. The effect of this prepared Montessori environment is immediately recognizable: children working independently and in groups, deeply engaged and respectful of themselves and their surroundings.
The five concepts of the Montessori Method
As an affiliate of the American Montessori Society (AMS), Washington Montessori School adheres to five core concepts of the Montessori Method. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Trained Montessori teachers act as educational guides
Dr. Montessori envisioned the teacher as a guide, connecting children to their environment and keeping them on the path to learning. Montessori teachers are trained in the critical skills of observation and develop the necessary expertise to provide materials and experiences that match the developmental phases of the students they are working with.
At Washington Montessori School, there is one Head Teacher and one Associate Teacher in each classroom at the YCC, LS, LE, and UE levels. Our Head Teachers are fully trained in Montessori education and our Associate Teachers are either trained in-house as Montessori assistants or hold their Montessori Assistants Certificate.
In Middle School, classes are taught by subject and by individual teachers. While many of our Middle School teachers have completed official Montessori Secondary training, we place more value on professional experience and mindset for our Middle School teachers than on Montessori certification.
Multi-age classrooms encourage cooperation and leadership
In Montessori classrooms, students work together in groups specific to the developmental stages Dr. Montessori identified. Multi-age groupings enable younger children to learn from older children and empowers older children to reinforce their knowledge by helping teach concepts they have already mastered. The Montessori classroom cycle is repeated every three years, giving children the life experience of being a beginner, a learner, and a leader again and again. Because each student’s work is individual, children progress at their own pace and there is cooperation rather than competition between the ages. This arrangement mirrors the real world, where we work and socialize with people of all ages and dispositions.
Montessori materials inspire learning by doing
Montessori learning materials teach a single skill or concept and are carefully crafted to follow a logical, developmentally appropriate progression. The materials are designed to deliver instant feedback, empowering the child to recognize, correct, and learn from an error without adult assistance. Putting control of the activity in the child’s hands not only helps them learn for themselves, it also encourages independence, self-esteem, and critical thinking.
Child-centered learning allows for an individualized approach
Traditional educational approaches are often structured as a one-size-fits-all model that centers the teacher as the primary source of knowledge. One leader controls the pace and content of all learning, and all students are given the same instruction, regardless of their abilities or interests.
Recognizing children have unique learning styles, strengths, and passions, Dr. Montessori developed an approach that puts the child at the center of the learning process, positioning them to discover knowledge independently. The Montessori teacher acts as a guide, often assuming a supporting role and leveraging this unobtrusive position to carefully observe the child and identify their innate qualities. So attuned to the developmental needs of each child in their classroom, Montessori teachers can provide individual learning experiences designed to encourage unique interests, inspire independent exploration, and advance at their own pace.
Teachers introduce materials to students according to their level of development and readiness. Students then work with the materials to make exciting discoveries—such as why, when dividing fractions, we invert and multiply. Inherent in the use of Montessori materials is the understanding of the power of discovering answers on one’s own.
Uninterrupted work periods improve concentration
Montessori classrooms consistently offer children extended periods of uninterrupted work time. During a Montessori work period, students select and work through various tasks and responsibilities at their own pace and without interruption. A typical work cycle involves selecting an activity, performing the activity for as long as a child is interested in it, cleaning up the activity, and returning it to the shelf. During the work period, teachers support and monitor their students’ work, providing individual and small-group lessons as needed. Uninterrupted work periods encourage the development of coordination, concentration, and independence. They also respect individual variations in the learning process.
What is the holistic approach in Montessori?
The Montessori Method places equal emphasis on the importance of developing a child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Montessori schools aim to nurture the whole child without focusing solely on academic achievements or subject-specific knowledge. This does not mean that academics are not important. Rather, our students thrive academically because of our focus on all of the aspects of their well-being and development. Montessori students thrive at their own pace, practicing skills to build mastery and then moving along to the next lesson when they are ready. Academic achievement is a natural outcome for students who are personally invested and genuinely engaged in their work rather than superficially focused on achieving a grade or making a list.
The Montessori classroom levels
We’ve addressed some of the main differences between traditional schooling and the Montessori Method, now let’s explore how it works across each classroom level.
Montessori pre-school aka the Young Children’s Community
The Young Children’s Community (YCC) is a Montessori environment built on the foundation of Dr. Montessori’s scientific understanding of children aged 18 months to 3 years old. The materials in a YCC classroom are designed to promote hands-on, experiential, and sensorial learning, which helps develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. Montessori preschools also prioritize social and emotional development. The curriculum focuses on empathy, cooperation, and even peaceful conflict resolution.
Montessori Lower School
The Lower School program for children aged 3 to 6 years old is designed to spark the joy of learning. Educators at this level are trained to take an individualized approach to teaching foundational academic and practical skills, ensuring progress is made at a comfortable and encouraging pace. The classroom is prepared to meet the needs of this age level — with proportionally sized furniture and accessible, engaging materials — and is designed to operate as a community; children are empowered to freely explore their environment but are expected to treat the space, and their peers, with grace and courtesy.
Montessori Lower Elementary School
Our Lower Elementary program is specifically designed to meet the needs of students aged 6-9 — a critical period of cognitive growth Dr. Montessori called the “years of plenty.” Mixed-aged classrooms promote movement, freedom, and choice, while the child-centered approach encourages independence and self-discovery. Equally important at this age is social growth and the nurturing of positive relationships between peers and adult members of the community.
Montessori Upper Elementary School
Upper Elementary takes an integrated approach to learning, exploring topics holistically instead of as isolated subjects. Students at this age (9-11) have a greater capacity for abstract thinking and a heightened awareness of social issues. They are drawn to immersive experiences and thought-provoking exercises that reveal the interconnectedness of our world — and teachers at this level design the classroom environment and curriculum in kind. For example, at Washington Montessori School, one of our signature Upper Elementary experiences is the yearly Residency and Cultural Fair, a sustained study of one of the world’s ancient cultures. The long-term, in-depth project develops critical research and presentation skills, but also takes a broad perspective that emphasizes how nature and culture are interrelated throughout time and history.
Montessori Middle School
Montessori middle school programs recognize that preteen and teenage students are experiencing significant physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes — and that when challenged in positive directions, students at this dynamic age can thrive. The curriculum and learning environment are designed to support students’ developing sense of self, independence, critical thinking, and personal responsibility. In order to prepare them for high school, middle school students rotate between discrete classrooms and subjects; however, the topics they study often take a multidisciplinary approach, allowing students to explore themes and make connections. The WMS middle school curriculum also incorporates several significant academic projects that require high-school-level research, analysis, and problem-solving — like the Expert Project and Symposium.
Learn more about Montessori
Interested in learning more about the Montessori Method? We encourage you to explore the following resources.
Montessori materials
Visit our Montessori materials page for a more in-depth exploration of key Montessori materials and the science behind them.
Further reading
We’ve curated several book lists for those looking for a deeper dive into Dr. Maria Montessori and her groundbreaking pedagogy.
The American Montessori Society’s blog, Montessori Life, contains a wealth of information about the Montessori method at work in the classrooms of today, and how to implement Montessori principles at home. Here are some articles we recommend:
- Community Over Control
- Education for a New World: Montessori’s Tenets, a Century Later
- The Top 12 Misconceptions About Montessori Education
- The Ultimate Guide to Incorporating Practical Life at Home
Visit a Montessori classroom
There’s no better way to appreciate the Montessori Method than by seeing it in action. We welcome you to visit Washington Montessori School and encounter our prepared environment firsthand.
Questions about Montessori?
Send us a note! We are happy to put you in touch with the Montessori educator who can best answer your questions.
