Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori opened the first ever Montessori pre-school Casa Dei Bambini (The Children's House) in Rome, Italy on January 1907. Her ideas on education were revolutionary at the turn of the last century. She advocated pre-school education at a time when no school for children under the age of six existed. She devised a system of early education that was scientifically designed to meet the needs of the child. Montessori felt that nursery schools should foster self-reliance and independence, is child orientated and helps each child develop to their fullest potential.

Dr. Montessori scientifically designed the materials in a Montessori nursery through her observations of the child and it's needs. The materials are sensorial, allowing the child to learn through her senses and self-correcting, allowing the child to see and correct their own mistakes.

Many kindergartens today use a combination of the concepts for early education that were first introduced by Maria Montessori, including child size furniture, combined age groups and open classrooms.

The world today had become so fast paced and competitive that it is more important than ever for our children to emerge as self-reliant, intelligent, motivated individuals who will fully develop their potential. It is vital now to teach children how to learn, since we know that by nature they want to learn.

Used correctly, the method gives the child a wonderful preparation for life and makes them better equipped for their future. In the Montessori environment our principal aim is reflected in the saying "help me to help myself".