Montessori Education
Montessori education is both a philosophy of child development and education, but also a rationale for guiding such growth. The word educate derives from the Latin word, educere, which means to lead forth. At New Horizon Montessori we believe that all children carry within themselves unique gifts and talents. With these gifts each child, in a very real sense, creates the adult that is to be.
We feel honored to guide children in their natural creative process of education; to help them bring forth their gifts and realize the unlimited potential that is all their own. Our chosen education framework and philosophy is based on the Montessori approach to education as well as current educational research. Maria Montessori realized that the only valid impulse of learning is the self-motivation of the child. Children move naturally toward learning and have an innate desire to learn. The Montessori method provides a rich, carefully “prepared environment” based on the needs and interests of the children at a given stage of development.
In these environments, with teacher guidance, children are free to explore, discover, interact and learn. Dr. Montessori believed this freedom crucial in order for the child to develop his or her physical, intellectual, and spiritual potential to the fullest. With every freedom comes responsibility. The child’s freedom in the Montessori environment is a freedom to be achieved through order, work, and self-discipline. The children learn to respect themselves, others, and the environment as they become responsible members of the peaceful and cooperative culture that is cultivated in the Montessori community.
Each classroom at New Horizon Montessori is guided by a Certified Montessori teacher who is trained to understand the developmental needs of the specific age group in which they work. The Montessori teacher carefully prepares the classroom environment and connects each child with appropriate learning material within the environment. The order and structure built into the prepared classroom environment allows children to learn at their own pace, according to capacities, in a non-competitive atmosphere.
The learning environment cultivates individually, concentration, independence, appropriate social interaction, interdisciplinary breadth, and competency in basic skills. Montessori children are avid learners because they acquire an “inner discipline” from their exposure to both physical and mental order. Patterns of concentration, persistence, and thoroughness, established in early childhood, produce confident, joyous, competent learners and successful members of society in later years.
At New Horizon Montessori, we introduce children to the joy of learning and provide the framework of which intellectual and social discipline go hand-in-hand. Our objective is to provide a safe, nurturing environment, which guides children in developing habits, attitudes, skills, and ideas which are essential for a lifetime of creativity and learning. For an in depth look at Maria Montessori herself or for more detailed information on Montessori education; go to www.amshq.org
