In 1907, Dr. Maria Montessori built her innovative program on one fundamental truth: Teach a child to respect their own endowed abilities, and they will be able to favorably compare their current self with that of their past self.  This message spoke to us and our decision was heavily influenced by our desire to incorporate best practices from other curricula, but Montessori is the key educational underpinning for our son’s learning journey.  

 

We chose the Montessori method because it has survived many short-lived trends in education and it just felt right.  There is no formula for determining what is best for your child and you have to trust that you are making the best decision based on what only you know about your child’s educational needs and your personal circumstances.    

 

The Montessori method is supported by current scientific and psychological research.  We biochemically alter the structures of our brains when we learn.  Fear mechanisms take hold when we are forced to confront the unknown, and as a consequence long-term memory structures are not built.  Voluntary exploration of novel terrain is the best means of building long term memory.  Spaced repetition and other factors play an important role, but Montessori’s environment of voluntary engagement in self-directed activity is designed to take advantage of our biochemical blueprint for learning.

 

Accountability is an institutionalized process embedded in Montessori learning and becomes a means of empowerment, promotes self-motivation, and encourages independence.  Voluntarily engagement in a variety of learning activities within a structured framework guarantees the student’s accountability and motivation, with successful results building positive feedback loops.  Should the results not meet the child’s expectations, the framework encourages self-reflection in a judgement free environment and greatly enhances the likelihood the child will make future progress.

 

Ability to delay gratification is a key indicator of a child’s future success.  Montessori method weaves delayed gratification into daily schedule and activities.  Basic life skills become a key part of Montessori’s child and movement-centered program.  Concrete step-by-step exercises reinforce incrementally greater capacity to delay gratification.  This can be as simple as following baking instructions or more advanced math exercises.

 

There are three holistic implementation and access criticisms of a Montessori education that we considered prior to enrolling our child in a Montessori school.  

 

The most important criticism with the greatest legitimacy is the need for the family to make lifestyle changes to accommodate the Montessori method.  Please watch our vlog post describing our educational philosophy; it provides a full answer for this criticism, but in short, you have to make a choice that best fits your personal circumstances, but if you choose a Montessori method you must execute it to the best of your ability.

 

Accessibility can be an issue.  Over 500 public and 5000 private schools offer child, elementary, and middle school Montessori programs in the US today and the number is growing; however, not every community has a Montessori school and not every school is within one’s budget.  Yearly programs generally exceed $10,000 and this may simply be a stretch too far.  If you are looking to supplement your child’s educational program, there are many online Montessori resources, but it is admittedly difficult to replicate the school environs.

 

Students who are moved from a Montessori environment to a different school system sometimes find the transition difficult.  We were unable to find any definitive research on these types of social affective effects, but anecdotally I found this criticism to be one of substance.  Voluntary choice, independence, and educators who value the student as an individual would be an understandably difficult benefit to lose.  That said, research also shows that the benefits of a Montessori education, even for a limited period of time have long-term positive academic achievement effects.

 

Online blogs have included a number of other complaints that are simply not justified nor backed by the results of faithful execution of the Montessori method.

 

Claims have been made that the Montessori method leads to difficulty learning math.  Math in Montessori is interwoven into almost all activities, particularly in its relation to everyday tasks.  This makes math far more approachable and enjoyable for the student.  Current research does not bear out this superficial and baseless criticism.  Ongoing studies validate Montessori’s constructivist approach to learning that embeds lessons in multiple and varied realistic context with a focus on freedom of physical and curricular movement.

 

The focus on independence does not prepare students for the current social environment and employment requirements where collaboration is necessary.  Some have criticized the Montessori method because it elevates the individual above group social interactions.  This is a misconception surrounding the pedagogy; social etiquette, negotiation, cooperation, and ethics are all part of the curriculum.