Maria Montessori first did her work with young children around the turn of the century. At the time, she was quite radical in her views on the nature of childhood and how children learn. By identifying and developing a number of methodological principles, she created a Montessori Philosophy, the ultimate purpose of which is to teach children by responding to their individuality. Considering how innovative she was at the turn of the century, it seems certain that her own views of education would have changed over the course of the century, just as the children themselves have changed. We believe that Montessori education is an organic process, one that evolves as children evolve, in response to our changing culture and advancing technology. Current Montessori practices at Caedmon, therefore, incorporate a number of modifications to Montessori’s original methodology.
In the Early Program:
- Fantasy play is encouraged with open-ended
activities and materials that lend
themselves to creative play.
- Art, music, and movement are
emphasized. Children are provided with a variety of materials and
activities to encourage the free expression of their artistic ideas.
- Interpersonal socialization is key. We focus
a great deal of attention on how individual children
get along with one another.
In the Elementary Program:
- Fewer materials designed by Montessori are
used, many of which are not appropriate for the fast paced children
of New York City today.
- Direct instruction in math and language arts is
organized around small instructional groups, within which individual
differences in learning style are accommodated.
- Some "traditional" methodologies, such as homework, classroom testing, and standardized testing, have been incorporated to prepare the children for transition to later schools.
At Caedmon, our interpretation of Montessori has
evolved thoughtfully over forty years. As a result, what we call the "spirit" of
Montessori prevails and the most important aspects of her philosophy
continue to be implemented at all levels.
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