1 - Child-Centered Learning
• Children are seen as naturally eager to learn.
• They are given freedom within limits to explore topics that interest them.
2 - Prepared Environment
• Classrooms are carefully designed to support independent learning.
• Materials are accessible, organized, and appropriate to the child’s developmental stage.
3 - Hands-On Learning Materials
• Special Montessori materials are used to teach abstract concepts in a tangible way.
• For example, math is taught using beads and blocks before moving to numbers and symbols.
4 - Mixed-Age Classrooms
• Typically, groups span three years (e.g., ages 3–6).
• Older students mentor younger ones, and younger students learn by observation.
5 - Teacher as Guide
• Teachers observe and instruct individually, or in small groups.
• They guide children to resources and activities that suit their developmental needs.
6 - Emphasis on Intrinsic Motivation
• There are no grades or traditional rewards/punishments.
• Children are encouraged to take ownership of their learning.
Montessori covers a range of subjects, including:
• Practical Life: Everyday skills like cleaning, pouring, tying, etc.
• Sensorial: Developing the senses (size, color, texture, sound).
• Mathematics: Concrete materials that build toward abstract thinking.
• Language: Phonics-based reading and writing.
• Cultural Subjects: Geography, science, art, music, and more.