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What is Montessori?

Maria MontessoriMontessori is an innovative, child-centered approach to education, developed more than a century ago by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician. Montessori is both an educational philosophy as well as a curriculum that uses specialized teaching materials.

As an education philosophy, Montessori fosters self-motivated growth for children and adolescents in all areas of their development, with a goal of nurturing each child’s natural desire for knowledge, understanding, and respect. The central tenet of Montessori philosophy is ‘follow the child’ which means our teachers are guided by a child’s interests and abilities in helping them progress through the curriculum.

Montessori classrooms are immediately recognizable. You will see children working independently and in groups, often with specially designed learning materials; deeply engaged in their work; and respectful of themselves and their surroundings.

Montessori education is student-led and self-paced but guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, the leadership of their peers, and a nurturing environment.

Within the community of a multi-age classroom—designed to create natural opportunities for independence, citizenship, and accountability—children embrace multi-sensory learning and academic inquiry. Individual students follow their own curiosity at their own pace, taking the time they need to fully understand each concept and meet individualized learning goals.

The Montessori Method fosters rigorous, self-motivated growth for children and adolescents in all areas of their development—cognitive, emotional, social, and physical.

Discovery Montessori is accredited by the American Montessori Society after a rigorous process. This accreditation ensures we faithfully adhere to all aspects of Montessori philosophy and practice.