Dr. Maria Montessori

"An innovator in the field of education"

The Montessori philosophy of education was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, the first female to graduate from the University of Rome Medical School.  She became interested in education while treating mentally challenged children at the University's psychiatric clinic.  Gradually Dr. Montessori realized that these children were capable of learning much more than believed at that time.  As a result of her further study, observation, and experimentation she found the principles of her method are applicable to all children. 

Dr. Montessori started her work with children of normal intelligence in 1907 when she was invited to organize schools in Lorenzo, Italy.  Her work was so successful that when she arrived in the United States at the end of 1913, she was heralded as "a woman who revolutionized the educational system of the world".  The author of several volumes and numerous articles about education, Dr. Montessori died in 1952.

Montessori's influence can be seen not only in the number of schools that include her name but throughout the fields of child care, education, and child development.  She was a pioneer of her time and has had  an impact in the field of education and the way we understand and teach children today.

"I have studied the child, I have taken what the child has given me and experienced it and that is what is called the Montessori Method" - Maria Montessori

The Tenets of the Montessori Method

Dr. Maria Montessori observed that children under the age of six have extraordinary powers of the mind. They have an ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings just by living. This ability is at its peak during the preschool years. It is with this in mind that Marlboro Montessori Academy has created a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum to feed our student's "absorbent minds". All of our programs are deeply rooted in the Montessori philosophy and share many common threads.

Montessori Materials

Maria Montessori developed "beautiful" materials that stimulate, isolate, and self-correct a specific activity or skill.  Our Montessori materials are multi-sensory and demonstrate concepts at the concrete level.  Once a child understands at a concrete level they can move on to more abstract concepts.

The Whole Child Approach

The goal of a Montessori program is to help each individual child reach their full potential in all areas of life.  All of our activities at MMA promote the development of social skills, emotional growth, physical coordination and cognitive preparation.                                 We empower children to ignite their natural curiosity!

The Prepared Environment

Dr. Maria Montessori described the classroom as a graceful living space, carefully designed to offer beauty, order and reality to the child. In order for self-directed learning to take place the environment - the room, materials, and social atmosphere - must be supportive of the learner. In our classrooms, materials are attractively arranged on shelves according to subject- language, math, geography, history, science, music, and art. All of our Montessori Materials invite activity. Each apparatus isolates one concept to be discovered. Each piece of material has a special, permanent place.  This is so that children know where to find it and where to put it away.  This is essential for the development of an organized, efficient and creative mind.

Multi-age setting

The Montessori preschool is made up of children of mixed ages whom are encouraged to progress at their level of readiness. Children learn from each other, and they learn because of each other. The younger children get a chance to look ahead and see what is next.  The older children have the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge by sharing with the younger children. Respect and courtesy are paramount as children learn to negotiate with others of different ages and ability. The classroom becomes a community where all persons are treated with respect and dignity.