“ The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.”

― Maria Montessori

This concept may seem counterintuitive within a traditional learning environment, but the goal of a Montessori class is to build independence and intellectual curiosity in children. If you’ve ever looked inside a Montessori classroom, you may notice that the children are working studiously in small groups, pairs, or by themselves while the teachers are assisting a student with work or even standing to the side, quietly observing. What you will rarely see are rows of desks all facing the teacher as they lecture at them.

This independence and “freedom within limits” is an essential feature of the Montessori method. Children work at their own pace, and typically are free to choose their own materials, following their interests and feeding their curiosity as they gravitate towards the pink tower or the sound blocks or Practical Life. The materials allow the child to grow and enable the child to learn at their own pace.

Meadow Montessori School adopts Maria Montessori’s mission to “follow the child”: providing a multitude of age-appropriate opportunities for children to practice new skills and challenge themselves on their own. This freedom doesn’t mean it’s unstructured, however. Meadow Montessori teachers create individual learning plans for every child and encourage them to choose something new at least once a week. This blend of freedom and structure makes the Meadow Montessori classroom one that buzzes with excitement and activity.