Montessori FAQ

Is Montessori just free play?

No. Children choose their work, but every choice is a real lesson they have been shown, with a purpose behind it. The freedom is real, and so are the limits. Visitors are usually surprised by how calm and focused the room is.

Is there enough structure?

There is a great deal of structure. It lives in the room and the routine rather than in a teacher directing every minute. Materials have a set place and a set way of being used. The daily rhythm is the same every day. Children thrive on that predictability.

How do you handle discipline?

By teaching, not punishing. Guides model how to speak and act, give children the words for what they feel, and help them make things right when they have hurt someone. Because children are busy with work they chose, most of the behavior problems that come from boredom never appear.

Will my child learn to read and do math?

Yes, and usually earlier than in a traditional preschool, because the materials make letters and numbers concrete and children start when they are ready rather than when the calendar says. Most of our kindergartners read and do arithmetic with numbers into the thousands.

What about tests and grades?

We do not use standardized tests or grades. Guides keep detailed records of every lesson each child has received and mastered, and you will see those in conferences. We can tell you exactly where your child is at any point in the year.

Why are the ages mixed?

Because children learn from one another. Younger children watch and copy older ones. Older children lead, help, and explain, which is the deepest kind of learning. A child spends three years in the same room and gets to be the youngest, the middle, and the oldest.

How does faith fit in?

Every day begins with devotional time, and Christian values run through how we treat one another all day. Montessori’s respect for the child and a Christian understanding of each child as made with purpose fit together naturally.

Will my child adjust to a traditional school later?

Yes. Montessori children tend to arrive at their next school knowing how to focus, finish work, manage time, and treat others well. Those are the skills every classroom rewards.

Is my child too young, or too old, to start?

Our Primary classroom serves children from 2 ½ to 6. The ideal start is around 3, so a child gets the full three-year cycle, but we accept children whenever a place is available. Ask us about your child’s age.