I have been asked many, many questions about my career choice and why I choose Montessori for my own children.  One of the most asked questions is, “Why Montessori?”  The wonderful benefits of the Montessori Method are so numerous that they cannot be explained in one simple article.  The best way to understand the advantages of a Montessori education is to experience it firsthand! 

The success of this educational method can be proven through the achievements of students who were educated with the method and there are many.   Such as Google Founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezo, Julia Childs, Anne Frank, Nobel Laureate of Literature, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and many more.  Supporters of the method include Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison who both started Montessori schools.  Mr. Fred Rogers also openly verbalized his support for the Montessori education.  The support of the method and achievements of these individuals cannot be ignored. 

There are two Montessori quotes that can aid in truly understanding the philosophy of the method:

“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”

“Our aim is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his innermost core.”

The Montessori Method encourages children to think and figure things out with the use of beautiful concrete materials.  Maria Montessori’s entire life was devoted to observing children with these materials and how they learned during different stages of their life. 

She wanted children to not be bored with learning but to experience an excitement when they learned something on their own with the use of the material ……..as she said to be enthused to their innermost core! 

 Montessori studied many philosophers such Aristotle and spent her entire life making careful observations of how children learn.   Aristotle stated, “That there is nothing in the mind without passing through the senses.”  Her observations concluded that children learn through their five senses.  She founded her method on the use of materials the children can manipulate, and through their senses experience and learn many concepts! 

So why did I choose Montessori and why should you?  Well, I wanted to make a difference in children’s lives, to give them an environment that made learning fun.  An environment that I would enjoy as such as they do.  Want to know more about the method?  Want to understand it better?  It must be experienced!  Visit a true Montessori school, enroll in a Montessori workshop or training course and READ all you can about the method!  Educate yourself on the method and give the gift of Montessori education to your children or grandchildren.  It is one whose benefits are lifelong.