The Hockessin Montessori School

Montessorians Believe:

* Children learn by being involved in their own learning.  THEREFORE, the classroom should provide for movement, choice, and exploration.

* Children learn at different rates, from different approaches, and through different strengths.  THEREFORE, presentations should be individualized.

* Children can understand ideas and concepts that are presented at their level of experience.  THEREFORE, they should have opportunities to lift, carry, fill, spill, sort, touch, taste, hear, compare, predict, move around, help, count, and come to conclusions about their activity.

* Learning about the world we live in helps children learn about themselves and their part in it.  THEREFORE, the classroom should show that all life is inter-related and that life at all levels should be respected.

A Montessori classroom must have these basic characteristics at all levels:

* TEACHERS educated in the Montessori philosophy and methodology appropriate to the age level they are teaching, who have the ability and dedication to put the key concepts into practice.

* A partnership established with the FAMILY.  The family is considered an integral part of the individual's total development.

* A multi-aged, heterogeneous grouping of STUDENTS.

* A diverse set of Montessori MATERIALS, activities, and experiences which are designed to foster physical, intellectual, creative, and social independence.

* A schedule that allows large blocks of UNINTERRUPTED TIME to problem solve, to see the interdisciplinary connections of knowledge, and to create new ideas.

* A CLASSROOM ATMOSPHERE that encourages social interaction for cooperative learning, peer teaching, and emotional development.