Frequently Asked Questions

For more than a century now, the child-focused approach that Dr. Maria Montessori (1870 -1952) developed for educating children has been transforming education around the world for people of all ages. What began as a heart-centered, pioneering experiment in the slum of Rome in 1907 has grown into a thriving international movement. 

The Montessori Method helps young children develop their natural interests and innate capabilities. Within this appealing and thoughtful prepared environment, guided by trained teachers, children enjoy "freedom within limits" to pursue activities that align intuitively with each unique moment in their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. The Montessori Method supports self-motivation, care for self and others, and a variety of skills that allow children to thrive in school, at home, at play, and in life.

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For children six and under, Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. They are not required to sit and listen to a teacher talk to them as a group, but are engaged in individual or small group activities of their own, with materials that have been introduced to them 1:1 by the teacher who knows what each child is ready to do. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.

Above age six children learn to do independent research, arrange field trips to gather information, interview specialists, create group presentations, drama performances, art exhibits, musical productions, science projects, and so forth. There is no limit to what they create in this kind of intelligently guided freedom. There are no textbooks or adult-directed group lessons or a daily schedule. There is great respect for the choices of the children, but they easily keep up with or surpass what they would be doing in a more traditional setting. There is no wasted time and children enjoy their work and study. The children ask each other for lessons and much of the learning comes from sharing and inspiring each other instead of competing.

Yes; Montessori classrooms encourage deep learning of the concepts behind academic skills rather than rote practice of abstract techniques. The success of our students appears in the experiences of our alumni, who compete successfully with traditionally educated students in a variety of high schools and universities.

Dr. Montessori taught that the astounding capacity of the young child's "absorbent mind" begins before birth and lasts until around age six. Contemporary research reinforces the importance of these early years, during which the child effortlessly absorbs incredible amounts of sensory input that helps build neural pathways inside the brain. In fact, 90% of the brain's architecture is in place somewhere around ages five to six, which is why we believe that our youngest deserve the very best we can offer them. Montessori is education for life — from prenatal care through dementia care and later life. Montessori believed that education begins at birth, and Bozeman Montessori offers care for families with children ages six months through six years.

We love connecting with parents to answer any questions as you learn more about Montessori and the unique environment we create.

Multi-age classrooms afford us the luxury of adapting the curriculum to individual children. Children can work at their own pace while remaining in the community with their peers. In addition, the multi-age format allows all older children to be the leaders of the classroom community, even those children who may be shy or quiet.

Montessori is designed to help all children reach their fullest potential at their own unique pace. A classroom whose children have varying abilities is a community in which everyone learns from one another and everyone contributes. Moreover, multi-age grouping allows children to find their own pace without feeling “ahead” or “behind” in relation to peers.

Montessori schools are not inherently religious, but they do emphasize the importance of respect for cultural and spiritual expression around the globe. There are many faith-based Montessori schools around the world as well as many non-sectarian schools, like Bozeman Montessori.

Maria Montessori was born in the nineteenth century in Italy, and like her contemporaries there, she was raised in the Catholic faith, a background she references in her writings. Beyond her educational ideas, her deeper message is interwoven with an appreciation of the interconnected nature of living systems, and it is clear that she held precious the sanctity of life and the pursuit of peace as vital to the future of humanity. In the Montessori environment, education for peace is not a separate subject to be taught. It is intrinsic to nurturing community at every age, starting with a profound respect for all life and the dignity of our youngest and most vulnerable members of society.

The term Montessori is not trademarked and anyone, regardless of training, experience or affiliation can open a “Montessori” school. It is essential that parents researching Montessori do their own due diligence and ask good questions to ensure the authenticity of their chosen program.

Dr. Maria Montessori wanted to be sure that guides were trained correctly, methods were applied as she intended, and a complete set of authentic materials graced the shelves of classrooms. Today, there are a few organizations who continue her work and hold authentic standards of excellence in Montessori education. Bozeman Montessori is a member school of the International Montessori Council (IMC), an international Montessori professional and accrediting organization serving the global Montessori community.

They are AMI (Association Montessori International), which was created by Dr. Montessori herself, and AMS (American Montessori Society), which branched off from AMI in 1960. The two organizations maintain a positive working relationship and mutual respect for the work they both do. If you are looking for a high-fidelity Montessori program, it’s important to find a school that is connected to either AMI or AMS. There are different levels of connection, depending on how closely a school aligns its work with what is considered ideal.

Montessori schools may be best known for their programs with young children, but the underlying educational method describes programs for students up through high school.

All parents hope to find the best care for their young children. Dr. Montessori was a pioneer in understanding the interwoven nature of education and care. While we start from a foundation of creating and sustaining both emotional and physical safety, we also know that the child is hungry to explore the world around them and to develop new skills within a healthy context of positive relationships.

Montessori recognizes that the first six years of life are a critical time to establish a solid foundation for the person a child will grow into and the unique impact they will have upon the world throughout their life. Multisensory, sequenced, and self-correcting activities help each child along the path towards functional independence in these first six years.

Another unique aspect of Montessori is our multi-age groupings. Classroom communities allow older children to model for younger children and enjoy the opportunity to help them throughout the day where appropriate. Young children, on the other hand, get to see where they are going and look forward to more complex activities waiting for them when they are ready. This helps build inner motivation on both sides. The ups and downs of peer relationships in a group setting provide a valuable net of experiences from which a child can spring forward into more complex settings as they grow older.

Montessori children are free to choose within limits and have only as much freedom as they can handle with appropriate responsibility. The classroom teacher and assistant ensure that children do not interfere with each other and that children are progressing at their appropriate pace in all subjects.

The different arrangement of a Montessori classroom mirrors the Montessori method's differences from traditional education. Rather than putting the teacher at the focal point of the class, with children dependent on the adult for information and activity, the classroom shows a literally child-centered approach. Children work at tables or on floor mats where they can spread out their materials, and the teacher circulates about the room, giving lessons or resolving issues as they arise.

Montessori classrooms emphasize competition with oneself: self-monitoring, self-correction, and a variety of other executive skills aimed at continuous improvement. Students typically become comfortable with their strengths and learn how to address their weaknesses. In older classes, students commonly participate in competitive activities with clear “winners” (auditions for limited opera roles, the annual spelling bee, etc.) in which students give their best performances while simultaneously encouraging peers to do the same. It is a healthy competition in which all contenders are content that they did their best in an environment with clear and consistent rules.