Is Montessori a Good Match for My Child?

The following information may be helpful as you consider whether the Montessori approach embraced by Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School (MVMPCS) is right for your child.  More detailed information and resources can be found at www.mvms.info  .

Basic tenets of the Montessori approach include…

• It is natural for children to want to engage in meaningful work that is relevant to them
• Children will be self-directed when given the opportunity to do so
• Children will operate with as much independence as possible
• Children will remain engrossed in their work for long periods of time
• The work itself should be rewarding for children; external rewards and praise are counterproductive because they teach the child to look to others for validation
• Children learn from natural consequences
• Children should be taught to advocate for themselves
• Children will teach each other and learn from each other

At MVMPCS, you will find…

• Long uninterrupted periods of time for work (3 hours or more every morning)
• Students working individually or in small groups on a work plan the student created or helped to create
• Small group or individual instruction
• Multi-age classrooms spanning three grade levels (two levels in Middle School)
• Teachers working with students to make decisions about their learning
• Busy classrooms with many different activities occurring at once
• Students freely moving around the classroom as needed
• Self-directed students working without frequent adult intervention
• Classroom sizes of 25 students (27 in Primary)
• A peace-loving environment where everyone is expected to treat themselves, others, and the materials with respect
• Children pursuing their interests in a variety of ways (projects, clubs, etc.)
• Many field trips (often planned by students)
• Teachers observing students and modeling the behaviors of a lifelong learner

At MVMPCS you will not find…

• Extrinsic reward systems such as sticker charts
• Competitions between students
• Desks in rows
• Extensive teacher directed whole-group instruction
• A large number of paper and pencil tasks
• Silent classrooms; learning involves interactions with other students
• Extensive homework

Some children handle the transition from a traditional school very well. Some children, especially in the higher grades, may experience difficulty with the transition. The staff will work with students to teach them the skills they need to become more self-directed and students are then expected to show increased independence over time.