Try to imagine what the world will look like 20 years from now. What sorts of jobs are going to be available? What skills will be needed? That is the world that we are preparing our children for today. This is why the Montessori approach is so important in the modern world. The goal of the Montessori method of education is to allow children to construct themselves as adaptable, educated, responsible, independent, and conscientious adults.
The Montessori approach prepares children to succeed and prosper no matter what path they choose for themselves. Montessorians include people from all walks of life, from CEOs to homemakers, from artists to engineers. However, Montessori kids make up such a large percentage of the top levels of business and the arts, some people joke about a “Montessori Mafia”. There is certainly something about the Montessori approach that allows children to construct themselves as highly creative adults. Here are just a few of the well-known Montessori alumni who credit their early education for their success:
The evidence for the Montessori advantage is not purely anecdotal. There is also research-based evidence that the Montessori method results in improved outcomes, especially in terms of intrinsic motivation and achievement on standardised tests.
“This study supports the hypothesis that Montessori education has a positive long-term impact. Additionally, it provides an affirmative answer to questions about whether Montessori students will be successful in traditional schools.”
“A significant finding in this study is the association between a Montessori education and superior performance on the Math and Science scales of the ACT and WKCE. In essence, attending a Montessori program from the approximate ages of three to eleven predicts significantly higher mathematics and science standardized test scores in high school.”
“Children chosen by lottery to enter a Montessori public school approved by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) were compared to those also in the lottery but not chosen, at the end of kindergarten (age 5) and the end of grade 6 (age 12) (41). At age 5, Montessori children showed better [executive functions] than peers attending other schools. They performed better in reading and math and showed more concern for fairness and justice. No group difference was found in delay of gratification. At age 12, on the only measure related to Executive Functions, Montessori children showed more creativity in essay writing than controls. They also reported feeling more of a sense of community at school.”
With the help of co-investigator Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Dr. Rathunde compared the experiences and perceptions of middle school students in Montessori and traditional schools using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Montessori students reported a significantly better quality of experience in their academic work than did traditional students. In addition, Montessori students perceived their schools as a more positive community for learning, with more opportunities for active, rather than passive, learning.
Copyright 2024 The International Montessori School - an IMEF school. All Rights Reserved.