Schooling after Montessori
HOW DO CHILDREN COPE AFTER MONTESSORI?
One of the questions asked by all parents when they are thinking of enrolling in a Montessori school is: “How will my child cope when they leave the nurturing and small space of a Montessori environment and go to a large secondary school?”
Our reply will suggest the following: “Children usually adapt easily to change and Montessori children, if given a full Montessori education, develop many skills and strategies to support adaptive behaviours, confidence, resilience, independence, protective behaviours and have a strong sense of who they are. This accumulation of distinctive qualities, provides these students with abilities that are now fully owned by them and therefore ready to be adopted in any situation.
Montessori children do acquire specific capabilities due to our approach to learning and teaching. Our students develop curiosity for and love of knowledge; they fully understand how to manage their strengths and challenges and are not intimidated by new contexts. Children that have been at CMS for six years or more, show traits that demonstrate maturity beyond their years.
Montessori parents often comment on the change our students display in their final year of schooling. They describe a transformation that resembles the picture Dr Montessori calls ‘psychic rebirth’. Children display strength of character and true readiness for the next stage of development and educational context. They want to explore new territories!
We meet every year with secondary principals to understand the progress or challenges our children face when they leave CMS and the comments we receive, are always positive and encouraging. It provides the staff at CMS the belief that we are using the right instructional tools and philosophy and reinforces our conviction of the rigour of our methodology.
We would like to reassure parents thinking of enrolling children at CMS that they are providing the best education they can source: children achieve high academic standards, develop social competence, grow an understanding of empathy and are given the tools to manage the disciplines required of them in different environments.
Yvonne Rinaldi
Principal
Caboolture Montessori School
