by Leah Bray
A couple of years into my journey as a Montessori teacher, I led a tour for a family that was looking at alternatives to traditional education. The mom turned to me and asked, “so what happens when the kids go back to real school”?
Now I have heard some interesting ideas and questions about education over the years, but this question has to be in the top 10. She quickly explained that she meant the traditional public school model, but her question gave me pause. Montessori education is so different from the traditional model, parents sometimes see this as a stopgap or transition to another type of school. While I typically avoid comparing the two educational systems, parents who have been educated in a traditional school sometimes need to see a side-by-side comparison to better understand. The chart below is adapted from Montessori.org/au.
While not a prescribed curriculum, Montessori education is a minimum three-year cycle generally matched to developmental ages. Ages within a Montessori program are typically birth to three years, three to six years, six to nine, nine to twelve, twelve to fifteen, and fifteen to eighteen years. The goals for success are much different than other educational systems; goals are additive so that social and emotional, spiritual development, and practical life skills are just as important as academic skills.
While it is never a goal for students to transfer out of Montessori education, studies have shown that Montessori students typically transition well after a three-year cycle (1,2). When students are allowed to participate in a three-year cycle or longer, self-discipline becomes intrinsic and the control of self allows for internal motivation and growth in self-esteem. This continues throughout the development of the child, from birth through adolescence.