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What outcomes can we look for if we give our
child a Montessori education?
There are eight primary aspects to what
we look for in children who have grown up with a Montessori education:
1.
Academic
Preparation: Montessori
prepares students both for higher education and for life.
On an academic level,
Montessori helps students attain skills that allow them to become
independently functioning adults and lifelong learners.
2.
Intrinsic
Motivation: Innate desire
drives Montessori children to engage in activities for enjoyment and
satisfaction.
3.
Internalized
Ground Rules and the Ability to Work with External Authority:
Montessori students are comfortable with ground rules that set the boundaries
for their interactions within the school community.
Because these ground rules become internalized, Montessori students normally
learn to behave appropriately, whether or not teachers are present.
4.
Social
Responsibility: Montessori
children tend to be quite sensitive to the rights and needs of others.
They tend to make a
positive contribution to their community.
5.
Autonomy:
Montessori students tend to become self-directed, composed, and morally
independent.
6.
Confidence and
Competence: Montessori
students tend to become confident, competent, self reflective, and, thereby,
successful.
They are generally not afraid of failure and learn from mistakes.
7.
Creativity and
Originality of Thought:
Montessori students become confident in expressing their own ideas and
creativity.
They recognize the value of their own work, respect the creative process of
others, and are willing to share their ideas, regardless of the risk of
rejection.
Montessori students tend to take great satisfaction in self-expression.
8.
Spiritual
Awareness: Montessori students
are often exceptionally compassionate, empathetic, and sensitive to the
natural world and the human condition.
Reprinted from Tomorrow’s Child,
Back-to-School 2006
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