Montessori 101

What is Montessori

Montessori education, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, nurtures each child’s unique potential through hands-on learning, independence, and intrinsic motivation. Students learn at their own pace in carefully prepared classrooms.

Mixed-age groups allow younger children to learn from older peers while older students develop leadership and confidence. With purposeful materials and guided exploration, children build practical life skills, concentration, independence, and a genuine love of learning.

The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)

Founded by Maria Montessori in 1929, the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) safeguards the integrity of her work and advances ongoing research in neuroscience and child development. AMI sets global standards for Montessori training, materials, and classroom practice.

At Manor Montessori, our programs are guided by AMI principles, and our classrooms are equipped with AMI-approved materials, ensuring an authentic Montessori experience.

Learn more: AMI Canada – “What is Montessori?” (ami-canada.com)

The Montessori Curriculum

Montessori education covers five interconnected areas, each supporting the whole child—socially, academically, emotionally, and physically.

  • Practical Life activities build independence, focus, and fine motor skills. Children learn everyday tasks—such as washing hands, dressing, pouring, and food prep—through step-by-step activities that strengthen coordination and confidence.

  • Sensorial materials refine the senses and help children explore qualities like color, size, texture, sound, and shape. Each material encourages reasoning, comparison, and self-correction.

  • Math concepts progress from concrete to abstract. Using tactile materials like bead chains, number rods, and fraction circles, children explore numbers, operations, decimals, and fractions in a way that feels meaningful and intuitive.

  • Language learning begins with rich oral language and tactile materials such as Sandpaper Letters and the Moveable Alphabet. Children then develop phonetic reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and storytelling skills, gaining confidence through presentations and classroom discussions.

  • Cultural Studies includes geography, history, science, botany, zoology, and global traditions. Students explore maps, artifacts, life cycles, and experiments. In Elementary, learning expands through research projects, presentations, and field trips.

The Montessori Difference

  • Mixed-age groups (2–3 year spans) encourage mentorship and peer learning

  • Self-paced, interest-driven activities

  • Curriculum tailored to each child

  • Lower student-teacher ratios (e.g., Toddler 5:1, Casa 6–8:1 at Manor)

  • Teachers act as guides, not lecturers

  • Emphasis on intrinsic motivation and self-correction

  • Freedom of movement and choice within clear boundaries

  • Encourages exploration, creativity, and deep concentration