Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY

Our curriculum is based on the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori, who believed that each child should be given the chance to be an independent, secure, and balanced human being. The foundation of the Montessori approach is that education should be an aid to life and that children must have freedom to develop their physical, intellectual, and spiritual powers to the fullest. However, this educational "freedom" must be achieved through order and self-discipline. The objectives of the Montessori approach found at the Montessori School of McLean are to:

• Cultivate the child's natural desire to learn
• Assist the child in acquiring social skills and self-confidence
• Allow the child to acquire, at his own pace, the academic skills necessary to become a satisfied, independent, happy, and productive member of society.

These objectives are achieved by encouraging the child to take an active, independent role in their education as well as taking advantage of "sensitive periods" of learning. These "sensitive periods" are ones in which the child displays a heightened interest in some aspect of learning. In our Montessori environment, the teachers are trained to look for and encourage these sensitive periods.