Montessori education at The Montessori School supports both the individual and
the community in a unique way. Each child at our school receives a highly
personalized and individualized education, tailored to their specific needs,
interests, and learning style. This approach allows children to progress at their
own pace and develop a deep understanding of concepts, leading to a high
quality education that meets their academic and personal growth.

How does TMS support high quality individualized education? There are several
principles inherent in Montessori education methodology that allows for a child to
grow. The first is the foundation of the Montessori principles of the Four Stages
of Development. For children from infant to age 6, the human tendency and
characteristic in the First Plane is for Physical and Biological Independence. The
child is developing their absorbent mind and individual personality. In the Second
Plane, for children ages 6 through 12, the child enters into the Mental
Independence plane where elaboration of the mind and personality grows. TMS
honors these planes of development through the delivery of Montessori
education principles in its classrooms.

A second foundation in Montessori philosophy is to “follow the child”. To do this,
the Montessori classroom does not elevate an individual to the term teacher.
Instead, we see the highly trained Montessorian as a guide. We believe that
children are capable of learning through self-motivation and inquiry using
prescribed, effective hands-on materials. The trained Montessorian’s role is to
guide the child to discover and learn for themselves using concrete materials.
At TMS, a student has the same guide for 18 months in the Toddler classrooms,
or for 3 years in the Children’s House, Lower and Upper Elementary levels. The
guide is able to form a long term relationship with each student and their family.

This eliminates the initial learning curve a teacher has to understand new
students in traditional school settings that change classrooms every year,
allowing the guide to work intimately and in-depth for a longer period of time.
This longer student/guide relationship also allows the guide to foster a child’s
learning in tune with their development. There are “sensitive periods” that a child
goes through in their development. When these sensitive periods are
understood and respected by the guide, then a child can freely learn and grow
according to their individual physical, spiritual, and mental capabilities at the most
opportune time.

In addition to supporting the individual child, Montessori education also fosters a
strong sense of community within the school. Children at TMS have the
opportunity to learn and grow together, supporting one another in their academic
and social development. The children are in classrooms that are multi-age. In
this 18 month or 3-year cycle, children learn to grow together – supporting each
other’s academic and social journeys. For example, a kindergartner can help a
young three-year-old learn how to do new work. This benefits both children in
that the kindergartner learns socially the skills of empathy, leadership and
communication, as well as reinforcing through practice the learning outcome of
the work. The younger child benefits from learning the new work and through
forming a new social bond with an older child.

This community aspect of Montessori education provides social learning benefits
that are not typically found in traditional schools, encouraging collaboration,
empathy, and respect for others. Our community also expands beyond
in-classroom collaboration to the entire school. An example of this is seen in the
Upper Elementary Reading Buddies program when the older students meet with
the kindergarteners on a weekly basis to read and explore literature together.
The school community also collaborates to care for the environment through after
school clubs, Earth Day planting and daily recycling and composting.

By emphasizing both the individual and the community, Montessori education at
The Montessori School creates a supportive and nurturing environment where
students can thrive academically and personally. This approach sets our school
apart as a rare gem in the Philadelphia region, offering an authentic Montessori
experience from toddler through 6th grade, that benefits the individual child in a
caring and supportive social community. Our graduates are leaders of the future,
stewards of the earth and ambassadors of peace.

Visit the Montessori School’s website for more information.