Why Montessori Education is special…
In a Montessori nursery school, children are treated respectfully as unique individuals. Their social and emotional development is essential to their education. Emphasis is not on what is to be learnt but how. Children are naturally interested in the world around them, they choose what to learn and at Dove Tree we help them to find the best way of learning. Our trained teachers guide them in using their own abilities and with specially designed Montessori materials.
The Montessori Philosophy
The Montessori approach follows each child’s different learning styles and is carefully structured to allow your child to develop at their own pace.
Children are not afraid of making mistakes. They are encouraged to see them as natural steps in the learning process. Within this culture they enjoy challenges and gain a sense of perseverance.
The focus is on enjoying learning and feeling satisfied at carrying out their tasks. Being satisfied in doing the actual task means that reward is unnecessary. Likewise, sanctions are obsolete. The quickest way to restore good behaviour is to give them something satisfying to do. We always stop unwanted behaviour but then shift the focus to positive activities. Children work on self-chosen tasks and team up on bigger projects, they are encouraged to strive for their personal best, or for the good of all, rather than competing against each other.
Children learn through hands-on experience, investigating and questioning. We encourage active learning and do not passively feed them information. The teacher aims to facilitate a child’s independent discovery rather than giving instruction. The value of learning is in the way it is applied. When children recognise the usefulness of what they learn, they come to enjoy learning.
About Maria Montessori
Born in Italy in 1870, Maria Montessori was the first female Doctor of Medicine in her country. Through her work with socially deprived and special needs children she devised a unique method of education known as the Montessori method. She found through further study, observation and experiments that her principles applied to all children. The Montessori methods has had an impact on education in general and many countries adopted them. Her insights and ideas for helping children grow into healthy, well-rounded adults are as relevant as ever.