Frequently Asked Questions


The number of Montessori schools is growing and key Montessori ideas are being integrated into many public schools and universities. Along with growing interest and acceptance, there are also questions and misconceptions. Here are some of the questions we hear most often.

What is the difference between Montessori and a traditional education? 

A Montessori Education... A Traditional Education...
Fosters an excellent sense of community through guides, students, and parents working together…the heart of a healthy and productive learning process. Students remain in the same classroom with the same cohort for 3 years. Students may work with one and possibly up to several teachers that change year to year.
Focus on individual learning. Every child learns differently and has individual needs and learning styles. They are encouraged to move at their own pace, developing self-sufficiency and independence. Instruction is conducted in a traditional large group setting where students all learn at the same pace with the same assignments and activities.
A Montessori-trained guide, utilizing a holistic curriculum, carefully prepares a learning environment where each child experiences the joy of learning, giving them time to enjoy the process and develop confidence. Typically, teachers stand at the front of a seated classroom to facilitate lessons.
Teaches students to view their mistakes as learning opportunities and how to fix errors on their own without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. In traditional schools, students are quite often rewarded for their perfection on assignments rather than encouraged to learn from mistakes.
Classrooms (Prepared Environments) are equipped with a variety of areas and hands-on activities that cater to all different levels and interests. Materials are designed to appeal to all five senses. Textbooks, worksheets, and similar materials are used to instruct students, with little opportunity for hands-on learning consistently.
Lessons promote cognitive preparation and the development of social skills, emotional growth, and physical coordination including practical life skills. The goal is to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life. Curriculum generally focuses on academia and inhibits socializing within the classroom.
Emphasis on active and instinctive learning. Children naturally learn through play and discovery. If students are taught to learn and discover at an early age, they are able to maintain a love of learning for life. Focuses more on book learning and memorizing information to prepare for frequent testing.

  • Why does Montessori have multi-age classrooms?

    Multi-age classrooms afford us the luxury of adapting the curriculum to the individual child. Each child can work at his or her own pace while remaining in the community with his or her peers. In addition, the multi-age format allows all older children to be the leaders of the classroom community even those children who may be shy or quiet.

  • Is Montessori good for children with learning disabilities? What about gifted children?

    Montessori is designed to help all children reach their fullest potential at their own unique pace. A classroom whose children have varying abilities is a community in which everyone learns from one another and everyone contributes. Moreover, multi-age grouping allows each child to find his or her own pace without feeling “ahead” or “behind” in relation to peers.

  • Are Montessori schools religious?

    No. Montessori educates children without reference to a religious denomination. As a result, our classrooms are extremely diverse, with representation from all peoples, cultures, and religions.

  • Is Montessori a franchise? Who can open a Montessori school?

    Montessori is not a franchise. The term Montessori is not trademarked and anyone, regardless of training, experience or affiliation can open a “Montessori” school. It is essential that parents researching Montessori act as good consumers to ensure the authenticity of their chosen program.

  • Who accredits Montessori schools?

    Dr. Maria Montessori wanted to be sure that guides were trained correctly, methods were applied as she intended, and a complete set of authentic materials graced the shelves of classrooms. Today, there are two major organizations that carry on her work and are generally regarded as the standard for Montessori education. They are AMI (Association Montessori Internationale), which was created by Dr. Montessori herself, and AMS (American Montessori Society), which branched off from AMI in 1960. The two organizations maintain a positive working relationship and mutual respect for the work they both do. If you are looking for a high-fidelity Montessori program, it’s important to find a school that is connected to either AMI or AMS. There are different levels of connection, depending on how closely a school aligns their work with what is considered ideal.

  • Isn’t Montessori just a preschool?

    Montessori schools may be best known for their programs with young children, but the underlying educational method describes programs for students up through high school.

  • If children are free to choose their own work, how do you ensure that they receive a well-rounded education?

    Montessori children are free to choose within limits, and have only as much freedom as they can handle with appropriate responsibility. The classroom teacher and assistant ensure that children do not interfere with each other, and that each child is progressing at her appropriate pace in all subjects.

  • Montessori classrooms don’t look like regular classrooms. Where are the rows of desks? Where does the teacher stand?

    The different arrangement of a Montessori classroom mirrors the Montessori method's differences from traditional education. Rather than putting the teacher at the focal point of the class, with children dependent on her for information and activity, the classroom shows a literally child-centered approach. Children work at tables or on floor mats where they can spread out their materials, and the teacher circulates about the room, giving lessons or resolving issues as they arise.

  • Are Montessori schools as academically rigorous as traditional schools?

    Yes. Montessori classrooms encourage deep learning of the concepts behind academic skills rather than rote practice of abstract techniques. The success of our students appears in the experiences of our alumni, who compete successfully with traditionally educated students in a variety of high schools and universities.

  • Since Montessori classrooms emphasize non-competitiveness, how are students adequately prepared for real-life competition later on?

    Montessori classrooms emphasize competition with oneself: self-monitoring, self-correction, and a variety of other executive skills aimed at continuous improvement. Students typically become comfortable with their strengths and learn how to address their weaknesses. In older classes, students commonly participate in competitive activities with clear “winners” (auditions for limited opera roles, for example) in which students give their best performances while simultaneously encouraging peers to do the same. It is a healthy competition in which all contenders are content that they did their best in an environment with clear and consistent rules.