Education for Life
Montessori in Redlands is an environment where children begin a life journey of self-realization, love of learning, and global responsibility.
This mission is fulfilled by applying the principles of education developed by Dr. Maria Montessori.
Self-Realization
"A man is not what he is because of the teachers he has had, but because of what he has done."—Dr. Maria Montessori
A Montessori education allows and encourages children to explore their interests from the earliest ages. As in a university setting, students master a "core curriculum" of a wide variety of subjects while remaining free to focus on subjects of particular interest in-depth. As a result, students never lose touch with what drives them.
Montessori education also puts high emphasis on helping children develop their emotional intelligence. In a study published in the journal Science, Montessori students were shown to have significantly stronger social skills with better conflict resolution skills and more positive peer-to-peer interaction.
Love of Learning
"The role of education is to interest the child profoundly in an external activity to which he will give all of his potential."—Dr. Maria Montessori
Children are biologically driven to learn. How they are encouraged to learn can make the difference between whether they view learning as natural or as forced upon them.
We capitalize on the windows of opportunity presented by a child’s natural development to help them learn important skills when they are most ready and receptive. Dr. Montessori called these times “sensitive periods”. She found that children presented with the right material during these sensitive periods will approach learning with great joy and without coercion.
Global Responsibility
"The liberty of the child should have as its limit the collective interest."—Dr. Maria Montessori
From an early age, children learn that they are part of a community and that they have a responsibility to that community. Children learn self-discipline, and they learn about their place in the wider world and how they can make a positive difference in that world. Service is a core part of the curriculum, not an extracurricular activity.
