If you’re thinking about sending your child to a Montessori school, you’re not alone. Millions of families worldwide have embraced this holistic approach to education. There are plenty of reasons to do so, but there are also a few things to be aware of that might make Montessori a less-than-ideal fit for your child or family.
Here’s what you need to know about the advantages and disadvantages of Montessori education and how to tell if your child is a good fit for the approach:
Advantages
There are lots of reasons to consider sending your child to a Montessori school in Japan. Montessori education is beloved the world around for its innovative take on developing skills outside the traditional classroom fundamentals and its holistic approach to overall child development. Here are just a few of the reasons families worldwide love the Montessori method:
Hands-On Learning Style
Most parents love Montessori education because it gives children ample opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment. Why is this such a significant benefit? Because children’s natural tendency is to want to be physically involved with themselves, one another, and the objects and stimuli in their environment. It’s why children will play with rocks on the ground or puddles on the pavement – they want to be involved with their settings.
The Montessori approach takes that concept and applies it to education. By creating engaging and stimulating activities that allow children to interact with their peers and the items that are part of the lesson, they are more likely to retain the instruction offered and more willing to participate in discussion during and after.
More Opportunities for Social Interaction
Children are naturally social. They love to play together, talk, work in pairs or groups, and build connections. That is why Montessori education – focused on creating whole-child developmental opportunities – puts such an emphasis on social education and socialization opportunities.
By allowing and encouraging children to work and play together, Montessori instruction helps them create social skills that will help them forge meaningful relationships later in life. Childhood development experts have seen numerous instances of children educated this way being more emotionally stable and comfortable expressing themselves and communicating with others than their peers educated in traditional learning environments.
Uniquely Engaging Learning Environments
Schools and non-traditional learning environments that utilize the Montessori approach are known for their creative use of engaging activities to keep students interested while learning. This dynamic approach to classroom structure means that children typically enjoy their schooling much more at these institutions than they would or previously have elsewhere.
An Emphasis on “Soft Skills”
One of the most significant benefits of the Montessori educational structure is the emphasis on developing and improving so-called “soft skills.” These are essential life skills that may not be focused on in the traditional classroom. They fall outside the language and STEM fundamentals that so many schools curate their curricula around.
Some examples of soft skills developed through Montessori education include:
- Independence
- Responsibility
- Integrity
- Fairness
- Cooperation and collaboration
- Adaptability
- Politeness
- Compassion for and understanding of others, and more
These skills don’t just help your child develop as a person. They naturally create better behavior and more meaningful relationships and interactions from the emotional ground up.
Increased Independence
Children taught using Montessori principles spend much more time guiding their activities and engaging freely with other students. As such, they are often much more self-motivated and independent than their traditionally educated peers. It is incredibly helpful in a world increasingly independent in nature, where children may grow up to work in jobs that require them to be entirely self-guided. The building blocks of that future career success can be seen in the Montessori classroom!
Drawbacks
Like any approach to learning, the Montessori method is not an excellent fit for every child. Some children are better suited to more traditional educational environments, while others may benefit from an even more individually-tailored approach. Some of the reasons your child may be better served somewhere other than a Montessori school include:
Smaller Student Groups and School Communities
For children who need socialization, Montessori is an excellent way for them to get it. However, they will have fewer classmates and less of an opportunity to exercise the skills necessary to develop new relationships throughout their schooling. They will typically travel through the grades with the same small group of peers.
Less Formal Structure
Detractors have criticized the formality of the Montessori structure since its inception. Traditionalists believe that the method is too relaxed, inviting chaos into the classroom.
This lack of formality and structure can also make it difficult for children with specific learning disabilities or disorders to focus on school. They may struggle to cooperate or collaborate with peers as a result and may balk at authority and discipline. Not every child is capable of being self-motivated – and that’s okay! Montessori educational approaches are best suited to those without these issues, while a more traditional or more adaptive setting may be better for others.
Cost Prohibitive
Perhaps the most significant deterrent for many families when choosing the Montessori approach is that it is expensive. This schooling method is typically only used in private or international schools, which require fees for students to attend. For families who are used to free or affordable public education, this means paying much more for schooling – money that they may not have readily available.
However, if there is room in your budget, Montessori approaches benefit various children in a multitude of ways. Think of it not only as an investment in your child’s schooling but in their future success!
