What is the Montessori Method?
The Montessori method of education is based on two principles: giving children guided freedom to learn and explore, and providing a learning environment that stimulates exposure and experience. Within this environment, children develop in a range of different areas (intelligence, social, psychological, and physical). Montessori education promotes the innate satisfaction that a child gains from completing a task, and creates curious, self-motivated, responsible individuals.
The Secret to Good Teaching
“The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds many be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but so to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inner most core. We do not want complacent pupils, but eager ones: we seek to sow life in the child rather than theories, to help him in his growth, mental and emotional as well as physical, and for that we must offer grand and lofty ideas to the human mind, which we find ever ready to receive them, demanding more and more”
What Makes Marpole Montessori Different?
70% Montessori, 30% Traditional
At Marpole Bilingual Montessori we take a bilingual approach to the Montessori Philosophy but with structured traditional teachings as well. We feel this provides the students with the freedom to explore, create and design but also provides them with the foundation to succeed later in their academic career. 70% of our curriculum is derived from the Montessori method, and the remaining 30% is a traditional education approach with enrichment activities.
1 teacher to 8 students
At Marpole Bilingual Montessori we take a bilingual approach to the Montessori Philosophy but with structured traditional teachings as well. We feel this provides the students with the freedom to explore, create and design but also provides them with the foundation to succeed later in their academic career. 70% of our curriculum is derived from the Montessori method, and the remaining 30% is a traditional education approach with enrichment activities.
Learning Environment
We have taken the best of the Montessori pedagogy and built on it with over 35 years of experience to create a program that ensures the best possible learning environment for children. As a result, our students graduate from our program with the ability to reach their full potential in their future academic and personal careers.
Bilingual Classroom
The bilingual environment (English & French) helps student develop lifelong critical thinking and cognitive abilities. Our alumni have given feedback that they benefited from conversing with people from all over the globe, as they now find it easier to pick up new languages. This is a vital advantage for people living and working in global cities such as Vancouver and abroad.
Our People
We have some of the top Montessori teachers in Vancouver teaching in our classrooms, and as a result many of our students have moved on to the top private and public academic programs in Vancouver. We encourage you to come in and meet our teachers, and see them in action in the classroom.
Our Community
Our school is much more than just a classroom, as we have a highly engaged and supportive community of teachers, staff, parents, students and alumni. We regularly organize events and activities that involve parents, which enhance the learning experience of each child in and out of the classroom.
The Early Years
In the following, Dr. Hughes mentions a study published in Science in 2006 by Angeline Lillard titled “The Early Years: Evaluating Montessori Education,” in which she analyzed the results of children educated in Montessori schools and non-Montessori schools. Lillard’s study highlighted benefits in academics, creativity, self-exression, language use, writing, and socialization, resulting from a Montessori education.