Sample pamphlet on Montessori and Creativity

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Curiosity and creativity are important aspects of a Montessori child’s experience. Montessori classrooms incorporate art, music, dance, creative drama, and writing throughout the curriculum.

Imagination plays a central role, as children explore how the natural world works, visualize other cultures and ancient civilizations, and search for creative solutions to real-life problems. In Montessori schools, the Arts are normally integrated into the rest of the curriculum.

As a parent I set very high expectations for my children. I expected them to be well prepared academically so that they would be able to follow their dreams wherever that may take them, but I also hoped that they would be able to make responsible choices. I hoped that they would be able to retain the love of learning and creativity that Montessori nurtured in them. Although I cared about academics, I felt certain that my children would achieve similar results from any good school, Montessori or otherwise. For me, the true value of a Montessori education went beyond academics.”

— Joyce St Giermaine Executive Director of the Montessori Foundation and Editor of Tomorrow’s Child

Montessori Nurtures Curiosity, Creativity & Imagination

Preview Copy Only For more information about Montessori, visit www.Montessori.org, read The Montessori Way or How to Raise an Amazing Child, talk to the school admissions director or head of school, or read the other brochures in this series.

Compliments of ...

The Montessori Foundation 19600 East State Roads 64 • Bradenton, FL 34212 941-729-9565 • 800-655-5843

www.montessori.org

The Montessori Foundation © 2009

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Her creative energies are so fragile as to need a loving and understanding response.”

— Dr. Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that teachers should focus on the child as a person, not on the daily lesson plan. Montessori teachers lead children to ask questions, think for themselves, explore, investigate, and discover. Their ultimate objective is to help their students to learn independently and retain the curiosity, creativity, and intelligence with which they were born. Montessori teachers don’t simply present lessons; they are facilitators, mentors, coaches, and guides.

Within a safe and empowering community, Montessori children learn at the deepest possible level to believe in themselves. In an atmosphere of independence within community and personal empowerment, they never loose their sense of curiosity and innate ability to learn and discover. Confident in themselves, they open up to the world around them and find that mistakes are not something to be feared; instead, they represent endless opportunities to learn from experience.

Montessori classes are warm, relaxed, and incredibly safe and secure. These are communities in which children have learned how to live and work in partnership with their adult mentors. There are Infant/Toddler classes; Children’s Houses; Elementary classrooms; and Middle and High School level programs. They are run to a very large degree by the children, with only that degree of adult guidance necessary to ensure order and safety. In such emotionally safe and secure settings, children can relax, be authentic individuals instead of trying to be ‘cool’, and allow their intelligence, curiosity, creativity, and imagination to blossom.

Montessori teachers operate from the understanding that intelligence, creativity, and imagination can be found in every child. A lot of Montessori education is simply about learning how to learn: observing life, listening, looking for patterns, making connections, and reflecting on how things fit together and how they work. Children explore topics that capture their interest and imagination and share them with their classmates.

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Imagination does not become great until a person, given courage and strength, uses it to create. If this does not occur, the imagination addresses itself only to a spirit wandering in emptiness.”

— Dr. Maria Montessori

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The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim is not only 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 innermost core.”

— Dr. Maria Montessori Five-year-old Imani has a plan. She finds her friend Chelsea, and the two girls begin talking about a puppy named Sam. They begin to laugh as their story becomes increasingly elaborate. Their teacher, Ann, acknowledges their creativity and suggests they write and illustrate a story. This creative activity could lead to writing and acting out a play or researching different breeds of dogs.