Basic Characteristics of the Montessori Classroom

Teachers educated in the Montessori philosophy and methodology appropriate to the age level they are teaching, who have the ability and dedication to put the key concepts into practice.

• A partnership with the family. The family is considered an integral part of the individual’s total development.
   
• A multi-aged, multi-graded, heterogeneous group of students.
   
• A diverse set of Montessori materials, activities, and experiences, which are designed to foster physical, intellectual, creative, and social independence.
   
• A schedule that allows large blocks of uninterrupted time to problem solve, to see the interdisciplinary connections of knowledge, and to create new ideas.
   
• A classroom atmosphere that encourages social interaction for cooperative learning, peer teaching, and emotional development.