You’ve Probably Heard of Montessori Schools, But What Are They, Exactly?

Montessori education is becoming more and more popular in the United States. And while the Montessori method of teaching is not exactly some hippie paradise way of teaching, some people can't help but think of it that way. Montessori schools do give their students freedom and want them to teach themselves with teachers as guides, so the “freedom and love” stereotype is somewhat understandable.

So, what does "Montessori" mean in schools? How does it differ from a regular school and how does its teaching method work? We’ve got you covered; read on about what a Montessori school is and why it's growing in popularity with parents.

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What Is the Concept of Montessori Education?

As the American Montessori Society has explained, a Montessori education is a “child-focused approach” to teaching that was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, in the 1890s. They describe Montessori classrooms as those where kids are learning or “working independently and in groups” and they’re encouraged to find their own answers. They write that the Montessori Method of learning is all about self-sufficiency and growth.

A quote from Dr. Montessori on their site explains that instead of a kid proclaiming, “I want to do it!” when it comes to something, a Montessori kid would instead say, “Help me to do it alone.” Montessori education is about the student leading their learning and setting their own pace and goals. Teachers are there to guide them and evaluate them—but in an environment where kids are still encouraged to do things on their own.

As Simply Psychology has explained, there are four planes of development in the “Montessori Theory of Child Development.” They are infancy (0-6 years), childhood (6-12 years), adolescence (12-18 years) and maturity (18-24 years). Infancy follows the “Help me do it myself” format, childhood is “Help me think,” adolescence is “Help me think with you,” and maturity is “How can I help you?”

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What Is a Montessori School?

According to the American Montessori Society, Montessori schools are "student-led and self-paced but guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, the leadership of their peers, and a nurturing environment. Within the community of a multi-age classroom—designed to create natural opportunities for independence, citizenship, and accountability—children embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate inquiry. Individual students follow their own curiosity at their own pace, taking the time they need to fully understand each concept and meet individualized learning goals."

US News & World Report explains there are over 3,000 Montessori schools in the United States, with 560 of them being public schools.

Again, a Montessori education emphasizes kids owning their teachings and what they learn. It’s “child-centered” and uses teachers as guides and observers, there to keep kids on the right track or intervene if a problem occurs, but they’re not teaching classes.

The American Montessori Society further explains, "The multi-age classroom—typically spanning 3 years—re-creates a family structure. Older students enjoy stature as mentors and role models; younger children feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead. Teachers model respect, loving kindness, and a peaceful conflict resolution."

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What Is the Difference Between a Montessori School and a Regular School?

According to Simply Psychology, the Montessori method of education is “non-traditional” to what schools and learning typically look like. Instead of class periods or lessons that are taught by one teacher to their students, students in Montessori schools are meant to “foster independence” and sometimes will have three-hour blocks for activities that are all about teaching themselves and problem-solving on their own.

The essence or theory of Montessori schools and learning comes from the idea that kids just naturally ask questions and want to learn. These schools then foster an environment where they can do that.

The Montessori classrooms are built around the students' needs. As the American Montessori Society explains, "Specially designed learning materials are displayed on open shelves, easily accessible to the children. Classrooms also include low sinks accessible to the children, child-sized furniture, cozy spaces for quiet reading, reachable shelves with work available for free choice, and child-sized kitchen utensils so the students can eat, prepare, and clean up their [snacks] on their own."

And it's not just early childhood education that uses a different method of education—Montessori schools and programs are also created for elementary-age, as well as middle school and high school-age students. For example, the secondary environment "is characterized by a student-centered approach that enables students to manage time, exercise choice, organize themselves, and practice self-regulation within a group context," the American Montessori Society says. "This development of independent self-management is crucial to succeeding in higher education and adulthood."

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Parents' Perspectives on Montessori

So, what do parents think about this type of schooling?

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Marcela Collier, a coaching parent and TikTok user under the handle @highimpactclub, posted a video about the major differences between regular schools and Montessori ones. She starts by saying that it's too expensive to send her own kids to an actual Montessori school, but that she does a lot of it at home. The difference she wanted to point out was a correction on a worksheet her son had done; instead of a teacher writing the correct answer, her kid had corrected the mistake himself. "Everything is set up in a way where the child is able to self-correct," she said.

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Another user, Joy Marilie (@joymarilie), seemingly loves the independence her child has thanks to the Montessori method. She shared a video of her child cooking by herself in the kitchen. The on-screen caption says, "Comment: I think she's too young to be helping in the kitchen." But the audio says, "That's you. But me? Oh, I'm finna turn up," implying that she does not agree with that comment. In the video, her child is cracking eggs, cutting carrots and flipping pancakes on her own.

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And user Agnes-Montessori-ish Mom (@montessori.mothering), plainly states why she sent their toddler to a Montessori school in the first place: Montessori "provides individualized learning for each child's stage of development." They're also aesthetically "beautiful and peaceful communities." Plus, she likes how Montessori schools have tactile learning tools so that kids "interact with concepts not memorize facts." Of course, she notes that she loves how it teaches independence as well as "promotes a love of learning without rewards."

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But with that said, writer Hayley DeRoche—AKA That Sad Beige Lady on TikTok—commented on a TikTok video of a Montessori school, saying that it looks lovely. However, she also notes that it doesn't matter because, "There are a lot of indicators for childhood success. Montessori isn't one of them." She does note, however, that "parental wealth" is one of those indicators.

She goes on to note that going to a Montessori school costs money meaning that you oftentimes have privileged kids in these schools—and wealth is a factor that often gets overlooked in test scores or how well a child does in college.

So, while she's not critiquing Montessori schools in particular—she goes on to state that the Montessori method was originally created for kids of lower income—she is noting a pretty big issue within American Montessori schools in general.

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The Pros and Cons of Montessori School

With that said, as Rasmussen University wrote, there are several pros and cons to Montessori schools. Some of the biggest pros include the fact that Montessori schools are hands-on, and teach independent learning. There's also the freedom kids have to teach themselves and learn at their own pace. This can lead to great social skills and interactions along with a good sense of independence and self.

But when it comes to cons, there are also a good amount. As stated before, Montessori schools are expensive, or can be, which makes it inaccessible to a lot of people. Montessori for Today explains that in general, "Montessori schools have average annual costs ranging between $12,000 and $15,000 for tuition."

Rasmussen University notes that because of this, Montessori schools tend to be filled with white and privileged students. With little to no diversity, kids aren’t exposed to people who don’t look or think like them, which can hinder growth and learning in general.

Another con is the fact that this independent and free way of teaching might not work for some kids’ brains. With little to no structure within the curriculum, some students might not learn as much as other kids and get left behind in terms of what education level they should be on for their age or grade. Lexi Montgomery, a Montessori alum and owner at Darling Web Design, told Rasmussen University that even though independence is a good thing to teach kids, it doesn’t teach them how to work together with others, saying that “Collaboration is not a student practice that is addressed well in Montessori curriculum.”

So, now you know what a Montessori school is and have some more insight into what Montessori teaches. Will that be something you want for your child? It's up to you!

Next up, read about free-range parenting; what it is and why it's a controversial parenting style.