What is Montessori System of Education in Laguna Niguel?

1. What is Montessori System of Education in Laguna Niguel? Dr.Maria Montessori was a Italian educator who developed a method of teaching children and advocated a child-centered approach (1870-1952). Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. In Montessori classroom children make creative choices in their learning, while the classroom and the teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process. The Montessori preschool classroom for ages 2.5 through 6 years old is a "living room" for children. Children choose their work from among the self-correcting materials displayed on open shelves, and they work in specific work areas. Over a period of time, the children develop into a "normalized community," working with high concentration and few interruptions. Normalization is the process whereby a child moves from being undisciplined to self-disciplined, from disordered to ordered, from distracted to focused, through work in the environment. The process occurs though repeated work with materials that captivate the child's attention. For some children this inner change may take place quite suddenly, leading to deep concentration. In the Montessori preschool, academic competency is a means to an end, and the manipulatives are viewed as "materials for development." The mission of Laguna Niguel Montessori Center is to provide a Montessori education through highly qualified teachers and a thoughtfully prepared environment that meets the social, physical and analytic thinking skills of all students. Our students develop a keen sense of social awareness as well as a desire for a lifetime of learning.