To the Editor:

An expected side effect of the current global pandemic is its impact on our educational system. For many schools, and especially for schools with younger children, the overnight transformation to online learning has been our biggest challenge in a century. The impact of this drastic shift has brought to life the shortcomings and limitations of the traditional educational approach. Montessori schools are well prepared to meet this remote learning challenge.

The basis of Montessori is to follow the natural inclination of a child to learn and to allow their intrinsic motivation to bloom. Montessori students hone their independence, love of learning, and thinking skills from an early age. Our students and families are faring especially well right now because self-discipline is critical for successful remote learning.

Montessori students are used to long stretches of uninterrupted work cycles where they experiment, create, and apply their knowledge independently.  They’ve developed a deep sense of agency through the empowering environments their teachers have designed over the many months or years they’ve been in the school.

As Dr. Maria Montessori reminds us, even now, “The child who has never learned to work by himself, to set goals for his own acts, or to be the master of his own force of will is recognizable in the adult who lets others guide his will and feels a constant need for approval of others.”

What are Montessori schools finding in these early weeks of remote learning?  Reports from the American Montessori Society are showing that many parents are blown away by how adaptive their child has been to at-home learning, how self-motivated they are to complete the work provided by their teachers, how strong the bonds are, and how deep the respect is between their peers and teachers when they come together for virtual class time. They are amazed to see students leading meetings, rather than teachers, and peer-to-peer help on projects and work.  At the younger levels, including toddler and preschool-aged children, parents have shared that getting an inside peek at the purposeful work their children are doing has reaffirmed their belief in a Montessori education.

And what about when schools reopen? Most schools will face the dilemma of whether to advance certain children to the next grade level. Montessori schools will not face this problem as Montessori’s multi-age, three-year program cycles allow the teacher to “follow the child” over a broader span of time. Our teachers will have the time and means to keep children advancing to grade level and beyond without worrying about a homogenized curriculum.

Adaptability and a belief that learning is lifelong and requires a growth-mindset are central to the Montessori philosophy. As remote learning continues into late spring and possibly beyond, Montessori schools will continue to learn, assess, and perfect this model so that we’re able to meet the call should another situation like this occur, but, even more important, so that a Montessori education may be more accessible to all.

Michelle Morrisson
Head of School, Princeton Montessori School