When reflecting on my own education, I remember being bored as we reviewed something I already knew. I also recall feeling incredibly frustrated and stupid as my math class sprinted ahead, even though I needed more time with a particular concept.
The fallacy of the factory model of education is that we are humans, not robots. Children have diverse academic needs. We can honor this and preserve the magic of learning, or we can ignore this reality and engender boredom and frustration.
Now, as a Montessori guide, I get to abandon the broken factory model of education and offer each child what they need. I sit side-by-side with an individual child, using beautiful, hands-on materials to demonstrate a new concept: how to tie your shoes. How to add 4+5. How to sound out short "a" words. Then, the child eagerly tries, excited for the knowledge and understanding that they can now access. I remain seated by them, giving guidance if they need it, before slowly slipping away, still watching from a distance as they perform this new, amazing skill, at this moment and for the rest of their lives.
Monarch Montessori School is making high-quality, Montessori instruction accessible to all! For more information about how Montessori works, our educational philosophy, or to inquire about enrollment, email me at julia@monarchmn.org.
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