Montessori Parent Guide: 6-12 Years
Parents/whānau frequently ask: ‘So, how do I know it is really Montessori?’
What are the essential elements of Montessori education?
What should we be looking for when considering a Montessori primary (6-12) education for our tamariki?
Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand has produced a Parent Guide to help you better understand Montessori education and to find answers to your questions about Montessori for six to 12-year-olds.
This Parent Guide may help you answer the question ‘Can Montessori primary education establish a profound emotional, spiritual and academic base for my child’s future?’
You can read your Parent Guide online:
Your Parent Guide is in four sections:
In each section we have identified the following:
Essential Elements” These are provided to help you better understand what Montessori can offer your tamariki.
What it looks like: Examples are given as to how the essential elements may ‘look’ in practice.
Questions to ask Montessori kaiako (teachers): Some questions are provided that you could ask the Montessori kaiako (teacher).
Questions to ask yourself: By observing in a Montessori classroom, you can answer some of your own questions.
Before making a choice for your tamariki, Montessori Aotearoa New Zealand recommends you:
- visit a Montessori primary classroom
- take time to observe the primary community of tamariki
- visit the classroom more than once, and
- deepen your understanding of what the Montessori primary class has to offer your tamariki.
You could also visit some state primary school classes to understand how Montessori primary communities offer a different experience for tamariki in the primary years.
