Montessori School Of Rochester

Founded in 1965, the Montessori School of Rochester is a secular, not for profit educational institution which follows the philosophy and teaching methods of Dr. Maria Montessori. Serving children ages 6 weeks to grade 4, our programs foster growth, independence, self-esteem and a lifelong love of learning. Two striking characteristics of children in the Montessori environments are a profound joy in learning, and the sense of pride and ownership that students display for their work. These are essential traits that lead to continued success throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood. The prepared environments and the role of the teacher in the classroom distinguishes Montessori from other educational approaches. At Montessori School of Rochester the teacher spends the day giving presentations or representations of activities available on the shelves; meanwhile, children not actively engaged in a presentation will be working independently, getting their own snack, or going to the bathroom when the need arises. This freedom fosters responsible behavior under the guidance and verification of watchful adults. By giving children responsibility for their behavior, to the extent that they are capable of acceptably responding to it, self-control and an internal set of guidelines are established as part of the child's personality. The special environments enable children to explore qualities of materials through various tasks which induce thinking about relationships. The prepared environment also offers practical occasions for introducing social relationships through free interaction; the logical, sequential nature of the programs and curriculum provides orderly structure that guide discovery.