Montessori education is often described as universally beneficial, and in many ways this is true. The materials, structure, and philosophy can support a wide variety of learners. However, based on our years of experience, not every child is suited to our particular Montessori environment. While the program may be valuable for many, it must also be a good fit for the classroom community as a whole. Some children, because of their individual temperament or needs, may find our environment challenging, and this can impact both their own well-being and the balance of the group.
Our Casa dei Bambini is intentionally calm and simple. Over time, we have found that children who thrive in this setting are those who are able, even from a young age, to spend short periods of time engaged in independent activity, such as building, exploring a toy, or working on a puzzle. This tendency can often be observed at home and is part of a child’s natural disposition.
In our program, children work primarily on their own. The goal is to help them develop the ability to choose their work, focus independently, and engage deeply with purposeful activities. We do not expect long periods of concentration from young children, but we do cultivate gradual growth in this area.
For children who are consistently restless, who need frequent verbal engagement, or who strongly depend on constant companionship from adults or peers, our environment may feel overwhelming or frustrating. While all children need movement and stimulation, and we do provide both through freedom of movement and purposeful activity, children who require significantly more movement or continuous social stimulation often do not thrive in our program.
As parents, you know your child best. You have seen them in different settings and can best assess what type of environment supports their happiness and growth. A brief visit with us is not always enough for us to fully understand your child’s learning style or personality, which is why your insight is essential.
We encourage you to take the time to thoroughly understand our program.
Our program is not designed to support children with certain developmental disorders, including ADHD and ASD. We cannot claim the expertise required to ensure successful integration for these learners, and we want to be transparent about our limitations.
At times, despite everyone’s best intentions, certain behaviours or needs only become evident after a child begins attending. Should this occur, we follow a clear protocol, which is included in our registration package.
Because space is limited, it is important for us to accept families whose children are likely to thrive within our environment. Montessori is a three-year cycle, and its effectiveness depends greatly on children remaining for the full duration. Each year builds intentionally on the previous one, and the third year is a culmination of the child’s learning. The classroom functions as a small community, much like a family, and the continuity of the group is essential.
For this reason, admission preference is given to families committed to the full three-year cycle, and to those who may be interested in continuing into our Elementary program. Families who plan to transition to a traditional JK/SK program after a short time may find our approach too different from public education to make such a switch beneficial.
We aim to provide as much information as possible so you can determine whether our program aligns with your expectations and values. When we meet your family, our goal is to understand whether your child is ready for the level of independence our environment requires, such as using the toilet, eating independently, dressing and undressing themselves, and having a functional command of the English language.
We believe that Montessori in the Woods offers a rich and meaningful alternative to daycare or JK/SK, with children engaging in real academic foundations and purposeful, work-like activities.
Our program runs from September to June, with two weeks off at Christmas, two weeks for March Break, and several professional development days. A full school calendar is available upon request.