The goal of a Montessori education is to develop your child’s love of learning so that she/he keeps it throughout life. The child who transfers out of Montessori has a positive attitude towards school and self- discipline and responsibility. Most children transferring from Montessori to a public school adjust easily to their new classrooms.

Children that have been in a Montessori environment typically are very flexible and adjust quite easily to the public school situation. They are generally better students and spend their time in more productive ways because of their self-direction and positive attitude toward learning.

Research proves that your child's highest level of learning takes place from birth through age 9. This period of development is when your child will absorb and learn more than any other time in his/her life. This is also the time your child will learn the joy of knowledge and the excitement of learning new skills. The gift of learning independent study skills in our carefully prepared class environment is an advantage when it is time for your child to move on.

By the end of age five, Montessori children are normally curious, self-confident learners who look forward to going to school. They are normally engaged, enthusiastic learners who honestly want to learn and who ask excellent questions. Montessori children by age six have spent three or four years in a school where they were treated with honesty and respect. While there were clear expectations and ground rules, within that framework, their opinions and questions were taken quite seriously.

Dr. Montessori identified four "planes of development," with each stage having its own developmental characteristics and developmental challenges. The Early Childhood Montessori environment for children age three to six is designed to work with the "absorbent mind," "sensitive periods," and the tendencies of children at this stage of their development.

The Montessori system has been used successfully with children from all socio-economic levels, representing those in regular classes as well as the gifted, children with developmental delays, and children with emotional and physical disabilities. There is no one school that is right for all children, and certainly there are children who may do better in a smaller classroom setting with a more teacher-directed program that offers fewer choices and more consistent external structure.

The essential element of any Montessori school is the fully-trained Montessori teacher. A good starting point is a group of parents who want Montessori for their children. The next step is to look into state and local requirements for schools, such as teacher training, facilities, class size, etc. Selecting a site and making sure it meets applicable building codes is also an early part of the process.

Our goal is to prepare children for life's experiences. We prepare them in the academic area so that most children enter first grade reading or on the brink of reading. They have a firm understanding of the concept of numbers and the decimal system. Their abilities to organize themselves and to solve problems are excellent. Their listening skills and their abilities to respect others and participate in the community are remarkable. Their confidence and communication skills are very high.

Exceedingly well! Guidance counselors and admissions officers from the area's most demanding private and public schools consistently report that our students excel in their new environments because of their knowledge base, their poise and confidence, and their eagerness to learn. We have a reputation for working with children to help them become "confident achievers.

Yes! I have 2 young children who were both adjusted a few minutes after they were born. I adjust them regularly. I feel that it is very important that children's spines are aligned while they are growing and developing. Since I am a father, I try to be sensitive to a child's feelings of uncertainty during the treatment.

One main difference is the difference in funding sources; public Montessori schools are supported in the same manner as other public schools; private Montessori schools are funded through tutition fees, fundraising and other private sources. Also public Montessori schools are subject to the mandates of federal and state education boards and private have a greater degree of freedom to implement the Montessori Philosophy as they see fit.

Research studies show that Montessori children are well prepared for later life academically, socially, and emotionally. In addition to scoring well on standardized tests, Montessori children are ranked above average on such criteria as following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively, using basic skills, showing responsibility, asking provocative questions, showing enthusiasm for learning, and adapting to new situations. I recently observed a Montessori classroom for a day.

The classroom contains what we consider 5 different areas of learning (although they are well integrated in the experience of the children)- practical life, sensorial development, language, mathematics, and cultural studies (geography, art, music, etc.). The children receive individual and small group lessons in each of these areas and are free to work with these activities at any time.

All children play! They explore new things playfully. They watch something of interest with a fresh open mind. They enjoy the company of treasured adults and other children. They make up stories. They dream. They imagine. This impression stems from parents who don't know what to make of the incredible concentration, order, and self-discipline that we commonly see among Montessori children. Montessori students also tend to take the things they do in school quite seriously.

Children of all ages have many different interests. Just like local public schools, children may have other friends when they are involved in sports, clubs, church, or other extracurricular activities. Montessori encourages children to become an active part of their community. Children are still capable of playing with neighborhood children after school hours, and usually have more time to do so due to the Montessori homework philosophy.

Each child progresses at his/her own rate - no child is ever prodded to do work for which he is not ready.

Spring Hill Montessori is located on a quiet residential street in west Cambridge's Huron Village. Access Blakeslee Street from Reservoir Street. Blakeslee Street runs one-way towards Huron Avenue.