Parents are often surprised to observe the calm, peaceful Montessori classroom environment that supports children’s desire to connect with friends and learn about their world. The carefully designed materials and activities support children’s innate drive to become more independent each day. They gain a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction because they are challenged and successful in their choices. Care for the environment and respect for others is an integral part of the classroom community. The teachers guide children to solve conflicts, act politely, and be kind and helpful to their friends. The result is a cohesive community of young children.

Unlike traditional classrooms, where children are required to focus on the teacher, attention to the teacher, you won’t see a Montessori teacher standing in front of the classroom writing on a chalkboard, but often down at your child’s level, engaged with individuals or small groups. The Montessori teacher introduces children to many activities and concepts each day, based upon interest and development. The learning, however, is not so much taking place in the lesson, as it is through independent activity when they back to explore it, repeat it and perfect it. Children model what they see from their teachers and classmates. This is the beauty of the multi-age classroom.

Multi-age groupings help children develop a sense of community and learn to respect others as individuals. Children enjoy connecting with children who are older or younger than themselves. They love to lead others and model what they observe. It is impressive to see a young child’s eyes focus intently on an older child when given a lesson. Children learn higher-level cognitive skills when they collaborative between various age differences in understanding. Older children solidify what they know by teaching a younger child. Younger children emulate their older peers and want to model their abilities and behavior. The multi-age grouping creates a harmonious community of learners who are ready to connect and share.

Some say that Montessori teachers are masters at understanding children’s needs. This is true because they have spent extensive time learning to observe and interpret children’s actions, behaviors, and desires. The child feels this keen awareness, and soon a trust between the child and teacher prevails. Teachers are ready to guide children who show stress, feel confused, and need a few words of encouragement to accomplish a task. Friends also support and guide their friends. The Montessori community is a “family” where the children and teachers care for each other.

A certified Montessori Early Childhood teacher completes a rigorous one-year graduate-level course of study in child development and Montessori philosophy according to standards set forth by Dr. Montessori. The course includes an academic sessions and a practicum. MSS is affiliated with the Trinity Montessori Education Center an American Montessori Society affiliated teacher education program. is located at the Minhang campus.

The Montessori teacher recognizes and respects the unique potentials within each child. The art of being a Montessori teacher is in preparing activities that combine both interest and the right level challenge – not too hard and not too easy. Children become engaged when activities support their ability allows them time to focus and concentrate. The scientifically designed materials generally reveal a new concept through children’s use and exploration. Some provide the opportunity to perfect the practical skills of caring for her own needs or the classroom environment. Some enrich the vocabulary and open the door to writing, reading, and the parts of speech. Others build on children’s natural interest in counting and introduce an understanding of the decimal system and the processes of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Some choices encourage artistic self-expression through the introduction of skills and media. The curriculum builds a foundation of concrete experiences of abstract concepts to assist children in a more profound understanding level. Children are never without new challenges and opportunities. The door of discovery, practice, and doing is open to them every day.

Our first commitment is to the multi-dimensional development of the child. Montessori children gain a great deal of factual knowledge in math, science, language, geography, social studies, Chinese and English. However, MSS aim is for each child to be far more than a repository of this information. Teachers guide each child to think, understand and behave with respectful actions. Cognitive development and a solid academic foundation are important, and represent one dimension of children’s potential. Children’s social, emotional, spiritual and physical development is equally important.

Teachers treat each child with dignity and respect, and expect that they will treat others with the same respect. With freedom comes responsibility, and each child learns to balance his personal freedom with a clear sense of responsibility to himself, to others and to the community as a whole. Teachers guide children’s actions with respect and understanding and provide children ways to demonstrate the highest level of respect to others and the environment.