Montessori is an educational method that was developed by Dr Maria Montessori over a hundred years ago in Italy. It is now found world-wide and has many successful graduates, including the founders of Google who credit their Montessori education as a key to their success. Montessori education focuses on developing independence and child-centred learning; each child is guided to be responsible for their own learning and to flourish as a life-long learner. All the materials used promote hands-on learning for each age level while developing true understanding of the work completed. For instance children learn to work out square roots using specialised beads and learn land forms such as archipelago with models and experiments. Montessori introduces children to a wide range of topics, not only to entice their enthusiasm for learning but to also help build connections within their neural pathways. Even though Montessori is over a hundred years old, modern neuroscience is validating her theories even now.

Montessori encourages mixed-age classes where each child has a chance to be a mentor to others while also being inspired by older children. These classes are based upon a foundation of respect for everyone and all living things. Montessori engages in social awareness and helps the children to care for their surroundings and strive to make a difference in the world.

Montessori is truly education for life with practical life activities from learning basic cooking skills to woodworking and budgeting skills. Montessori children are prepared for the world as they are independent thinkers who are encouraged to be innovative and use problem solving in every aspect of their lives. Montessori children are guided through their interests and each follows an individualised curriculum which caters to their strengths and weaknesses.

Montessori is internationally recognised and develops the out of the box thinking that is so coveted in today’s world. 

The teaching style of Dr. Maria Montessori is meant to spark creativity, initiative, and self-confidence in children.  With that in mind, it is no wonder that there are so many notable former Montessori students.  Below is a list of just a few Montessori students you may have heard of.

• Larry Page and Sergey Brin, founders of Google
• Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, former First Lady
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize-winning novelist
• Anne Frank, famous child diarist from World War II
• Prince William and Prince Harry, sons of Charles, Prince of Wales
• Melissa and Sarah Gilbert, actresses
• Sean Combs, famous rapper
• Julia Child, first TV chef
• Helen Hunt, Academy Award winning actress
• George Clooney, Academy Award winning actor
• David Blaine, magician (also sent his children to a Montessori school)
• Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill & Hillary Clinton
• Dakota Fanning, Academy Award nominated actress