Five Principles for Lifetime Learning: Montessori in a Nutshell - The Cleveland Moms

Creative Playrooms Montessori and Child Care Centers

When gifted educators lay a foundation for kids to love learning, it’s both a life-changing and world-changing event that benefits individuals and, ultimately, society at large. That’s why Creative Playrooms Montessori and Child Care Centers focus so deeply on learning and explorationespecially through our play-based, Montessori approach aimed at building up the whole child—physically, emotionally, and cognitively.

As an award-winning childcare provider with 50-plus years of experience and six locations in the greater Cleveland area, Creative Playrooms offers multiple programs for infants through school-age and provides families an additional choice of traditional or Montessori preschools to best meet unique needs.

How is Montessori Different?
Montessori classrooms are categorized by certain differences, all of which are present at Creative Playrooms: Specially credentialled teachers, deep partnerships with families, diverse materials and experiences, and much more. Creative Playrooms adhere to the original concepts of the Montessori method:

  1. Respect for the Child undergirds the entire method, giving students the freedom to make choices, do for themselves, and be treated (and treat others) with respect.
  2. The Absorbent Mind means recognizing that, just through living, children are constantly learning and making sense of the world around them…and it’s our job to facilitate that positively.
  3. Sensitive Periods suggests there are certain timeframes when children are more ready to learn specific skills, and such timing varies from child to child. Teachers must identify such sensitivperiods and provide the resources for children to flourish.
  4. The Prepared Environment puts the onus on teachers to make materials and experiences available to children in an orderly fashion to promote the freedom to explore the items of their choosing, thereby empowering them to do things for themselves.
  5. Auto-Education, also called self-education, simply means the belief that children are capable of educating themselves, especially within a prepared environment with supportive teacher-guides.

In short, Montessori teachers guide versus lecture, encourage students to learn and explore, provide the tools to do so, and model respect.

Your Best Fit

As families weigh which preschool approach best meets their children’s needs, it’s helpful to consider both similarities (the ultimate destination where educated children are well-prepared for life) and differences (the routes to getting there).

Traditional Approach

  • Focused on teacher-based learning
  • Provides a head-start on education, mimicking public school environment
  • Aimed at increasing skills, knowledge, proficiencies

Montessori Approach

  • Focused on child-centered learning
  • Provides a hands-on approach to learning versus a focus on standard classwork
  • Aimed at whole-child development (emotional, physical, intellectual)

Learn more about Creative Playrooms and their offerings:

440-349-9111

creativeplayrooms.com/locations

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