Choose a Montessori School Without Trusting the Sign
Montessori is not a trademarked term, so any school can use the name whether or not it follows the method. This covers how to actually tell the difference, plus what changes between nursery, preschool, elementary, and high school.
Teacher training and credentials are covered here too, alongside choosing a school for your own child.
How to Actually Evaluate One
- Ask to observe a full, uninterrupted work cycle, not a scheduled tour
- Check whether materials look used, not staged
- Ask staff about AMI or AMS credentials directly
- Notice whether children are choosing their own work
The Name Is Not a Guarantee
A website with the right vocabulary tells you almost nothing. A short visit, watching what children are actually doing without an adult directing every minute, tells you more than a prospectus ever will.
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