Turtle River Montessori prides itself on our high standards in “whole education,” utilizing Montessori’s belief that teaching philosophies and practices should be learner focused and address broader frameworks such as peace and environmental education. This approach encourages children to think and discover for themselves. It reaches beyond basic academic achievement to influence “the whole child.”

Montessori education was founded in 1907 by Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to become a physician. She based her educational methods on scientific observation of children’s learning processes. Guided by her discovery that children teach themselves, Dr. Montessori designed a “prepared environment” in which children could freely choose from a number of developmentally appropriate activities. Nearly a century after Maria Montessori’s first Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House) opened in Rome, Montessori education is found all over the world, spanning ages from birth to adolescence.

The Montessori Method is based on the insights of Dr. Montessori, who believed that no human being is educated by another person. A child must do it himself, or it will never be done. A truly educated individual continues learning long after the hours and years he spends in the classroom because he is motivated from within by a natural curiosity and love for knowledge. Dr. Montessori felt, therefore, that the goal of early childhood education should not be to fill the child with facts from a pre-selected course of studies, but rather to cultivate his own natural desire to learn. Because the learning process is hands-on, fun and individualized, with loving guidance from teachers and role-modeling by older children, students develop self-esteem, self-control, self-motivation, self-organization and a genuine long lasting love of learning during their growth in a Montessori school.

“Teach by teaching, not by correcting.” There are no papers turned back with red marks and corrections. Instead the child’s effort and work is respected as it is. The teacher, through extensive observation and record-keeping, plans individual projects to enable each child to learn what she needs in order to improve. The environment is arranged according to subject area, and children are always free to move around the room instead of staying at desks. There is no limit to how long a child can work with a piece of material. At any one time in a day all subjects—math, language, science, history, geography, art, music, etc.—will be studied, at all levels.

The American Montessori Society’s Affiliation is a voluntary process undertaken by schools that are committed to continuous school improvement. In our pursuit of excellence, we are a member of American Montessori Society, and meet their standards.

Yes, you can use Montessori principles of child development at home. Look at your home through your child’s eyes. Children need a sense of belonging, and they get it by participating fully in the routines of everyday life. “Help me do it by myself” is the life theme of the preschooler. Can you find ways for your child to participate in meal preparation, cleaning, gardening, caring for clothes, shoes, and toys? Providing opportunities for independence is the surest way to build your child’s self-esteem.

At the school level, many homeschoolers and other parents use the Montessori philosophy of following the child’s interests and not interrupting concentration to educate their children. In school, only a trained Montessori teacher can properly implement Montessori education, using the specialized learning equipment of the Montessori “prepared environment.” Here, social development comes from being in a positive and unique environment with other children, which is an integral part of Montessori education.

Research studies show that Montessori children are well prepared for 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. Montessori education typically transitions very well into high school or college settings, which offers challenging programs that keep their interest. Montessori-educated students generally perform better than their peers due to their highly developed maturity, self-responsibility, self-esteem and love of learning.

Did you know?

• The youngest Noble Peace Prize nominee is a Montessori graduate.
• The youngest Rhodes Scholar is a Montessori graduate.
• The youngest artist to exhibit at the United Nations is a Montessori graduate.

Google’s cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin attributed their success to going to a Montessori school where they learned to be self-directed and self-starters. They said that Montessori education allowed them to learn to think for themselves and gave them the freedom to pursue their own interests.

Some other famous Montessori graduates include: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, noted pediatrician and author T. Berry Brazelton, chef Julia Child, actress Dakota Fanning, famous diarist Anne Frank, owner/editor of the Washington Post Katherine Graham, Nobel prize winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, video game pioneer Will Wright, and English royals Prince William and Prince Harry.

“The Montessori educational approach might be the surest route to joining the creative elite, which are so over-represented by the school’s alumni that one might suspect a Montessori Mafia,” writes the Wall Street Journal. The list of Montessori’s famous graduates shows that Montessori Education does exactly what it sets out to do: it doesn’t force children into a mold, it doesn’t work just for one type of child. Instead, when done correctly, Montessori Education helps each child reach their full potential, whether that potential is in art, computers, literature, music, performance, science etc.

A dedicated commitment to the Montessori Method, a clean, modern, attractive facility, a high caliber of teaching staff, a solid sense of direction and mission, and strong support within our community and our student families combine to create the standard of excellence we enjoy. Turtle River is accredited by the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF), involving rigorous evaluation of our methods and the maintenance of high educational, ethical and professional standards in order to provide the best educational experience possible to all students.

We are dedicated to fostering a tight-knit community and encourage parents to participate on various levels. Our belief is that participation enhances the school programs and raises parental commitment to the quality of education, which has created our extended family of students, faculty, parents and alumni. Research has proven that children thrive better in environments where their families are involved. We are committed to educating the parent community in our Montessori philosophy.