page_title: Montessori education
section_title: Education practices
hierarchical_section_title: Montessori education / Education practices
caption_attribution_description: English: White Pine Montessori School in Moscow, Idaho, U.S. Русский: Школа Монтессори в Москве (США, штат Айдахо)Español: Montessori School en Moscú, Idaho, EE.UU.
context_page_description: The Montessori Method of Education, developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children. The method views the child as naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It attempts to develop children physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. Montessori's method has been used for over 100 years in many parts of the world.
  Although a range of practices exist under the name "Montessori", the Association Montessori Internationale and the American Montessori Society cite these elements as essential:
  Mixed-age classrooms: classrooms for children ages ​2 ¹⁄₂ or 3 to 6 years old are by far the most common, but 0–3, 6–9, 9–12, 12–15, and 15–18-year-old classrooms exist as well
  Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options
  Uninterrupted blocks of work time, ideally three hours
  A constructivist or "discovery" model, where students learn concepts from working with materials rather than by direct instruction
caption: White Pine Montessori School in Moscow, Idaho, US
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