FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is Montessori just for special learners or those with learning difficulties?

Maria Montessori started her research and methods with their childrenexperiencing learning difficulties. Because her methods were so sucessful, they were extended to a wide range of children. The enviroment and methods used in the montessori classroom are designed to ensure the holistic development and sucess of the children.

Do montessori classrooms push children too far?

Central to the montessori philosophy is the idea of allowing each child to develop at her own individual pace. Montessori children who are advanced compared to traditiona; expectations for their age level do not reflect artificial acceleration or pressured instruction, rather they reflect the vast possibilities and potential when children are allowed to learn at their own pace and pursue what is interesting to them during their sensitive periods of learning in a scientifically prepared enviroment.

Is montessori preschool just for children?

Montessori is a philosophy of education thwt starts at birth and continues through adult hood. The majority of the montessori programs offered are preschools (ages 3-6) but there are a growing number of infant and toddler programs as well as 6-9, 9-12 and 12-15 programs

Is montessori out of date ?

Quite the contrary actually, Dr Montessori was a woman ahead of her time and the insights she discovered and observed about children in the early 1900s are just now being confirmed and praised by contemporary research and evaluation. Traditional educators are adopting some of the montessori practices in their everyday curriculum. some adaptations to the original montessori curriculum have been updated to keep it currently relevant but the basic pedagogy has not changed much since Dr Montessori's lifetime because the developmental stages of human have not changed.

Are montessori schools religious?

The montessori philosophy itself is not religiously oriente. Many schools follw the principle of celebrating and learning about any religion from a cultural view point.

AL-ALI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL does not have a religious orientation or denomination and honors and res pects all religions.

What about transition and traditional schools ?

A school enviroment naturally fosters inner discipline, self motivation, love of learning and a sense of order  the skill necessary for sucessful learning. These skills accompany them throughout their academic journey in any enviroment. A child's first educational experiences affects the type of learner they will be throughout their lives. Good communication in transition of a child to any new enviroment is essential, Both parents and a chld's former teacher must help facilitate a transition through realistic communication of a child's development and skills.