The Montessori School of Westminster
Preschool in Westminster, MD 21158
The Montessori School of Westminster offers local children an opportunity to learn in an environment that encourages them to discover the world through multi-sensorial exploration. It is based upon the teachings and discoveries of Dr. Maria Montessori and the belief that children, if given freedom and guidance in surroundings that are safe, orderly and within reach, will seek knowledge and learn while building self-reliance and discipline.
The Montessori School of Westminster is located in the beautiful rolling hills of Carroll County, Maryland. Sitting atop Montessori Drive, just outside the city limits of Westminster, Maryland, the school is housed in a 14,000 square foot facility that includes three Primary classrooms, three Elementary classrooms, a Middle School classroom, library, conference room, and administrative offices. An additional 3,200 square foot building known as the Utz Field House provides space for indoor physical education during inclement weather. The school facilities are surrounded by farmland, wooded areas (with a cleared and maintained nature trail) and each educational level enjoys its own outdoor activity/play yard.
The non-profit, parent-run school opened its doors in 1974. It was created by the Montessori Society of Westminster, a group of dedicated parents and interested citizens who had done extensive research on schools and chose the Montessori Method as the ideal learning style for their children. Initially, the Montessori School of Westminster consisted of one Beginnings, two classes of Primary instruction for children ages 3, 4, and 5, four Elementary and one Middle School. The total student population was 42. Since that time, the school has been managed by a Board and operated continuously in the central region of Carroll County. The school founded its own campus in 2001 on 27 acres and has over 100 students from age 2 to 15.
Since its beginning, the Montessori School of Westminster has been preparing students for further education in both traditional and non-traditional environments. Many students proceed on to the best private schools the Baltimore Washington region has to offer and then on to their chosen advanced education opportunity. Many other students transition into the public school system with the self-confidence that only a Montessori educated child can truly appreciate. In nearly all circumstances, a student launched here at the Montessori School of Westminster is a student who continues to seek knowledge through exploration and investigation now and for the rest of their lives.
- Child Ages:
- 2 years - 15 years
- Licenses & Accreditations:
- Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development - AIMS Accredited
- Preschool:
- Yes
- Children per Teacher:
- Infant: -/-, Toddler: -/-, Pre k: 8/1, Afterschool: -/-
- Hours of Operation:
- Monday to Friday 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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An Italian physician dedicated to working with young children, Maria Montessori developed a method for teaching children that focuses on the childs learning as opposed to the teachers teaching. Developed to emphasize initiative and self-reliance, the Montessori Method guides children through a series of learning tools and techniques in a disciplined environment. Introduced in Rome in 1907, Montessoris method has spread throughout the world with each generation of learners. This tremendous growth and worldwide embrace demonstrates the effectiveness of a true, hands-on experience.
The founding concept in the Montessori philosophy of education is that every child carries unseen within him the man he will become. To develop his physical, intellectual and spiritual powers to their fullest potential, he must have the freedom to explore the world around him with guidance in an orderly, disciplined environment. The world of a child is full of sights and sounds that at first appear chaotic. From this chaos, the child must gradually create order for himself and learn to distinguish among the impressions that assail his senses. As this occurs, a child in a Montessori classroom will gain mastery not only of himself, but of his environment as well.
Why? is the natural question of a child. Why does the shape of this block fit with the others? Why is the water warm or cool? Why are there bubbles? A Montessori setting provides an environment where these and many other questions can be explored not only by sight and sound, but by the touch of a childs eager hand. The classroom, for a child, is an entire world rich for the senses and all completely within reach.
Dr. Montessori recognized that the only truly valid impulse to learning is the self-motivation of the child. Children, if given the opportunity, will automatically seek knowledge and navigate learning at their own pace. Often times, and specifically for those topics that are naturally intuitive for the child, this pace can be far accelerated over that of a traditional classroom. A Montessori teacher called a Director or Directress prepares the environment, programs the activity, functions as the reference person and exemplar and offers the child the stimulation necessary; but it is the child who learns. The child is motivated to learn from the tools and the work itself not solely by the teachers personality or teaching practices. Because this process is natural, the child will persist in his chosen task and seek additional knowledge as he masters the task at hand.
It is said that a Montessori child is free to learn. This is true because a child taught in a Montessori environment has acquired an inner discipline from exposure to the physical and mental order of a Montessori classroom. This belief is a core of Dr. Montessoris educational philosophy; patterns of concentration, perseverance and thoroughness, nurtured in early childhood help children to observe, think and judge. A Montessori education prepares children to rely on themselves as they journey through life. A Montessori classroom introduces children to the joy and satisfaction of learning and provides a framework in which intellectual and social discipline go hand in hand.
