The Montessori School of Baton Rouge is seeing an increase in interest from local parents as more people learn about its philosophy and approach to education.
The school, which opened in 1966, currently has 80 students enrolled and offers classes through kindergarten. Molly Williams, the school's director, said she hopes to grow that number in future years.
"We have people who call us every day who are trying to get a spot. We hope we can eventually expand to accommodate more families," Williams said. "There's been a lot of momentum across the country in the last few years as more research has shown that a Montessori education benefits all children. It closes the income achievement gap and levels the playing field. I think as more people become aware of that, the interest will only continue to grow."
The Montessori School of Baton Rouge is not faith-based, which has also proven to be attractive to many families.
"Everyone is welcome, and we value cultural and religious diversity," Williams said.
The Montessori School of Baton Rouge is based on the philosophy and curriculum of Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. Specific educational practices found in all Montessori programs include multi-age groupings, a focus on global education, careful design of the teaching/learning environment and classroom materials, as well as specially trained teachers.
"Montessori education has freedom within structure. Children are given parameters and have choices within those parameters," Williams explained. "In our classrooms, we say we have joyful learning. We also emphasize that we are working in the classroom and playing outside. The objects in the classroom are not toys. Children are taught how to use those materials in the way they are intended, with a direct learning objective. It's a very scientific approach that began centuries ago with Dr. Montessori and continues in schools around the world today."
Another core tenant of Montessori education is the use of mixed age group settings, where children learn from one another, gain autonomy and develop positive self-esteem. Because The Montessori School of Baton Rouge boasts a culturally diverse student body, the model also helps prepare children to appreciate and understand diversity within society, including among people of different age ranges.
"For example, our toddler program has children from 18 months to three years old, and children ages three to six are in our primary program," Williams said. "We've seen how younger children can learn from older ones. It also helps older children who may be learning at a different pace. They don't feel a sense of shame because they are working at a different level."
The mixed-age groupings also allow The Montessori School of Baton Rouge to embrace other Montessori philosophies - that learning about oneself is a part of learning about others, that learning is not about winning or competition, and that growth occurs in a non-judgmental community where freedom for the individual is balanced with the needs of the group.
"Children who attend our school grow to love learning. They learn to respect themselves, others and the environment," Williams said. "In addition to the academic education, our students also learn life skills such as executive functioning, problem solving and critical thinking. We find that they integrate seamlessly into other educational settings, including magnet, private and charter schools, once they complete our program."
Williams said that any parents interested in touring The Montessori School of Baton Rouge can email msbrinfo@montessoribr.org to schedule a visit. They are encouraged to come during the uninterrupted morning work cycle, another key tenant of the school's education.
The Montessori School of Baton Rouge is located at 8227 Wimbledon Avenue. Visit www.montessoribr.org to learn more.
Montessori School of Baton Rouge admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the organization. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other organization-administered programs.