The Montessori School’s mission is to inspire children to love learning, create, and make the world a better place.

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History

Since 1972, The Montessori School has served Southwest Michigan as a non-profit, private education institution for children ages 3–12. Pam Boudreau founded The Montessori School in the basement of Bethany Reformed Church on Burdick St. when her daughter was just three months old. Today we have an entire campus comprised of two buildings in the heart of Kalamazoo, one designated for our Primary program and the other for our Elementary program, surrounded by four outdoor properties: the pond, the hill, the Primary outdoor learning environment and the Elementary outdoor learning environment. Our highly trained, credentialed teachers nurture and cultivate each child’s curiosity while providing a strong foundation for continued academic success and holistic development. 

We strive to educate the whole child and to inspire children to be caring, socially responsible participants in their community and world. Our carefully prepared classrooms are staffed with highly qualified, Montessori-certified head teachers and specially trained staff. Multi-age classrooms allow the children to learn from one another and to be valued contributors to the classroom community. ​
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We believe that the pedagogical principles and practices developed by Dr. Maria Montessori fundamentally respond to the developmental characteristics and needs of children. We seek to utilize her educational principles and methodologies in all of the programs offered at The Montessori School.
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• We believe that all children deserve to develop in an environment that is nurturing, safe and intelligent.
• We believe that families are the principle influence in a child's life. The school provides a secondary supportive role to the home. It is a tandem cooperative relationship between home and school which best serves the child.
• We believe that the model of our own behavior serves as the most distinct teacher to the child.
• We believe that every member of our community has a fundamental right to be treated with respect regardless of age, gender, gender identity, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, race or disability. 
• We believe that the development of whole, healthy individuals requires that our many dimensions be nurtured, including the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social and emotional.
• We center the programs and curriculum of The Montessori School on the natural needs of human development.
• We describe the learning environment of The Montessori School as active as opposed to passive. The environment is dynamic, with children functioning as active agents in the learning process by making choices and learning to be responsible for those choices.
• We believe that the School has a responsibility to prepare its students for life, balancing academic excellence with the development of personal, social and practical life skills.
• We believe that the first six years of life are critical to the development of one's life.
• We offer a flexible learning environment that responds to individual needs, has an adaptable curriculum, and honors diverse learning styles.
• We strive to create a true balance among freedom, order and responsibility in each classroom.
• We believe that children can learn constructive modes of problem-solving and conflict resolution, thereby creating a more peaceful learning and living environment.
• We believe that we are intimately interdependent with other life forms on this planet. As educators, it is our responsibility to foster knowledge of, interest in and responsibility for the natural world we inhabit.
• We believe in the fullness of life and the value of a diverse community, which promotes an understanding and acceptance of all peoples.
• We believe that all forms of expression and communication should be nurtured. Art, music, literature, drama and other forms are fundamental modes of expression for the human spirit.
• We believe that we are a dynamic member of our community. We nurture and promote “outreach” activities that involve the children in community improvement projects.  

Philosophy

The Montessori education philosophy is based on the research of Dr. Maria Montessori – an Italian physician and educator. At its heart, the Montessori method emphasizes independence, freedom within limits, and a respect for the child. Classroom spaces are purposefully designed and materials carefully curated in pursuit of an educational partnership. Dr. Montessori believed that the goal of the educational process was to cultivate a child’s natural desire to learn.

The teacher (Lead Guide) carefully prepares the classroom environment and directs the activity of the classroom, but it is the child who learns. Dr. Montessori observed that children are motivated through the work itself and that children, like adults, learn best by doing rather than by being filled with facts. Concentration, determination, and purpose established in early childhood lead to confident, successful learning later in life. At The Montessori School, children learn how to observe, think, and evaluate and experience the joy of learning. The Montessori approach is not a tweaking of traditional models of education, it is a completely different way of learning and teaching designed to prepare children for success in an increasingly complex world.

Learn more about Montessori terminology here.

The experience and training of a Montessori teacher is integral to the Montessori method. All of The Montessori School’s Head Teachers have completed extensive Montessori teacher training with either the American Montessori Society (AMS) or Association Montessori International (AMI) in additional to their bachelor’s or master’s degrees. All of our Head Teachers also maintain active memberships with the AMS, AMI, and the Michigan Montessori Society (MMS).