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. ​

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).