Dr. Maria Montessori recognized the importance of “following the child” and many modern experts agree – milestones are important markers of childhood development, but when and how each child gets there will be different. The following are a few ways we assess an individual child’s development.
Daily Reports
For our Infants and Toddlers, parents receive Daily Reports concerning physical well-being and other pertinent information.
Happy Grams
All parents receive weekly Happy Grams via email. It is the perfect way for the teacher(s) to share about the learning in each classroom and acknowledge children’s special efforts.
Student Records
Each student’s individual progress and learning is tracked by his or her teacher. According to the Montessori Method, no one child is compared to another in their learning and development.
Student Work
While some abstract work (coloring, art project, etc.) may come home with a child, the primary source of learning in Montessori for the early child comes from the concrete, sensory experience of working with classroom equipment. As the child develops the fine-motor skills to write and conduct abstract work on a regular basis (during the Primary Program), most of the work they complete is compiled in individual, classroom composition books presented to them at graduation and available for review during conferences.
In regards to abstract work, it is important to remember that young children often express themselves upon their learning. For instance, a child who understands that bears are brown, white, black in color, may choose to color their bear in any other variety of the rainbow. It is a completely natural and very important part of the early child experience to allow the young student to explore and play with knowledge in this way, and as such, teachers do not assess a child’s learning solely or simply based upon how the individual chooses to complete abstract projects.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Each Fall and Spring, parents may choose to attend Parent/Teacher Conferences to discuss student progress, areas of special interest or concern, provide parent education, and set individualized student goals.
Upon request conferences are available to parents at any time during the year.