For children, Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. They are not required to sit and listen to a teacher talk to them as a group, but are engaged in individual or group activities of their own, with materials that have been introduced to them 1:1 by the teacher who knows what each child is ready to do. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning. There is no limit to what they create in this kind of intelligently guided freedom. There are no text books or adult-directed group lessons or daily schedule. There is great respect for the choices of the children, but they easily keep up with or surpass what they would be doing in a more traditional setting. There is no wasted time and children enjoy their work and study. The children ask each other for lessons and much of the learning comes from sharing and inspiring each other instead of competing.

Multi-age classrooms afford us the unique opportunity to adapt the curriculum to the individual child. Each child can work at his or her own pace while remaining in the community with his or her peers. In addition, the multi-age format allows the older child to be a leader of the classroom community, even the child who may be shy or quiet.

Montessori is designed to help all children reach their fullest potential at their own unique pace. A classroom whose children have varying abilities is a community in which everyone learns from one another and everyone contributes. Moreover, multi-age groupings allow each child to find his or her own pace without feeling “ahead” or “behind” in relation to peers.

Dr. Montessori founded the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) in 1929 to preserve her legacy. AMI ensures that Montessori schools and teachers are both well-grounded in the basic principles of the method and ready to carry those principles forward in the modern educational world. Since then, the American Montessori Society (AMS) and International Montessori Council (IMC) provide accreditation services, too.  Within the State of MI, we have the Michigan Montessori Society, which provides Professional Development opportunities and affiliation services to member schools. Montessori Center of Our Lady prides itself on remaining authentic to Dr. Maria Montessori's educational approach in concert with our faith-based values. A winning combination!

Montessori schools may be best known for their programs with young children, but the underlying educational method describes programs for students up through high school.

Montessori children are free to choose within limits and have only as much freedom as they can handle with appropriate responsibility. The classroom teacher and assistant ensure that children do not interfere with each other and that each child is progressing at her appropriate pace in all subjects.

The different arrangement of a Montessori classroom mirrors the Montessori method's differences from traditional education. Rather than putting the teacher at the focal point of the class, with children dependent on her for information and activity, the classroom shows a literally child-centered approach. Children work at tables or on floor mats where they can spread out their materials, and the teacher circulates about the room, giving lessons or resolving issues as they arise.

The unique arrangement of a Montessori classroom mirrors the Montessori method's differences from traditional education. Montessori classrooms encourage deep learning of the concepts behind academic skills rather than rote practice of abstract techniques. Our students' success appears in the experiences of our alumni, who compete successfully with traditionally educated students in a variety of high schools and universities.

Montessori classrooms emphasize competition with oneself: self-monitoring, self-correction, and a variety of other executive skills aimed at continuous improvement. Students typically become comfortable with their strengths and learn how to address their weaknesses. In older classes, students commonly participate in competitive activities with clear “winners” (auditions for limited opera roles, the annual spelling bee, etc.) in which students give their best performances while simultaneously encouraging peers to do the same. It is a healthy competition in which all contenders are content that they did their best in an environment with clear and consistent rules.

As a Felician-Sponsored ministry, we have the opportunity to introduce students to Catholic values in a way that respects their age and family.   Students experience hands-on object-based lessons that follow a Christian calendar, celebrate religious holidays, and learn stories from the Bible.  Our long-range goal is for our students to leave us with the knowledge that God is with them wherever they may be in the world.  Their faith is not dependent on a particular person or building; instead, it is within them every minute of every day.