There is a girl I pass most mornings at school. She makes eye contact and says hello, she will often ask about Caspar or tell me something short about her day before running off to class. Can you guess how old she is? Seven! She is seven and has exceptional social skills. Why is this do you think? Because she is an exceptional child or because she is a Montessori child?
It could be a bit of both but it really gets me thinking. Are Montessori children exceptional? My answer is a resounding no. Montessori children are not exceptional. They are regular, everyday children who have the opportunity to live to their potential.
"These are not exceptional children in a Montessori class; they are just socially well-equipped. They know how to do the right thing in most circumstances and reap rich rewards because of it. Their self-esteem grows and adults respond warmly to their polite, caring ways." - Susan Sanders at Metamorphosis Montessori.
Have you ever walked into a Montessori classroom and found the children working diligently, engrossed in their work? It's easy to think these are particularly smart, quiet or well behaved children. Friends have mentioned that Montessori wouldn't suit their loud, robust or even inquisitive child. Thinking that it takes the opposite for Montessori to work. The article Every Child Has Exceptional Potential tackles this exact issue.
"So, be assured, it’s not that Montessori only works with exceptional children. Rather, from our point of view, every child is blessed with exceptional potential, your child included.” - Peter Davidson at MariaMontessori.com.
