Reconceptualised for our place and time and a proven success at giving children a great educational advantage.
It’s not about ‘teaching skills’. The emphasis is on creating children who believe in themselves as learners, who are interested, curious, and engaged.
The underlying principles of Montessori include respect, independence, taking responsibility.
This means that we are often asked to host visiting teachers – both New Zealand and international study groups. Preparations for visitors and their feedback form part of our own professional learning. Teachers present their work at conferences and workshops and have released several publications about their work with children.
The work we engage in with academic researchers leads to changing, positive outcomes for children.
The added dimension at Helensville Montessori, of great interest to our visitors and researchers, is inspired by current educational theory and comes from the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The concept is that children will learn best with and alongside their peers and when they are engaged in projects of their own choosing. This “project approach” fits comfortably alongside our Montessori Curriculum and has resulted in some truly inspirational work with children. Examples of recent work have been community and relationships, gardening and sustainability, music, dance, and drama.
We understand that children make a valued contribution to society as the children they are, as well as the citizens they will become.
We support children to engage with their community – the township of Helensville. This is where they learn about how we live life.
