The Mission of Waco Montessori School

The mission of Waco Montessori School is to educate children in a nurturing, stimulating Montessori environment that appreciates and celebrates each child, encourages respect for oneself and others, and develops life-long learning and problem-solving skills.

At Waco Montessori School…

We believe that learning:

• occurs in an inquisitive, cooperative and nurturing atmosphere
• can be maximized in an environment that fosters physical, intellectual, creative and social independence.
• takes place through the senses. Students learn through manipulating materials and interacting with others. These meaningful experiences are precursors to the abstract understanding of ideas.

We believe that the child:

• must be considered as a whole. The physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, spiritual and cognitive needs and interests are inseparable and equally important.
• can increase knowledge through self- and teacher-initiated experiences which incorporate Montessori’s traditional and whole language methodologies.
• develops most fully in the partnership between teacher and his or her own family.

We believe that the Montessori teacher:

• must be educated in Montessori philosophy and methodology appropriate to the age level he or she is teaching.
• must have the ability and dedication to put key Montessori concepts into practice.

We believe the classroom:

• should consist of multi-aged, multi-level, heterogeneous grouping of students with a combination of individual, small group, and large group learning models.
• must be extended to include a partnership with the family. The family is considered an integral part of the child’s total development.
• is the most effective when it integrates a diverse set of Montessori materials, activities, and experiences.

We believe that the integrated curriculum:

• requires a schedule that includes large blocks of uninterrupted time to establish interdisciplinary connections, to problem-solve, and to create new ideas.