Montessori Schools Prepare Children for Elementary School

How to choose the best school for your children before they reach school age

SAN DIEGO - Californer -- How do parents choose the best option to prepare children for elementary school? "I think the most important question for parents considering elementary school options concerns whether their child will get a well-rounded education to succeed in the business world of tomorrow," says Kelly McFarland, M.Ed., Director of La Jolla Montessori School.

"Via the Montessori Method, children discover 'I learned it myself' and that I can figure it out myself," McFarland says. "When they learn it, they own it; we didn't give it to them.

This is how Montessori's individualized learning lets children think for themselves. Children don't need the rigidity of a teacher telling them what to do. They're focused on learning how to do a task—not focused on someone making us memorize the answer without understanding how and why.

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What Business Leaders Say

Three problems that execs see with today's young adults are:

• They don't know how to think for themselves
• They have a hard time making the leap from school to the workplace because of what--and how--their school taught them
• They are non-communicative because they lack social skills.

"In Montessori, we give children freedom," McFarland says. "Public schools expect all students to be at a certain place at the end of each term. We let children learn art, creativity, writing, spelling and subsequent leadership traits at their own pace. We start this when they're toddlers and through primary and kindergarten at our preschool in La Jolla. This is how we prepare them for elementary school learning."

The Montessori Difference: Preparing Children For The Future

Parents want a 'whole child' who develops across academic, cultural, personal and social levels. We want them to display broad-based skills like communication, ability to handle conflict, and show compassion, leadership and self-motivation.

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Yes, employers want kids with strong STEM skills. But, they want employees who are well rounded in many arenas—not just academics. How many whiz kids do you know who are lacking social skills?

"At La Jolla Montessori School, we teach a methodical approach from Day One that focuses upon all the aspects of a child's education and growth," McFarland says.

"Education is an annuity that pays big dividends for kids who are more than the sum of their test scores and class rank. An early Montessori education will prepare children for elementary school and is an investment in the whole child."

Kelly McFarland, M.Ed., is the Director of La Jolla Montessori School, located at 8745 La Jolla Scenic Drive North. Visit https://lajollamontessorischool.com/book-a-tour/ or, call them at (858) 999-0364.