Simply put, no, that is not true.

The Montessori environment is prepared specifically to allow children to exercise what is called “freedom within limits”. This means that the classroom is set up to allow children to explore works they have been given lessons on. How far they explore the work is up to them, and the guide (teacher) encourages self-discovery.

This does not mean they run about with no boundaries. There are classroom guidelines as to how to handle and care for each component of the room, and guides help children choose appropriate works while providing them with the means to truly dig into what they’re interested in. Balance is maintained by the guide in a way that is respectful of the child so that they are still meeting (and usually exceeding) age-appropriate requirements. This helps the child maintain a love of learning while being exposed to an incredible amount of different materials!

The Montessori teacher is called a Guide because they guide the classroom activity.

They carefully plan the environment in the interest of the children and help them progress from one activity to the next. The guide is trained to work with each child individually, allowing them to choose from many activities within their range of ability. Guides stand back while a child is working and allow the children the satisfaction of their own discovery.

No. While some schools do affiliate with religious organizations, Montessori is not itself a religious program.

Stepping Stones Montessori is a non-religious school.

The main purpose of the Montessori method is to develop an environment where children can unfold spontaneously and manifest the greater person within. The Montessori Guide studies the developing life and how to best aid children in that development. It is a preparation for a lifetime of learning.

There are specific guidelines for each material and activity within the classroom, and while children gain a sense of security from these instructions, they are also encouraged to take each bit of learning further than what is specified in those guidelines! They are welcome to explore, especially while they are in what are known as ‘sensitive periods’, which are times of piqued interest in specific areas. Again, “freedom within limits” is crucial to the balance of a child’s development!

Children who have been in a Montessori environment are generally very flexible and adjust quite easily to a traditional school situation. Their growing independence and enthusiasm for learning often lead them to approach their studies with greater focus and purpose. Because they take an active role in their own learning, many students develop confidence, curiosity, and habits that support both academic growth and productive use of their time.

Rather than being directed by adults, the children guide their socialization through their own choices to interact, collaborate, and participate in the classroom community. Their social interactions develop naturally as a child chooses to work and engage with their peers.

In the classroom, you will notice the children interacting continuously, choosing to work on projects together. Older children help younger ones with their work, which helps to reinforce what they have already learned from that work. Each day, there is a large group activity, small group lessons, and outside play.

Montessori schools teach the same basic skills as traditional schools and offer a rigorous academic program. Most of the subject areas are familiar, such as math, science, history, geography, and language. Unlike traditional schools, these subjects are presented through an integrated approach that weaves separate strands of the curriculum together.

For example, while studying a map of Africa, students may explore the art, history, and inventions of several African nations. This may lead them to examine ancient Egypt, including hieroglyphs and their place in the history of writing. And the study of the pyramids is a natural bridge to geometry!

This approach to curriculum demonstrates the interrelatedness of all things. It also allows students to become thoroughly immersed in a topic and to give their curiosity full rein.

Dr. Maria Montessori.

Over one hundred years ago, Dr. Maria Montessori, Italy’s first female physician, used her skills of scientific observation while leading children in the Casa de Bambini de Roma. Based on her unbiased observations, she developed unique materials, a child-centered environment, and revolutionized educational thought by stressing respect for the child, freedom of expression, self-education, and training through the use of movement and the senses.

The enrollment process follows these steps:

1. Schedule a tour with us so that you can see how our school is set up and what time in the classroom looks like.
   • Tours are offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings, between 9 am and 11 am.
   • Tours are about 30 – 40 minutes long.
2. After the tour, you will be sent an email with a link to our application. Submit the form online, along with the application fee.
3. Once your application has been reviewed, we’ll reach out to you with the enrollment decision.
   • If accepted, you will be sent an enrollment contract.
4. Complete and return the enrollment contract. Once we receive your contract, we will send you an invoice for the enrollment fee. Once the enrollment fee is paid, your child’s spot is reserved.

After your spot is secured, we’ll work with you to determine the most appropriate start date, including options for students beginning after the start of the school year.

Our programs run from late August to early June and follow a typical school-year schedule with breaks for Spring Break, Winter Break, Etc. We do offer a summer camp, which is available only to families enrolled in the previous school year, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yes! Siblings of already enrolled students do get priority in placement

Our applicant pool is not first-come, first-served.

We select families based on things like schedule requests, commitment to Montessori, etc. Our staffing is set up in such a way that some assistants are half-day, and so, to stay within licensing ratios, we must consider how many base and full-day program children we are able to take.

Music with Ms. Dianne is held on different days throughout the week for all students. Art with Ms. Wendy and Nature Discovery with Mr. Jim are specific to children who are in our Elder program (Kindergarten) and Elementary. Elementary enjoys Maker’s Time and Outdoor Games on Fridays.

It should be noted, however, that music, art, and nature are huge and essential pieces of the casa at every age, every day! We designate time for the older children as enrichment pieces, but all children engage in these areas daily in multiple facets. You will find art, music, and nature throughout our casas (classrooms)!

Volunteer hours are a way to ensure our school community stays healthy and strong.

16 hours are required of each enrolling family, which can be completed throughout the school year through various tasks such as, but not limited to, buying snacks for your child’s class, doing classroom laundry, providing materials like playdough and flowers, assisting in various school events, helping with coordinated efforts like fundraising, etc.

If hours are not completed, a fee is assessed per the Parent Handbook, which can be found here.

Financial Aid is income-based and requires the submission of a Financial Aid application and your family’s previous year’s 1040/W-2. Funds may be available from Stepping Stones Montessori to those between 175% and 350% of the poverty guidelines.

Yes. We offer a sibling discount where, after enrolling a second child, the first child’s tuition receives a 10% discount. If a third child is also enrolled, the second child’s tuition also receives a 10% discount, in addition to the first child’s tuition discount.

Please note that to receive the discount, all children must be actively enrolled in/attending our school.

The toddler program runs from ages 18 months-3 years.

We have a base program (8:30 am-12 pm) and a full-day program (8:30 am-3:30 pm).

Please note that we are not like a typical daycare, which has a full-year program. We are a school and operate as such with breaks that coincide with East Lansing’s calendar for things such as Spring Break, Winter Break, etc.

Acceptance into the toddler program comes with the commitment to stay through the Primary program, which includes the Kindergarten year. This is due to the importance of the 3-year cycle in Montessori. 

No, we actively work on toilet learning when children join the program in a way that allows the children to become naturally curious about using the toilet. They will be offered the chance to sit on an appropriately-sized toilet at every diaper change and observe other children who are using the toilet. We also do standing diaper changes to encourage this transition of taking off and pulling up pants as one would do when toileting.

No.

The toddler program is considered an extension of our school and the precursor to Primary. As such, our toddler program does not function as a typical daycare would. There are set start and dismissal times instead of open drop-off and a commitment to staying through our primary program, as mentioned above.

A child needs to be 18 months old, walking steadily, and down to one afternoon nap to join our toddler program.

Yes, our Toddler Program is also part of our greater school program. It is not a daycare. Our toddler program follows the same break schedule as the rest of the school and has snow days when the rest of the school has them.

In most preschools, a teacher instructs the children on educational concepts in a group, with times set aside for specific events. In a Montessori Primary School, the children learn concepts spontaneously as they work independently with the many materials in the environment.

The primary program runs from ages 3 – 6 years.

We have a base program (8:30 am-12 pm) and a full-day program (8:30 am-3:30 pm) for the 3 and 5-year-olds. Our elder program is full-day. The primary program does have before and aftercare during the school year as well.

Please note that we are not like a typical daycare, which has a full-year program. We are a school and operate as such with breaks that coincide with East Lansing’s calendar for things such as Spring Break, Winter Break, etc.

Acceptance into the primary program comes with the commitment to stay through the Primary program, which includes the Kindergarten year. This is due to the importance of the 3-year cycle in Montessori.

Yes, children must be toilet learned to join the primary program.

We do understand and assist with any accidents, so be sure to send extra changes of labeled clothing for your primary student!

The first two years of the primary cycle are spent building all the foundations needed for children’s Elder (or Kindergarten) year when all of the lessons they’ve learned previously come together, so to speak.

Each primary student looks forward to the Elder year as it means increased leadership, responsibility, and experiences within the casa! Elders take on a role of leadership in helping younger students with lessons, taking on classroom jobs, taking part in reading buddies with elementary students, and enrichment programs like Art and Nature Discovery classes in the afternoons!

Elder year is the unifying piece of this three-year cycle and what the previous years build up to, which is why we require children to stay.

The Elder year is the culmination of the last two years of primary a child has built upon. Elder year is the time when a student achieves full mastery of the materials and lessons and begins to take on leadership roles in the classroom, including helping the younger children and really solidifying this knowledge. There is no better teacher than giving a lesson on the material! This prepares them for the years ahead.

If your student has been enrolled in our school, they will go through a great deal of preparation throughout their time with us to make sure they’re ready for elementary.

Taking a child into our elementary program who has not been at our school previously requires a one-on-one conversation with our Head of School and Elementary Guides. Special consideration needs to be given to parenting philosophies, prior Montessori education, any additional needs to help the child acclimate and succeed.

Yes. Although testing is absolutely minimal in Montessori and used more as a way for guides to gauge understanding than for grading, there are certain state tests like M-STEP that students must take. Please note that our students tend to score higher than average in the assessed categories on these tests.

Absolutely! Guides work with students throughout the Montessori program to ensure they are properly prepared for public school.

Students learn important skills from self-guided time management, task prioritization, and effective application of academic concepts, to retention of a natural passion for learning, which we find that students in a traditional public setting may not be encouraged to keep. We have an amazing set of alumni students who have succeeded in a variety of settings in the classroom and beyond!

No.

There is a strong body of research that points to homework doing very little to assist children in their learning. It is far more important that children have time after school to spend time with family, in nature, and learning about their culture. Cooking dinner, taking part in family activities, and enjoying bonds with siblings are all examples of the greatest learning tools available to children!