The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes independence and it views children as naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a sufficiently supportive and well-prepared learning environment. It discourages some conventional measures of achievement, such as grades and tests.
Traditional Montessori educational materials on display at the exhibition "Designed for children" at Triennale di Milano, Milan
Children working with a moveable alphabet at a Montessori school
The Scarborough School at the Edward Harden Mansion in Sleepy Hollow, New York, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the site of the first American Montessori school in 1911
A Montessori classroom in the United States
Education is the transmission of knowledge, skills, and character traits and manifests in various forms. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education also follows a structured approach but occurs outside the formal schooling system, while informal education entails unstructured learning through daily experiences. Formal and non-formal education are categorized into levels, including early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, and tertiary education. Other classifications focus on teaching methods, such as teacher-centered and student-centered education, and on subjects, such as science education, language education, and physical education. Additionally, the term "education" can denote the mental states and qualities of educated individuals and the academic field studying educational phenomena.
Children in a Japanese kindergarten
Primary school classroom in Ethiopia
A high school senior (twelfth grade) classroom in the United States
Students in a laboratory at Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Russia