What is The Oval Montessori Nursery in London?
A Montessori nursery follows the philosophies and teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori. It is designed to take advantage of the sensitive years between the ages of three and five when the child is most able to absorb information from his environment.
Very early learning or 'hot-housing' is neither the norm nor the objective in Montessori education. The Montessori ideal is only that learning should occur naturally and at the proper moment for each child.
"It is true, we cannot make a genius. We can only give each individual the chance to fulfill his potential possibilities." - Dr. Montessori
Who was Dr. Montessori?
Dr. Maria Montessori was the first woman to receive a medical degree in Italy. She later became a world-renowned educator. Born in 1870, she devoted her life to the study and education of young children
Today, in Montessori schools all over the world, her teachings still lead the way for those of us who believe in the overwhelming influence of the first six years of life.
Montessori compared to traditional:
Although there are many high-quality nurseries where creative daily programmes are followed, most do not follow a single philosophy of child development as does The Oval Montessori Nursery. The Montessori method is a completely integrated approach to childhood education and child care based on a single individual's life work. Dr. Montessori's incredible insight and her scientific observations of children's development have proven accurate many times over, all around the world
The 'secret' lies in the way the children are respected and the way their inner needs are met through a carefully prepared environment. The class is child-centered and not adult-centered, however, the adult/teacher plays a very important role in both preparing the classroom and guiding the children within that environment
A Montessori nursery is often quieter and calmer than a traditional nursery environment and we often get comments from visitors that the children are very well-behaved! They ask us if we ever have discipline problems. Discipline usually comes from the child as self-discipline, which is learned in the Montessori environment through the use of the wonderful activities available every day. Re-direction to purposeful activity that meets a need of that child and inspires them to intense concentration, virtually eliminating the need for outward discipline
Our nursery is full of happy children who are doing the activities that they want to do - activities that have been observed for more than 100 years as the things that all children like to do. Activities that help children grow, mature and become active participants in life
