School

Butler School is a Montessori school which embodies the educational principles established by Dr. Maria Montessori through her scientific observation of how children develop and learn. The Montessori approach offers education as an “aid to life,” assisting children in constructing themselves as they develop from three year-olds to mature adolescents through a series of developmental stages. The Montessori classroom and curriculum are designed to meet the specific needs of each developmental stage. Organized in mixed age groupings, students are provided the opportunity to engage in purposeful and meaningful activities under the direction of an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) trained adult.

All children have an inherent love of learning and joy in discovery. These innate tendencies are given direction by the hands-on materials and the teacher so that children develop knowledge, concentration, motivation, persistence and discipline. All work is done at the pace of the individual child.

Respect is the basis for all behavior in a Montessori classroom. Respect for the child, the adult, one’s self, and the physical environment permeate all that is important in formal and informal lessons and interactions. The mixed age groupings of each classroom allow for both individual and social development. The community of the classroom provides a safe and secure place for children to develop self-esteem and confidence, while they learn to be responsible and caring members of a society. The Montessori curriculum ties separate disciplines together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature and the human experience. Literature, the arts, history, social issues, mathematics and science are all components of the Montessori curriculum. The curriculum is entirely open-ended, with limitless possibilities of study.