FAQs
Dr. Maria Montessori
What is Montessori?
Montessori education is a method developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, and is based on children’s development: academic and social. The child’s placement is determined by intellectual accomplishment and physical growth. As such, the ages listed below are approximate.
- Primary: Ages three to six
- Elementary: Ages six to twelve
- Intermediate: Ages twelve to fourteen
How long has Butler School existed?
Butler School has served families in Upper Montgomery county since 1970. The school acquired its 22-acre campus, which adjoins Seneca Creek State Park in 1983. The Intermediate Program for young adolescents was opened in 1995.
How do children adjust to a traditional setting upon leaving Butler School?
Butler graduates have chosen a variety of traditional schools, both public and private for their next step. Our graduates report that they are well prepared academically and socially and ready to meet the challenges of day to day life in high school.
We find that the older the student, the easier the transition to a new environment is for them. They are cognitively aware that they are transferring to a different method of education, and that their future opportunities depend, in part, on their performance.
Does Butler School give standardized tests?
Yes, the older Elementary and Intermediate children are tested yearly.
What is your affiliation?
Butler School is proud of its affiliation with the Association Montessori Internationale. AMI was started by Dr. Montessori as a way to insure that teachers are trained in a specific manner and that schools continue to be operated according to her design.
Montessori is not a franchise. Affiliation with AMI assures that a school is operated according to Dr. Montessori’s standard.
Butler School is fully accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education and is a member of the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW).
Where are Butler’s teachers trained?
Each teacher holds a Bachelor’s Degree and an AMI Diploma or Certificate. Training to obtain an AMI Primary or Elementary Montessori Diploma is undertaken at an AMI training center. Many staff members have both certificates. The training is a rigorous, year long course during which each trainee writes his or her personal teaching albums. Intermediate teachers hold a Certificate of Adolescent Studies, from North American Montessori Teacher’s Association (NAMTA). Additionally, a large percentage of our teaching staff hold Masters Degrees.
Butler School admits students of any race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, in administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid program and other school-administered programs.
