Our Montessori Method

Maria Montessori developed her teaching philosophy in the early 20th century while observing and working with impoverished children. She broke from the traditional adult-centered classroom by proposing that if given the proper environment, children will gravitate to what they need and want and thus learn more effectively. This environment is referred to as the PPREPARED ENVIRONMENT. A carefully prepared environment is designed to facilitate the development of a child's independence thus giving him or her a sense of empowerment.

One concern parents can have about the Montessori method is that it is too structured leaving no room for imagination or creativity. While that can be true, the complete opposite can also be true. Cedar Creek fits somewhere in the middle. We understand that we are a long way from the impoverished classrooms of the early 20th century but we also recognize that some things about children don't change. We do have structure and we do have rules but we also encourage exploration and curiosity. We adhere to the basics of the Montessori philosophy including respect for the child and education of the whole child—learning one's numbers is just as important as learning to wait one's turn or learning slide down the pole. Our goal is to make your child's stay at Cedar Creek one that will inspire learning as well as inspire friendships—not only among the kids but whole families as well. It is truly a community of families.