Written by
Shefun Jiwani-Ali

Mrs. Shefun Jiwani Ali is the founder and Head Directress of Mosaic Montessori Academy. She has been teaching the Montessori method since 2003, and founded Mosaic Montessori Academy in 2010. Under her guidance, Mosaic Montessori Academy provides educational experiences that are deeply rooted in the Montessori Philosophy.

Mrs. Ali discovered her passion for early childhood education during her time at University. Through her research she learned more about the Montessori method and philosophy. The concepts underpinning the Montessori method resonated strongly with Mrs. Ali.

She completed her degree in education,, and went on to complete her formalized Montessori training at Vancouver Montessori and ECE College. She graduated top of her class, earning valedictorian honors.

A Montessori styled bedroom with a floor bed, small table and chairs, and wooden cabinet, along with other small items.

How to Incorporate Montessori at Home

Getting your children to focus at home can sometimes be challenging. Your child’s development is important, and finding new methods to help that development is essential. Realizing the full potential of your child at home can be difficult—you may need some extra help.

That’s where the Montessori method comes in.

Let’s explore the Montessori method and how you can implement it at home.

What Is the Montessori Method?

The Montessori method is based on the principles of Maria Montessori. Dr. Montessori believed that children have the most absorbent minds from the ages 0 to 6. During this time, their capacity to retain information is at its highest.

The Montessori method is a teaching method that primarily focuses on young children—and is a concept rooted in education that focuses on individualized, environment-centric learning.

Students under the guidance of the Montessori method are encouraged to interact and collaborate with each other to solve problems using critical thinking. This collaboration and problem-solving environment work to promote confidence in their ability to reason and make decisions.

Some key principles of the Montessori method include:

Respect for self, peers, and teachers
Independence
Respect for the environment
Freedom within limits
Self-discipline and self-motivation
Respect for knowledge and the process of acquiring it

The Montessori method is all about building up the confidence and self-esteem of your child. The overall goal is to make your child comfortable with critical thinking, problem-solving, artful expression, and the general exploration of ideas.

According to the Montessori method, there are sensitive periods during your child’s development that allow for their brain to be more receptive when acquiring certain abilities such as:

Language
Movement (coordination, spatial awareness, and motor skills)
Incorporating and refining senses
Manners and etiquette
Reading and math readiness

Children have an absorbent mind, and the Montessori method works to make the most of this crucial time in development.

A young boy uses a Montessori Learning Tower to help his dad put spinach into a colander on the kitchen table.

Incorporating Montessori at Home

There are certain aspects of the Montessori method you can apply at home. The key principles of Montessori can be used to create an environment that fosters continued learning and development.

The Montessori method promotes independence and self-motivation to learn and thrive. Let’s take a look at some steps you can take to incorporate this at home.

Practice Self-Motivation

Children who practice self-motivation learn to work hard even if no reward is offered; this skill will be crucial to your child’s development.

Your child is in the growing stage, and learning to not focus on a reward is crucial to their work ethic and concentration. If you praise your children, it’s best to praise the effort and not the overall outcome.

Give Your Children Space

It can be challenging to take a hands-off approach when it comes to learning and education with your child. But independent learning is a pillar of Montessori to let them play and observe what they accomplish from a distance.

You can learn a lot from sitting back and seeing how your child reacts to creating and organizing independently.

Working Together

When at home, your child will be drawn to you and want to mimic you. Modeling an activity for your children is a great way to promote learning.

Demonstrating a task and inviting your child to work together with you is a great way to build their confidence and familiarity. Once you’ve gotten through the task, allow them to work through it on their own and observe how they react to it.

This method of working together can build great lasting habits.

Don’t Forget About Socializing

The multi-aged classroom atmosphere is an aspect of the Montessori method that separates it from traditional schooling. Preparing your child for this learning style and the different environment allows them to play and socialize with children younger and older than them.

Encouraging socialization with children of different ages can help your child learn to be more inclusive, cooperative, and kind.

One of the great things about the Montessori method is the flexibility and accessibility that translates to home learning.

Moving Forward With Montessori

The younger years for your children are very formative and key to development. The Montessori method is a great way to nurture their creative and inquiring minds and allow you to witness and understand their development.Contact the Mosaic Montessori Academy today to learn more about the Montessori method and discover if it’s right for your child.

Why Choose Montessori?

Bringing Joy into Learning

Our classrooms are prepared with authentic Montessori materials, chosen to foster a culture of independence, critical thinking, artful expression, and respect while inspiring a love of lifelong learning.

Experienced Educators

Our founder, who is a Montessori-trained teacher, warmly welcomed our first students in 2010. Since then, we’ve proudly created an enriching learning environment dedicated to guiding children in Calgary.

A Trailblazing Program

The Montessori Method, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, has pioneered individualized learning, and we are proud to offer an authentic Montessori program.

Bringing Joy into Learning

FAQ

Experienced Educators

Who We Are

A Trailblazing Program

The Montessori Method, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, has pioneered individualized learning, and we are proud to offer an authentic Montessori program.

Montessori Philosophy

Montessori Helps Develop Skills for Life

Collaboration

Independence

Creativity

Critical Thinking

Motor Skills

Respect

Resources & FAQ

Learn More

Montessori Philosophy

Testimonials

My family and I love Mosaic Montessori Academy, and we are so fortunate to have found them!

My son has been in the program since he was almost 3 and will be graduating and going into Grade 1 this year. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this school and [its] teachers.

Being transplants to the City, we struggled with finding a school for my son as he had never previously been in any group school environment with other children. He went from shy and quiet to a bright and curious boy with many friends and a love of reading!

We could not believe the difference being at Mosaic Montessori has made for him and our family. We are so happy here and can’t wait for our younger child to start soon! Thank you, Mosaic!

Some great positives are:

An excellent child-to-teacher ratio (one of the lowest I’ve found in our area)
Loving and wonderful teachers who lavish care and attention on each child.
A welcoming environment (this school is so much like a big family rather than the institutional feel that some of the big preschools have)
The parents at the school are so welcoming and helpful. We even have a WhatsApp group where we coordinate birthday parties and set up playdates!
Engaging Montessori curriculum (a wonderful curriculum of arts, science, math, reading, singing, and life skills). My child is extremely well-rounded for his age. Not only were his academics above average but he also showed all the other wonderful life skills Montessori teaches. This was one of the reasons that he was accepted into a very selective and competitive class for his Grade 1 school. I’m so proud and excited for him!

Daniel H.

My son graduated from Mosaic this June, and even though he has only attended Mosaic Montessori Academy (Royal Oak campus) for 1 year, it has been an amazing year. We chose Mosaic to ensure he had a great foundation before attending public school.

Every day, we find out something new he has learned. At dinner one night, he went over the Canadian anthem, provinces, their capitals, and flags! He really has come out of his shell and become a confident young man!

Thank you to all the staff for everything!

Daniel G.

I am from a smaller town, and so when I realized how much choice was out there for an education in Calgary, it was daunting and stressful! Every parent wants to pick the right option for their child.

Both my children are girls, yet they couldn’t be more different.

I have never regretted or doubted putting my kids in this school; it has been a blessing. They are very organized and consistent. They teach so many things that kids don’t always get in other preschools. Respect for teachers, other students, patience, [and] everyday courtesy, like letting others have a turn to speak or learn to clean up after themselves.

The setup and science behind the Montessori way are incredible. The activities are fun [and] self-directed, with the guidance of a directress. When I’ve observed 27 kids between the ages of 3–5 in a room, I have been shocked with the orderly, content way the children conduct themselves and respect other kids while there.

Their kindergarten year is the leadership year, and your child is shown how to mentor the younger children in the class. Both of my kids are strong leaders because of this program, and it visibly shows.

My younger daughter can have a strong personality at times but is extremely intelligent and thrives in this setting.

She’s recently shown me each province in Canada (that she meticulously punched out of paper using a pin, a popular activity in class), named each capital city for the corresponding province, and each flag too…amazing for a 5-year-old, right?

She’s also excited to learn to read and has had the confidence to read her book in front of the class thanks to their accepting, respectful class atmosphere.

She’s excited to go to school and learn every day, and her directress, Mrs. Maria, has a magic touch with her—and I truly believe she is getting the best education possible.

I would choose this school over and over again. Thank you for caring so much 🙂

Erin R.

Mosaic Montessori Academy is one of the most profound and exceptional schools in Calgary. Their knowledge and quality of teaching, with their supportive learning environment, is absolutely amazing.

I have seen my child develop reading and writing skills that I could not have taught them myself.

The knowledge they have gained in various aspects of real life is amazing. Mosaic Montessori Academy has allowed me to unlock educational opportunities for my children that helped them build a strong foundation for their school years.

Having my kids join Mosaic Montessori is the best decision I have made for my kids. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Ali.

Zahra H.

We can’t speak highly enough about Parkdale Mosaic Montessori Academy.

Over the past two years, we have watched our children thrive under the kind and nurturing care of their teachers, each of whom are obviously passionate about what they do and their students. In particular we notice that the teachers genuinely seek to understand our children (their likes and dislikes, strengths and areas of growth etc.) and engage them with that in mind. Independence, which we value, is also encouraged. When we were considering kindergarten, the staff went above and beyond in helping us choose the most suitable option; their guidance was invaluable. Most importantly, our children continue to be excited about school, where they can find friendships and develop their love for learning. Looking back, choosing this school was a wonderful decision.

Thank you!