Denver, Colo., Jul 16, 2017 / 15:01 pm
With the goal of encountering children on a more personal level to meet their academic and spiritual needs, a Montessori school influenced by the Byzantine Catholic tradition is opening in Denver, Colorado.
Pauline Meert, who co-founded Sophia Montessori Academy along with Irene O'Brien, said the two "wanted to combine Montessori and Catholicism because it just made so much sense."
Meert said the school aims to help children fulfill their God-given potential, and that "the Montessori message really makes that possible for each child, not just for a classroom as a whole, but for each individual."
Students in Montessori schools work in periods of uninterrupted time – ideally three hours – having the freedom to choose from an established range of options. The Montessori Method uses hands-on techniques in presenting concepts to individual children, rather than a group oriented, lecture-based approach to learning. The student's involvement in his or her own work then gives the teacher the freedom to spend time with each child and cater to each of their needs.