Does the Montessori Method Encourage Distance Learning Education?

Distance degrees have become very popular among today’s college students. In contrast, many preschools and elementary schools use the Montessori curriculum, to facilitate a unique learning style known as the Montessori Method.  How effectively can children taught in these schools function in online education or distance programs?

The answer to this question may surprise you. Montessori training actually encourages a child to become an independent, self-directed learner. Furthermore, the child develops his or her own unique learning style and begins to use that style effectively at a very early age. Schools that teach these learning methods are in reality very beneficial to students who wish to take distance courses in college.

Students pursuing distance degrees are largely responsible for their own learning, just as students enrolled in Montessori schools are. In addition, students who participate in the sensorial Montessori approach are not restricted to only one method of learning. Likewise, distance degree students must learn to be flexible and incorporate a variety of different learning methods and tools into their educational endeavors.

Distance education programs are, in fact, ideal for the student who learned in a Montessori classroom. Typically, distance learning courses allow students to progress on their own schedules. In addition, online courses typically emphasize learning content much more strongly than obtaining excellent grades. These concepts correlate closely with the Montessori Method of self-directed learning and the de-emphasis on grades.