Raising Montessori Awareness: Montessori Education Week

Montessori Education Week is an annual event that celebrates the Montessori philosophy and its approach to learning. During this week, Montessori schools around the world organize various activities and events to promote awareness of the Montessori approach and its benefits. These activities might include open houses, parent education workshops, student showcases, and community outreach events. Montessori Education Week is an opportunity for Montessori schools to showcase their unique approach to education, to engage with their communities, as well as to highlight the achievements of their students and educators. 

As this week is Montessori Education week, we thought we would share our tips and strategies on how schools can work to raise awareness on the unique benefits of Montessori in their communities and across the education space.

Montessori schools offer a unique approach to education that emphasizes independence, creativity, and individualized learning. However, many families are still unfamiliar with the Montessori philosophy and may not understand the benefits of this approach to learning. This week offers a great opportunity for Montessori schools everywhere to focus on how they will raise Montessori awareness for generations to come!

1. Develop a Clear Message: What Is Montessori?

The first step in informing families about the benefits of Montessori education is to develop a clear message that communicates the unique benefits of the Montessori approach. This message should highlight the ways in which Montessori education fosters independence, creativity, and self-directed learning, and should explain how this approach can benefit children both academically and socially. 

What Is Montessori?..... Your school has the power to let families know and to lead the way in your community!

Once the message has been developed, Montessori schools can use a variety of channels to communicate it to families, including social media, email newsletters, your school website, and informational brochures. When parents have a clear message, it will lead to a clearer understanding of what authentic Montessori is and how it can be highly beneficial for families. 

2. Offer Parent Education

Another important way to inform families about the benefits of Montessori education is to offer parent education programs that explain the Montessori philosophy and its practical applications. These programs might include workshops, lectures, or panel discussions led by Montessori educators or experts in the field. Here are some creative ideas: 

• Host virtual parenting nights where you invite guides, parenting coaches, or thought leaders to share their parenting tips with families. 
• Offer a free parenting class as part of your open house.
• Have a resource page on your school website offering parents and visitors recommendations on books, articles, podcasts, and videos that can help them learn more about Montessori. 

Parent education programs can be offered in-person or online. They can cover a range of topics, from the Montessori approach to language and literacy development, to the benefits of mixed-age classrooms. By offering these programs, Montessori schools can help parents better understand the unique features of the Montessori approach and make informed decisions about their children's education. You can open these types of events to the greater community so that families can join to learn about parenting, find support, and learn more about the unique benefits of Montessori directly from your school. 

3. Build Partnerships with Community Members & Organizations 

Montessori schools can also raise awareness about the benefits of Montessori education by building partnerships with community organizations, such as libraries, community centers, and parent groups. These partnerships can take many forms, from hosting joint events to offering Montessori materials and resources to the wider community.

By partnering with these community members and organizations, Montessori schools can reach a wider audience and build stronger ties within their communities. They can also help to raise awareness about the Montessori approach and its potential benefits for children and families.

Here are some things you can do to spread awareness outside your school walls and get the wider community involved:

• Start Fostering Young Talent: Recruiting is a long process, so it is always helpful to start educating young people on Montessori as a career path. You can take several steps to inspire those within your own school community to pursue a career in Montessori upon graduation, but you can also look beyond just your school walls. Contact local high schools and colleges to see if you can participate in their career fairs. Many schools host these annually. Let people know that public education isn't the only path in early childhood learning. By showing young people the impact that Montessori learning has on children, you could inspire a whole new generation of Montessori teachers. You can work with local universities and see if you can offer internships for school credit, so that students interested in pursuing higher learning on education can dip their toes in the world of Montessori. We all know that once they do, they will fall in love and never look at traditional education the same way! The key is to support young students through their learning process so that they can be excited about the career they have to look forward to after graduation. 
  
  
• Gain Recognition By Taking Advantage of Local Events: Do your research and find local events in your city that your school can be involved in. Whether it's having a booth, volunteering, or giving a presentation, there are plenty of events that you can use to elevate the Montessori name. Take the time to tell people about what your school is about, your approach to education, and what you do for your students and families. Imagine if, at every farmer's market, there was a tent from a local Montessori school that was selling honey that was harvested, packaged, and marketed by Montessori students... that would impress so many and make people more aware of what Montessori is really about, which is preparing children to become great citizens and participants in their own communities. That is raising awareness!
  
  
• Network With Other Montessori Leaders: We are not alone in our goal to raise Montessori awareness. Montessori leaders across the country, and across the world, all have a desire to get people on board with the Montessori philosophy. We are much more likely to make a lasting impact if we work together, exchange ideas, and share advice. Luckily, technology has made it much easier for Montessori school leaders and administrators to connect and network with one another. There are several Montessori leadership groups on Facebook and LinkedIn that serve as spaces for Montessori administrators to ask each other questions and support one another. Montessori Thrive hosts one town hall a week in which Montessori administrators can come and hear from other leaders and discuss important school leadership topics. They are always free to join and you can register here. Montessori schools can also participate in Montessori conferences and other education events in order to connect with other Montessori educators and professionals, and to share best practices and innovative ideas. These conferences can be a great way to learn about the latest research that supports Montessori education, and to bring that knowledge back to the school and community.

4. Offer School Tours & Open Houses

Montessori schools can inform families about the benefits of Montessori education by offering school tours and open houses. These events can provide families with an opportunity to see the Montessori approach in action and to meet with Montessori educators and staff.

During school tours and open houses, families can observe Montessori classrooms and activities, ask questions about the Montessori philosophy and curriculum, and learn more about the school's approach to student assessment and evaluation. By offering these events, Montessori schools can help families to better understand the Montessori approach and to see how it can benefit their children.

5. Harness The Power of Social Media

It is 100% free to have a YouTube channel, a Facebook page, and an Instagram account... so why not start using these platforms to raise awareness? Host Montessori education events for free on Facebook to educate local parents on the benefits of Montessori. Use a YouTube channel to host videos about your school, testimonials from past parents and students, and videos that highlight the lifetime value of Montessori learning. Get creative on Instagram and create content that young families can engage with. Post facts about Montessori, images of the beautiful work children do, and events that your school participates in. Social media can be a great tool to raise awareness!

You can even use the hashtag: #montessoriawareness and we can all start building awareness for Montessori across profiles. 

6. Outreach Programs

Montessori schools can develop outreach programs to support families and children who may not have access to Montessori education. This can include offering:

• Scholarships
• Financial aid
• Partnering with community organizations to offer Montessori programs in underserved areas
• Providing resources and materials to families who are interested in Montessori education but may not be able to afford it.

Dr. Maria Montessori began by helping underprivileged children in Rome because she believed that all children deserved respect and access to education. This is something that Montessori schools everywhere can continue to provide so that every child can have access to Montessori. 

7. Alumni Networks

Montessori schools can create alumni networks to stay in touch with former students and families, and to showcase the long-term benefits of Montessori education. Alumni networks can also help to build a sense of community and connection among Montessori families, and can serve as a resource for families who are considering Montessori education for their own children. Schools can do this by:

• Encouraging families to send updates about their children's successes over the years
• Creating a volunteer program and encouraging alumni to return
• Building an alumni Facebook group
• Allowing past students to visit the school and participate in events

Overall, there are many ways that Montessori schools can teach their community about the benefits of Montessori education. By leveraging a combination of outreach, education, and partnership strategies, Montessori schools can raise awareness about the Montessori approach and help families to make informed decisions about their children's education. Ultimately, these efforts can help to create a more engaged and informed community that is better equipped to support the growth and development of children through the Montessori philosophy.

We at Nido Marketing and Montessori Thrive hope to continue partnering with Montessori schools everywhere and continuing the work to raise Montessori awareness! Happy Montessori Education Week!