The programs and practices of West Side Montessori School are based on the philosophy and pedagogy of Maria Montessori, a pioneer educator and investigator of child development. Working in the first half of the 20th century, Dr. Montessori underscored the importance of children's early experiences. She developed an approach to education which aims to develop each child's full range of abilities and talents while simultaneously celebrating his or her uniqueness and cultural background. The goal of Montessori education is the development of autonomous and competent, caring and empathetic, responsive and responsible, adaptive citizens - life-long learners and problem-solvers. Respect, competency, self-initiative, responsibility, self-management, and the ability to view experiences from different perspectives are highly valued.

Respect is at the core of the Montessori philosophy - respect for each person, for life, and for the environment. Respect for each child's individuality, learning style and intentions sets the stage for trusting relationships; and trust is essential for growth and learning to take place.

Dr. Montessori viewed each human as an uniquely endowed whole individual living a whole life in a whole world. This holistic perspective construes each individual's personal, educational, social, and work lives as intertwined and inseparable. Similarly, self, family, neighborhood, and global community are seen as interconnected. To tease out any one component as more important is artificial and unproductive. In our School parents, teachers, and children work collaboratively for the benefit of all members.

Within this paradigm, learning and growth are viewed as synonymous with living; and knowledge and knowers are construed as inextricably bound. Learning is an ongoing, dynamic process of self-construction within a social context. It is a transactional process that affirms collaboration and community; participants teach and learn from one another.

In other words, Montessori programs incorporate their communities' cultural forms into the context of their classroom activities. Diversity of practice within this context is the norm. Montessori programs in migrant worker camps in California look different from programs in mid-town Manhattan or rural Maryland. The essence is Montessori, the programmatic pieces are community specific. This socio-contextual approach to education explains why the Montessori approach is so adaptable.

For ninety years, Montessori programs have been found in widely diverse settings on every inhabited continent. In the United States, there are thousands of private and hundreds of Montessori public schools. This capacity to accommodate effectively to different cultural settings also suggests that Montessori education will continue to spread in the future  worldwide. Currently Russia, Korea, Taiwan and China are experiencing an explosion of interest in Montessori education.