Educational Philosophy and Approach
The Montessori School of New York International (MSNY) follows the educational philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, which emphasizes supporting the natural development of the whole child. Montessori schools create prepared environments where children can learn through movement, choice, repetition, abstraction, and self-correction. Classrooms have multi-age groupings, allowing younger students to learn from older peers while older students reinforce their knowledge by helping others. Teachers observe students closely to guide their self-directed activity in learning environments tailored to student’s developmental levels and interests. The goal is to foster capable, adaptive, lifelong learners.
At MSNY, the Montessori curriculum educates children from toddler through high school graduation across four programs: Infant & Toddler (ages 0-3), Primary (ages 3-6), Lower Elementary (ages 6-9), and Adolescent (ages 12-15). Students progress self-paced while teachers promote intellectual, social and emotional growth through individualized instruction and respectful communication. Customized assignments, open-ended activities, collaborative projects and student reflection are prioritized over testing. Fields of study include practical life skills, sensorial exploration, mathematics, language, history, sciences, arts and movement. Advanced secondary students can also take coursework for college credit.
History and Vision of the Institution
MSNY was founded in 1966 as one of the first Montessori adolescent programs in the U.S., before expanding into its current Toddler-to-High School vertical structure. As a non-profit school accredited by NYSAIS and AMS, MSNY aims to bring Montessori education from early childhood through the teenage years to cultivate young adults with the habits and capacities to transform society. Their stated vision is “Each person has within them the potential to change the world.”
Over 50 years, MSNY has impacted over 2,000 alumni by nurturing their social values, leadership qualities and purpose-driven mentality. Graduates have gone on to top universities and careers where they apply Montessori principles of conscientious global citizenship. Currently, around 300 students are enrolled across two Manhattan campuses in Midtown and Soho. MSNY continues Dr. Montessori’s legacy as a tight-knit learning community guided by respect, self-discipline and student empowerment. Their goal is for students to master core skills and concepts while developing into flexible, creative thinkers prepared to excel in the 21st century.
Teaching Staff and Qualifications
MSNY employs over 70 faculty members, all of whom hold Bachelor’s degrees while approximately one-third have obtained Master’s degrees or PhD’s. Prospective staff must undergo a highly selective hiring process assessing their alignment with Montessori philosophy. Many instructors bring years of advanced Montessori teaching experience and AMS or AMI Montessori credentials.
Due to the demand of catering instruction and mentoring to each child’s needs and interests, the student-teacher ratio is kept low. Toddler environments have one teacher for every five students. In Primary classrooms, the ratio rises to one teacher per nine children. Elementary and Adolescent programs maintain around one teacher per twelve pupils in core classes. Assistants provide further support.
Ongoing teacher development ensures staff remain responsive to emerging research on child development and education. Faculty collaborate in level teams to vertically align curriculum across programs. MSNY promotes consistent modeling of respect and dedication to self-improvement as embodiments of Montessori principles.
Student Experience and Activities
The daily routine across Montessori environments allows children to directly interact with learning materials during 3-hour morning work cycles, while teachers customize guidance targeting individual student needs and progression. Classrooms mix ages 0-3, 3-6 years old, 6-9 years old and 12-15 years old respectively, granting peer mentorship opportunities.
Rather than letter grades, students receive detailed evaluations on skill development, assessed through creative projects, portfolio reviews, conferences and self-reflection exercises. Standardized tests are rarely used besides high school college admissions exams like the ACT or SAT.
Beyond academics, MSNY offers clubs, committees and events for teenagers to explore personal passions while building community: Peer Leadership facilitates freshman orientation, Diversity & Inclusion Committee promotes intercultural exchange, Innovation Club enters design thinking contests like XQ Super School. High schoolers can also participate in local internships, Global Online Academies courses or Columbia University’s Summer Immersion program.
Integration of Technology and Innovation
While valuing tactile learning, MSNY views technology as supporting self-driven exploration when properly integrated. iPads, laptops and smartboards supplement learning environments when aligned with developmental needs. Resources like online research databases, coding apps and digital design software grant new media literacy skills.
MSNY’s technology policy ensures digital tools target critical thinking and creation to serve learning goals, rather than foster distraction or passive consumption. Students under 9 years use screens infrequently, while older children obtain monitored access for collaborative projects like podcasts, animated stories, 3D modeling and robotics. Rather than an end itself, technology scaffolds skill-building.
Recent pandemic remote learning necessitated expanded educational technology uses, although in-person learning remains prioritized at MSNY. Teachers post online lessons addressing individual needs and integrate platforms like Google Classroom for assignment sharing. Some virtual connections now supplement on-campus learning. Overall, MSNY judiciously leverages edtech to expand student opportunities when aligned with developmental appropriateness.
Family and Community Relations
As an intimate learning community, MSNY heavily emphasizes family involvement through consistent parent-teacher communication and opportunities to volunteer and attend student presentations or performances. The open-door policy allows parents to observe their children freely. Events like International Day, graduation ceremonies and fundraisers showcase student progress.
Montessori philosophy extends into supplemental parenting workshops on child development while student diplomats Strengthening Families committee coordinates family events. The Parent Association also fundraises, organizes teacher appreciation initiatives, and oversees a vibrant Facebook parent group. MSNY community partnerships bring artists, scientists and experts on-site while students volunteer locally, link globally through videoconferencing and take immersive cultural exchange trips abroad.
Altogether, engaged family participation sustains a vibrant, tight-knit MSNY community supporting the whole child across school, home and the wider world. Graduates often revisit and send their own children in adulthood thanks to cherished experiences shaped through collaborative nurturing of maturation, talents and purpose. MSNY continues advancing Dr. Montessori’s vision of guiding fulfilled, empowered changemakers.
