Philosophy and Mission
Inly is a partnership of children, teachers and families, dedicated to the joyful discovery of each child's innate capabilities and potential. Our community of learners inspires and nurtures children to become global citizens by embracing the philosophy and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori, in harmony with other compatible and innovative practices.
Montessori Philosophy: Driven by research on child development
Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an early expert on child development. She believed that children are motivated by a natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge. She felt that if a child were allowed to experience the empowerment of learning by his own choice rather than being forced, and if his skills for learning were honed, the child would be in a unique position to maximize his future learning situations.
"The goal of a school should be to cultivate a child's natural desire to learn, not to simply fill the child with facts." - Maria Montessori
Dr. Montessori revolutionized education practice by shifting the paradigm of a teacher-centered system to a learner-centered one. Her belief was that the goal of a school should be to cultivate a child's natural desire to learn, not to simply fill the child with facts. She felt that the discipline in a classroom should be self-discipline, and that children need the opportunity to develop it.
Montessori at Inly: An integrated approach
As an innovative Montessori school, Inly integrates many beliefs and practices, including…
Learning through exploration and discovery, with concrete, hands-on materials.
Respect for the individual and recognition of individual learning styles and paces.
The balance of freedom and responsibility in the classroom (freedom within structure).
Respect for each child as a competent learner, and trust in the child's basic desire to learn.
Noncompetitive work which compares only to the child's previous work.
Opportunities for both independent and cooperative work.
Social and learning environments designed to help children feel good about who they are and what they have the power to accomplish.
Innovative Montessori in Action
See Montessori at Inly for a concrete example of how we integrate Montessori education and other best practices to teach core academic subjects and 21st century skills.
Montessori FAQs
Montessori Questions and Answers
Montessori Myths
American Montessori Society
Montessori Schools of Massachusetts
The Montessori Foundation
See Why Montessori Education? for a list of articles and videos that make a compelling case for Montessori schools, plus some fun facts and a list of famous Montessori alums and advocates.