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22ndCenturyMedia.com private school Guide
22nd century media | August 10, 2017 | 17
Ronald Knox
Montessori educates
the innovators
of tomorrow
What makes a school “Montessori,”
and what makes Ronald Knox a spectacular
example? While the founders of
Amazon, Wikipedia, and Google didn’t
graduate from Ronald Knox, they did
attend Montessori schools, and they
credit that education with their ability to
think outside the box and develop new
ideas and solutions.
Authentic Montessori classrooms
have a few key components:
Mixed age classrooms – at Ronald
Knox, the Primary Program serves children
ages 3-6 in the same environment,
enabling younger children to learn from
older children and providing older children
with the opportunity to be leaders
and mentors.
Student choice – students have free
choice, within limits, to select what they
want to work on that day, furthering the
development of executive functioning.
Constructivist learning – students
learn through hands-on discovery and
direct contact with materials in the
classroom, creating concrete impressions
that will prepare them for reading,
writing, and complex math work.
Specialized learning materials – all
materials in the classroom were developed
by Maria Montessori to enable
children to learn math, language, science,
and geography in a natural, intuitive,
and hands-on way.
A trained Montessori directress
(teacher) – the directresses at Ronald
Knox have received extensive training
in the Montessori method, are certified
through the American Montessori
Society, and continue their education
through professional development activities
each year.
Ronald Knox Montessori School is
accredited by the American Montessori
Society, signifying a process of rigorous
study to ensure that the school is operating
at the highest caliber. Many schools
can claim to be Montessori – very few
are accredited. And with over 50 years
of experience educating children on the
North Shore, Ronald Knox has proven
that the Montessori method instills a
love of scholarship into its students.
The school educates children from 6
months through 6 years old. Programs
start with the Parent/Child class, where
young children begin independent exploration
and parents learn child development
from a Montessori perspective.
Starting at age 2, children in the Toddler
Program gain independence and confidence
as they learn how to take care
of themselves and their environment.
The Primary Program serves children
from 3-6 years old and is a three-year
program that teaches not only academics
but also social-emotional skills and
problem solving. The final year of the
program culminates with the option for
Full Day Kindergarten, immersing children
in an environment suited to their
development for the entire day.
Are you interested in helping your
child develop the confidence to innovate?
Ronald Knox’s collaborative environment,
multi-age setting, and selfdirected
learning encourage students to
follow their curiosity wherever it may
lead. Still have questions? Contact Ronald
Knox for a tour of the school to see
how Montessori works in action.
Submitted by Ronald Knox Montessori, 2031
Elmwood Ave, Wilmette, www.ronaldknox.org,
847-256-2922