Montessori education is focused on independence, hands-on-learning and collaboration. Developed by Maria Montessori, this approach emphasizes self-directed learning, mixed-age classrooms, and practical life experience. Unlike traditional schools, where students follow a rigid schedule and standardized curriculum, Montessori education allows students to progress at their own pace, exploring subjects through experiential learning.
Compass Montessori is a K-12 school that follows the Montessori philosophy. I started attending Compass in 7th grade, meaning I have only experienced Farm School (middle school) and high school.
Farm School, grades 7 through 9, is focused on three occupations: farming, cooking, and entrepreneurship. Over the course of three years, students experience each occupation, gaining hands-on experience in each area. Math and humanities guides stay with students through all three years, fostering strong relationships and serving as advisors. Each occupation also has a specialized science focus. Students are placed in math and humanities classes based on their individual level rather than their grade. This multi-age system encourages collaboration and a strong sense of community among the 7th, 8th and 9th graders.
In the farm occupation, students learn practical farming skills, such as milking goats, feeding chickens, and planting fruits and vegetables. They take care of the animals on the farm, and grow food that supports the school community. The science focus in the farm occupation is biology, which integrates into the hands-on-farming experience.
The community and kitchen occupation, or the C&K, where students focus on cooking and food preparation. They learn chemistry, earn their food handlers license, and gain practical experience by cooking meals, with our wonderful kitchen staff, for the entire school.
The Store occupation teaches the fundamentals of running a business, including accounting and financial management. is a classroom focused on the basics of running a business and accounting for money. The science focus in this classroom is political science. Students create and manage their own small businesses, selling products and generating real profit. They also help run the Farm Stand and concessions, where they sell produce grown by the Farm occupation. The Farm Stand is a great example of the interconnectedness of the three occupations– Farm provides the produce, C&K washes and preps the food, and the school sells it.
High school at compass Montessori is structured around student independence and responsibility. Students plan their own weekly schedules, deciding when they will attend their core classes, AP courses, and elective classes. A unique aspect of the high school program is A.W.O.L. (Authentic World of Learning) where students leave school on Wednesday afternoons to gain real-world experience in a field of their interest. Some students intern somewhere, or work at a job, or volunteer somewhere and simultaneously earn a high school credit for it. For example, I intern at the Neighborhood Gazette, while some of my friends work at Sprouts.org volunteer at the elementary school at our school.
Montessori education fosters a collaborative relationship between students and guides (teachers), built on mutual respect. The small class sizes and close-knit environment allow students to form personal connections with their guides, who are always available to help with missed lessons or academic challenges. The supportive and flexible learning environment at Compass Montessori has given me the opportunity to develop independence, responsibility, and a strong sense of community.
