Opening in 2001 as a means to stem declining enrollment, Traverse City ’s elementary school Montessori program has grown every year since its inception. This fall, the program has moved to its own building for the first time, with enrollment projected to exceed 350.

When TCAPS first decided to see if Montessori would satisfy a need in the community, an ad was published in the local newspaper inviting parents to attend an information meeting at a local elementary school. We planned for about 30 parents and were pleasantly surprised when over 60 arrived. Less than five months later, TCAPS Montessori program opened its first two sections.

Our initial intent was to reach out to students who were instead selecting private and parochial educational options. We quickly discovered that the Montessori philosophy had a strong following in our community. With a large middle to upper middle class population, Traverse City is similar to many other districts in the state. That being the case, it’s highly likely other districts seeking to maintain enrollment could also launch successful Montessori programs. (www.tcaps.net/Montessori)

Our experience has shown that 10% to 30% of the students who enroll in the program would not be with TCAPS if it weren’t for the unique qualities of a Montessori offering. The remaining group selects Montessori rather than other TCAPS options.

The challenges posed by the start-up of the program were relatively minor. The hardest part was finding qualified teachers who had both a Michigan Teaching Certificate and a Montessori credential. Fortunately, due to declining enrollment, a number of classroom teachers already on TCAPS’ staff were interested in pursuing Montessori endorsement. In addition, the promise of a job also prompted elementary teacher candidates to seek Montessori training.

Critical to the success of TCAPS Montessori has been a partnering with American Child-Care Consultants and Educational Specialists (ACCES) and the Michigan Montessori Teacher Education Center (MMTEC) in Rochester Hills , Michigan. ACCES has been instrumental in all aspects of the TCAPS program – developing a curriculum that integrates Montessori with state benchmarks, ordering Montessori and other materials and equipment, and designing and setting-up classroom environments. MMTEC has provided teacher-training for TCAPS early childhood and elementary level Montessori teachers and classroom assistants, and has facilitated professional development in-services and parent education seminars. (www.mmtec.org/)

The teacher training begins with a rigorous eight week summer commitment on the part of the teacher. The training takes place in Rochester Hills and is the first step toward Montessori certification. This is followed by a school-year-long internship, during which time consultants from MMTEC make periodic visits to observe the teacher in her/his own classroom. MMTEC remains in contact with the teacher for an additional two years, providing consulting and on-going training services.

The Montessori method differs in many ways from the structure of mainstream schools. Rather than a teacher whose primary role is to impart his/her knowledge to the children, the Montessori teacher serves more as the facilitator between a carefully constructed stimulating environment and the developing child. The teacher ensures that the child maintains an interest in the environment so that each pupil is able to explore, create and learn.

The Montessori philosophy clearly appeals to a segment of the population and aligns nicely with much of what we want for children in our more mainstream elementary schools. The pedagogy includes:

1. Treating children as competent beings, encouraged to make many of their own decisions
2. Observation of the child in the environment as the basis for ongoing curriculum decisions
3. Instruction of children organized around 3 year cycles, corresponding to sensitive periods of development

In simple terms, the philosophy embodies the notion that the instruction should “follow the child”.

We have seen high achievement from the youngsters in the program. This year’s MEAP results place the Montessori program in the top three of our 16 elementary schools. They are particularly strong readers and mathematicians. (http://oeaa.state.mi.us/oeaa/directory/meap.asp/Dcode=28010&Bcode=09381)

Prior to the recent assignment to a closed elementary site, the TCAPS Montessori program shared space with an already established elementary school in a large former secondary school facility. Because students attend the program from all over the district, TCAPS provides no transportation for Montessori students. Instead, we have tried to facilitate car pools and maintain safe pickup and drop-off areas.

We’re optimistic about another jump in student enrollment in the near future. We believe the new-found autonomy associated with the program having its own building will allow the program to soar to even greater heights. Montessori staff and parents have longed for this development.

Our beliefs about the Montessori program have evolved since its inception seven years ago. In addition to stimulating enrollment as we’d hoped, we’ve come to believe strongly in the quality of educational experience the child gains from the program. We also appreciate that the program holds a strong appeal for a number of parents and, in the process, allows TCAPS to better meet the needs of a diverse community.

Offering a Montessori program in the public school setting is a big success in Traverse City. Those Michigan communities possessing similar demographics to Traverse City would be well served to explore the same concept. In these times of tight budgets and increased public scrutiny, Montessori has proven to be a very positive new initiative.