Montessori is not a method. It is a way of seeing children — as natural, self-motivated learners who flourish when given the right environment, the right materials and an adult who truly trusts them. This conviction shapes everything we do, at both Cartmell Place and Pioneer.
"The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind. The child who has felt a strong love for his surroundings and for all living creatures, who has discovered joy and enthusiasm in work, gives us reason to hope that humanity can develop in a new direction."
Dr. Montessori was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Rome's medical school. Her observations of children led to a profound realization: children are not empty vessels to be filled. They are active constructors of their own knowledge, given the right conditions — a belief we carry forward at both Roots Montessori centres.
In a conventional early years setting, the adult decides what every child does and when. This is efficient — but it is not how genuine learning happens.
In our Montessori classrooms at both Cartmell Place and Pioneer, children choose their own work from a rich range of carefully designed materials. They work for as long as their interest sustains and return to the same material day after day, deepening their understanding each time. This is a deep recognition that intrinsic motivation is the most powerful force in human learning, and that it must be protected, not overridden.
The results are visible and consistent. Children who choose their own work develop longer concentration spans, stronger problem-solving skills, greater persistence and a genuine, lasting love of learning.
Walk into a classroom at either Cartmell Place or Pioneer and the first thing you notice is the calm. Everything is ordered, beautiful and purposeful. The shelves are low — at the child's eye level. The furniture is child-sized. There is no clutter, no noise and no chaos. This is entirely intentional.
Dr. Montessori called the prepared environment the third teacher — after the educator and the peer group. A child who can reach their own materials, carry their own work to a table and return it correctly to the shelf is developing executive function, spatial awareness and deep respect for shared space.
Every material has a specific developmental purpose. Many are self-correcting — the child discovers their own errors without adult intervention, building resilience that lasts a lifetime.
In most early years settings, the educator is the most active person in the room. In a Montessori classroom, the educator is often the quietest, most still person present. This is not passivity — it is the most demanding kind of professional skill.
Our educators, at both locations, are trained observers. They watch children closely and continuously, building a detailed picture of each child's current interests, developmental stage and emotional state. From this they make careful, individualised decisions about when to offer a new material, when to gently redirect, and — crucially — when to do absolutely nothing, because a child who is deeply absorbed needs no intervention whatsoever.
The Montessori educator also models language, grace and courtesy throughout the day. Children learn far more from what they observe than from what they are told.
In most daycares, children are grouped strictly by age. This feels logical but it removes one of the most powerful learning dynamics that exists: the relationship between older and younger children.
In our classrooms, children of different ages work alongside each other. A four-year-old who shows a two-year-old how to pour water is not merely being helpful — they are consolidating their own mastery, developing patience and experiencing the profound satisfaction of being genuinely useful. That is one of the most powerful motivators in early childhood.
Mixed-age groupings also reduce competition, because there is no fixed standard everyone is measured against. Each child works at their own level and is celebrated for their own progress.
Many early years programmes focus primarily on academic preparation. At Roots Montessori, we believe this is too narrow a view of what a child needs from these foundational years. Academic skills matter enormously — and we develop them with great care. But they are only one dimension of a human being.
Our approach, at both centres, develops children across four equally important dimensions simultaneously. Cognitive — logical thinking, language, scientific curiosity. Social and emotional — empathy, conflict resolution, self-regulation. Physical — fine and gross motor development, coordination, confidence. Spiritual — a deep sense of wonder, connection to nature and a felt sense of belonging.
Children who develop across all four dimensions don't just start school ready — they start life ready. That is what we are building, one session at a time, at Roots Montessori.
What this looks like every day
The philosophy above translates into specific, observable moments every single day — at both Cartmell Place and Pioneer.
Our rooms are not silent — children talk, collaborate and move freely. But there is an underlying calm that visitors always notice immediately at both centres.
Pouring, scrubbing, chopping soft fruit, sweeping — children engage in real practical tasks every day, because real work builds real competence.
We create the conditions in which reading and counting emerge naturally from genuine interest — and they almost always do, often earlier than parents expect.
Plants in the classroom, outdoor time in all weather, seeds to plant — the natural world is core to our curriculum at both locations.
Our educators support children in finding their own solutions to disagreements — using language, listening and empathy.
The most reliable indicator that a Montessori environment is working: children who don't want to go home, at either branch.
A brief history
Understanding where the Montessori philosophy came from helps explain why it works so consistently, across every culture and generation of children.
Maria Montessori graduates from the University of Rome's School of Medicine — one of the first women in Italy to do so. Her training as a physician profoundly shapes her observation-based approach to understanding children.
Montessori opens her first "Children's House" in a poor district of Rome. Within months, children considered unteachable are reading, writing and caring for their environment with remarkable independence and joy.
The Montessori method spreads rapidly across Europe, the Americas and Asia, becoming one of the most respected educational philosophies in the world.
Montessori continues refining her method until her death in 1952. Today there are over 25,000 Montessori schools in more than 110 countries.
At both Cartmell Place and Pioneer, we honour Dr. Montessori's vision every day — adapted thoughtfully to the needs of each child, each family and the communities we serve in Alberta.
Our learning spaces
Every corner of both Roots Montessori centres is designed with intention — calm, beautiful and purposefully arranged to invite independence and deep engagement.
Experience it for yourself
The best way to understand what makes Roots Montessori different is to walk through our doors — at either Cartmell Place or Pioneer. We welcome families for tours every week.
