Contact Us
9994 Zig Zag Road
Cincinnati, OH
Zip. 45242
p. 513.234.5821

Welcome!

Introducing children to the magic of learning!

Dear Parents,

Thank you for considering Montessori education for your child.

The Renaissance Montessori School was conceived from my own experience as a Montessori teacher and director for the past 34 years. I am quite aware of the importance of balancing the needs of child, parent, and neighboring community. We are offering a unique full-day Montessori curriculum and twelve-month school calendar in effort to meet family needs. We are integrating the best in Fine Arts into our Montessori program. We are dedicated to each child’s future success in school and in life and we know that the foundation for that success is built through parenting and early education experiences that respect and nurture the child.

It is a wise goal for parents to seek out the best fit between child and school. It is equally important to be certain that a school can realistically deliver a parent’s educational goals and personal values to a child. Please be aware that the word “Montessori” is not patented. Anyone can use it, and the word itself is no guarantee of quality. Learn what a Montessori school should be like, then observe the children work!

When choosing a first school experience, you want a place where your children will feel happy and secure, surrounded by an environment that stimulates learning. You look for highly qualified staff that is caring and understands the best practices, philosophy and methods of working with children during g the critical time that their foundation is forming in early childhood development.

You look for a place where your children will be treated with respect as individuals, where children discover what is expected of them in a community that they help create.

Do you have questions?

Many people looking at Montessori have questions or else they have misunderstandings about Montessori. Maybe someone has told them Montessori is too rigid, or too focused on academics, or that kids never get a chance to play and use their imaginations. We welcome your questions and hope that you will ask them. We were all educated in the traditional classrooms that are still prevalent today, but we also were looking for something better for our children. We are not only teachers, but we are parents. We continued our university studies to learn much more about child development, learning theories and brain research. We were excited to find the Montessori Method and to continue our own studies and internships so that we could become certified Montessori teachers. This is why we are dedicated to children and believe in their many gifts and talents. The success of the children who graduate from Renaissance is our reward.

You want a place with a consistent, highly regarded approach to early childhood development. You look for a place with dedicated teachers. Our director has four degrees and has been Head of School at top tier private schools. Now, she has dedicated herself to providing the best that she has experienced at a number of Montessori schools in different parts of the country at Renaissance. As a result, our program is guided by the practices that are the best in child development and proven by the latest respected research.

Our website will provide you with some highly respected research and information regarding Montessori, the importance of teacher qualifications and effective parenting skills. We welcome your questions and opinions. Remember, not all Montessori schools are created equal and some schools that claim to be "inspired" by Montessori are probably not legitimate Montessori schools at all. The term "Montessori" can be used by anyone since there is no copyright on the word.

Understanding Montessori

Developed in the late 1800s, the Montessori method of education is as fresh and innovative as it is traditional and proven. It is characterized by exploratory learning in multi-age classrooms, using unique materials and a one-of-a-kind curriculum for children ages 2-6 at Renaissance Montessori. We know you want the best for your child and we do too! Choosing a school that provides professional, caring full time certified teachers is important for children. We know there are many choices for parents to consider and that making the right choice is essential. Our one of a kind Montessori school offers the personal attention and nurturing that every young child deserves and needs.

Our approach allows students to make creative choices in discovering knowledge of the world around them - through hands-on learning, self-expression and collaborative play in a beautifully crafted environment of respect, peace and joy.

What results are children who are confident, self-reliant and excellent communicators. They are adept problem-solvers, who have been taught to apply previous knowledge to find answers to new questions...essential skills in the 21st century.

Want to learn more about Montessori education and how it fosters creativity, curiosity, and individuality in your children? Check out these sites.

  • American Montessori Society
  • www.infomontessori.com - Detailed descriptions of Montessori materials, curriculum and lessons.
  • Innovator's DNA from the Harvard Business Review - Successful innovators like Amazon's Jeff Bezos and the minds behind Google, credit their Montessori education with fostering their curiosity and focus! Read more about this study that examined the common habits that foster creativity in successful people and their connection to Montessori and a Q and A with the researchers.

Research shows the benefits of Montessori

Wondering what is really so special about the Montessori Method?

It is okay to be skeptical. However, science is on the side of Dr. Montessori and the thousands of Montessori schools around the world. The flagship study on Montessori was published in the peer-reviewed journal, Science, on September 29, 2006. This study is unique in that it was able to compare a random population of students at Montessori and traditional schools in Milwaukee, WI. In the words of Dr Angeline Lillard, the lead author of the study, preschool age children developed positive social effects, such as greater senses of justice and fairness, as well as more emotionally positive play.

Among the 5-year-olds, Montessori students proved to be significantly better prepared for elementary school in reading and math skills than the non-Montessori children. They also tested better on "executive function," the ability to adapt to changing and more complex problems, an indicator of future school and life success. (montessori-science.org) Read more about the study and find a link to the full text at http://www.montessori-science.org/montessori_science_journal.htm

Another key aspect:

Children at Renaissance also benefit from the exceptional Fine Arts and Foreign Language and summer camp programs that are integrated into our Montessori program. We are a family friendly school that has attracted families from eleven different countries. Located in the Montgomery Presbyterian Church, but not affiliated with the church, our peaceful grounds are surrounded by trees, flowers, and nature. Sometimes, the deer and their fawns even visit us in our park like setting.

Enroll Now!

We accept children ages 2 to 3 in our one of a kind Toddler class and children ages 3 to 6 in our Primary class. Our morning program runs from 9:00 am to 12:00, followed by an optional lunch and outdoor or indoor playtime. The afternoon program (1:00 to 4:00) is generally for 4 and 5-year-olds who do not need to nap. Children that need a nap do have that opportunity. Our morning program can fill up quickly, so please contact us right away to get on the waiting list. We offer half day and full day programs for children of all ages. Before and after school childcare is available.

Maria Montessori’s hypotheses have been supported by recent research:

Maria Montessori worked at a time when there were no brain scans to confirm what she discovered through observation. In addition, no peer-reviewed studies were done at the time to compare outcomes for conventionally educated and Montessori- educated children. In recent years technology and further research into brain development have borne out what Montessori asserted, based on observation; that the Absorbent Mind of the child in the first three years takes in everything, that the child’s surroundings and interactions actually shape the brain and that physical affection from a one-to-one care-giver is a vital part of their intellectual, physical and spiritual development. A recent study reported in the journal “Science” also confirmed that outcomes for Montessori-educated children were better than for those who had been conventionally educated, if the advice of Montessori was strictly adhered to.

Research on the Importance of Teacher Qualifications

Current research confirms findings from the past two decades that teacher qualifications significantly affect the quality of care and education provided to young children (Bowman, Donovan, & Burns, 2001; Lazar, Darlington, Murray, Royce, & Snipper, 1982; Oden, Schweinhart, & Weikart, 2000; Phillips, Mekos, Scarr, McCartney, & Abbott-Shim, 2000; Schweinhart & Weikart, 1999; Whitebook, Sakai, Gerber, & Howes, 2001) and that higher qualifications in preschool children's caregivers and teachers contribute to more positive short- and long-term outcomes for these children (Kontos & Wilcox-Herzog, 1997, 2001; Whitebook, Howes, & Phillips, 1989).

Despite all of this evidence from research about the importance of the qualifications of the professionals who work with young children, currently, at any given preschool or child care program at any given location in the United States, we are still likely to find the following extremes in the caregivers and teachers: “Teachers” in early childhood programs of all types are mainly not certified or even college graduates. Parents should always ask for the qualifications of the people working at a “center”, sometimes called a “school”.

  • Some have earned college or graduate degrees, while others possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • Some have studied early childhood education or child development, while others have not.
  • Some have a great deal of experience working with young children, while others do not.

Research about Parenting

Margot Sunderland is Director of Education and Training for the Centre for Child Mental Health in London. She is a child psychotherapist with 20 years experience. She has written a book called "The Science of Parenting" based on more than 800 studies from around the world into early brain development. This book, it seems to be, lives up to the statement on the cover that "If you are tired of parenting gurus telling you what to do without telling you why," read this book.

She writes in her foreword;“There was a moment of shock when I first realized how much impact the everyday interactions between parent and child can have on a developing child’s brain. Yet the mass of scientific research on this subject was not getting through to parents or to the public arena. This is what fueled my passion to write a book that would not be just one more opinion on parenting (we have quite enough of those already), but would rather empower parents to make informed choices for their children based on what we can learn from these scientific studies. This book would not have been written without the groundbreaking research of Professor Jack Panksepp, who has been studying the emotional brain in the US for more than 30 years. His findings are not only significant within the world of neuroscience but also have major implications for humankind. His work, and that of others, offers us cohesive thinking about why so many children grow up to be adults who suffer from depression, anxiety, or problems with anger.

If we are prepared to act upon what science can tell us about parenting, we can push forward to develop more benign societies with greater compassion, capacity to reflect, and respect for difference. Perhaps too, society will begin to see that by nurturing parents, children will be empowered to thrive."

This foreword has strong echoes of what Montessori wrote 100 years ago and yet nowhere in the book does Sunderland make a reference to her. She may well not even have read any of her works. The fact remains that the summary of research that Sunderland presents bears out and echoes Montessori’s advice on the approach to the child. It is well worth a read by any parent who cares about child development and indeed anyone genuinely interested in peace and harmony within families, in communities and between nations.

It was published by Dorling Kindersley in 2006, www.dk.com
ISBN 13: 978-1-4035-1486-2

Renaissance Montessori School 9994 Zig Zag Road., Cincinnati, OH 45242 p. 513.234-5821
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