Montessori Schools are a great choice for both local and expat families as they offer globally recognized curricula, outstanding academics plus a nurturing environment for children. Discover our selection of the best Montessori Schools , including reviews, fees, and why families choose them.
Why choose a Montessori school?
Choosing a Montessori school for your child’s education is more than just a schooling choice; it’s a decision to invest in a unique, holistic approach to learning that emphasizes independence, respect, and personal development. The Montessori method, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, has grown in popularity and effectiveness, recognized globally for its innovative and child-centered teaching techniques.
Child-Centered Learning
One of the core tenets of Montessori education is its focus on crafting learning experiences around the individual learner rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all curriculum. In Montessori schools, children are encouraged to explore activities at their own pace. This autonomy builds confidence and fosters a love of learning that many traditional educational models struggle to achieve. Children become active participants in their education, making choices about their learning activities, which enhances their decision-making skills and independence.
Prepared Environment
Montessori classrooms are meticulously organized and crafted to suit the needs of children at various stages of development. Each environment is equipped with materials and activities that align with the students’ natural interests and developmental stages. This prepared environment is key to facilitating independent learning and exploration. The layout and the materials within are designed to be accessible to the child, promoting autonomy and responsibility.
Development of Social Skills
In Montessori schools, mixed age classrooms are standard. This setup not only mirrors the real world, where individuals of varying ages interact, but also promotes a myriad of social benefits. Older students often take on mentorship roles with younger peers, which reinforces their own learning and fosters a sense of community and empathy. Moreover, it allows younger children to receive personalized guidance from their older classmates, in addition to their teachers.
Emphasis on Life Skills
Montessori education extends beyond academic skills, placing significant emphasis on developing life skills. Practical life activities are a staple in Montessori classrooms, teaching children essential skills such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening. These activities not only teach practical abilities but also help children develop motor skills, self-discipline, and the ability to concentrate for extended periods.
Respect for Natural Development
The Montessori method respects the natural psychological development of children. It operates on the principle that children go through several sensitive periods, times when they are particularly capable of absorbing certain types of knowledge. Montessori schools tailor their teaching to these sensitive periods, making the most of the natural spikes in cognitive and social readiness.
In conclusion, the choice of a Montessori school can profoundly impact your child's personal and academic growth. The Montessori method’s well-rounded approach not only prepares children to excel academically but also equips them with the key social and practical skills needed for lifelong success. This educational style provides a solid foundation, making learning a joyous and fulfilling process throughout life.
Popular destinations
Popular destinations
Top rated Montessori Schools in the World
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International School of Geneva
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Montessori British School Murcia
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Battery Park Montessori – Green Ivy International Schools
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St. Nicholas School Alphaville
Why parents choose this school
Exupery International School
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Colegio San Patricio
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Blue Valley School
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St. Nicholas School Pinheiros
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Tips for Choosing a School
Parent and Student Reviews
- Both my children have been in St. Nicholas since they were very small, so for them, it’s not about having to learn English. It’s natural, they live it. The mixture of Portuguese and English, a little bit more of Portuguese when they are smaller, starts becoming mostly English as they grow.
The school works with the IB methodology, which is something spectacular for the children.
To me, it is more important that they “learn how to learn”. This is something I worry about and is solved and reflected in the education here at St. Nicholas. The children are stimulated to understand and look at what is different, to stop and really think.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I wanted my children to study in an International School and have the opportunity that I didn’t have because there were no international schools in Alphaville.
In addition to the parents’ day meetings, the teachers make sure to let us know during the year of any difficulties that the children might be having. They present solutions for that and also allow children to discover their own solution to that difficulty.
Through the IB method, which I believe is fantastic, that encourages the students’ autonomy to think, find solutions to challenges by themselves, to talk about inclusion, learn about different cultures.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I can understand that at St. Nicholas, she will have the opportunity to really focus on where she has her strengths and I think this will contribute to her growing as a better person. In an international environment that gives you all the tools you need to adapt to the different, I guess, different cultures that we have in Brazil and the international people we have in Brazil as well.
As much international background and experience that I can give her now, I think it will make her life easier or at least she will be better placed in the future to deal with all the different challenges that we face at the moment.
For me, education of the future is actually giving our children and our grandchildren all the tools that we can to help them adapt. Education-wise and information-wise we have everything.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - We are a family that will probably always be moving around the world. So we had to have a continuation in the learning and realised that the IB has a teaching framework that allows validation and continuation in different countries without interrupting the learning process of the children.
St. Nicholas won the hearts of our daughters with the warmth in which everyone welcomed them. We arrived without speaking any Portuguese obviously, so they only spoke Spanish, and little by little they started integrating the English language into their lives, and then they started speaking Portuguese which is the language they speak with their friends. It was definitely the best choice we made.
I never had trouble making the girls go to school. Even being a family that is not Brazilian, I thought the adaptation process would be longer, but I realised that it was fast because they started understanding and really feeling the school as a second home.
The education of the future With innovation and soft skills, we have to prepare them for a digital era without losing their principles as human beings, where it is very important to be empathic and be connected.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - Both my children have been in St. Nicholas since they were very small, so for them, it’s not about having to learn English. It’s natural, they live it. The mixture of Portuguese and English, a little bit more of Portuguese when they are smaller, starts becoming mostly English as they grow.
The school works with the IB methodology, which is something spectacular for the children.
To me, it is more important that they “learn how to learn”. This is something I worry about and is solved and reflected in the education here at St. Nicholas. The children are stimulated to understand and look at what is different, to stop and really think.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I wanted my children to study in an International School and have the opportunity that I didn’t have because there were no international schools in Alphaville.
In addition to the parents’ day meetings, the teachers make sure to let us know during the year of any difficulties that the children might be having. They present solutions for that and also allow children to discover their own solution to that difficulty.
Through the IB method, which I believe is fantastic, that encourages the students’ autonomy to think, find solutions to challenges by themselves, to talk about inclusion, learn about different cultures.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I can understand that at St. Nicholas, she will have the opportunity to really focus on where she has her strengths and I think this will contribute to her growing as a better person. In an international environment that gives you all the tools you need to adapt to the different, I guess, different cultures that we have in Brazil and the international people we have in Brazil as well.
As much international background and experience that I can give her now, I think it will make her life easier or at least she will be better placed in the future to deal with all the different challenges that we face at the moment.
For me, education of the future is actually giving our children and our grandchildren all the tools that we can to help them adapt. Education-wise and information-wise we have everything.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - We are a family that will probably always be moving around the world. So we had to have a continuation in the learning and realised that the IB has a teaching framework that allows validation and continuation in different countries without interrupting the learning process of the children.
St. Nicholas won the hearts of our daughters with the warmth in which everyone welcomed them. We arrived without speaking any Portuguese obviously, so they only spoke Spanish, and little by little they started integrating the English language into their lives, and then they started speaking Portuguese which is the language they speak with their friends. It was definitely the best choice we made.
I never had trouble making the girls go to school. Even being a family that is not Brazilian, I thought the adaptation process would be longer, but I realised that it was fast because they started understanding and really feeling the school as a second home.
The education of the future With innovation and soft skills, we have to prepare them for a digital era without losing their principles as human beings, where it is very important to be empathic and be connected.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I am always learning from my students. They push me to be a bigger risk-taker. It is this challenging oneself to take on difficult projects and then acknowledging that things might not work the way I want but I will do everything to succeed. That keeps me going.Read moreWritten February 23, 2023
- It is really different from Brazil which is my home country. Everything here is so clean, so quiet and the infrastructure is amazing. In the classrooms, boarding house, even outside and in the city in general. Everything seems well-built and seems to work, which is something you don’t always have. It is vital for me to see nature everyday, be in a beautiful environment and be a part of a friendly community. I also enjoy the fact that here you don’t just sit and listen during lessons. We are always discussing things, getting feedback from each other and learning something new by participating, not observing. So, our role as students is really active.Read moreWritten February 23, 2023
- I believe that pushing a child to choose a career path at an early age causes internal and external conflicts. The EIS curriculum, however, allows my son to have a hands-on experience in various subjects that help him discover his true passion, so he can make a conscious choice when ready. Also, he became more confident and responsible – I see that when he comes home on holidays and honestly, I am proud of him.Read moreWritten February 23, 2023
- Both my children have been in St. Nicholas since they were very small, so for them, it’s not about having to learn English. It’s natural, they live it. The mixture of Portuguese and English, a little bit more of Portuguese when they are smaller, starts becoming mostly English as they grow.
The school works with the IB methodology, which is something spectacular for the children.
To me, it is more important that they “learn how to learn”. This is something I worry about and is solved and reflected in the education here at St. Nicholas. The children are stimulated to understand and look at what is different, to stop and really think.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I wanted my children to study in an International School and have the opportunity that I didn’t have because there were no international schools in Alphaville.
In addition to the parents’ day meetings, the teachers make sure to let us know during the year of any difficulties that the children might be having. They present solutions for that and also allow children to discover their own solution to that difficulty.
Through the IB method, which I believe is fantastic, that encourages the students’ autonomy to think, find solutions to challenges by themselves, to talk about inclusion, learn about different cultures.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I can understand that at St. Nicholas, she will have the opportunity to really focus on where she has her strengths and I think this will contribute to her growing as a better person. In an international environment that gives you all the tools you need to adapt to the different, I guess, different cultures that we have in Brazil and the international people we have in Brazil as well.
As much international background and experience that I can give her now, I think it will make her life easier or at least she will be better placed in the future to deal with all the different challenges that we face at the moment.
For me, education of the future is actually giving our children and our grandchildren all the tools that we can to help them adapt. Education-wise and information-wise we have everything.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - We are a family that will probably always be moving around the world. So we had to have a continuation in the learning and realised that the IB has a teaching framework that allows validation and continuation in different countries without interrupting the learning process of the children.
St. Nicholas won the hearts of our daughters with the warmth in which everyone welcomed them. We arrived without speaking any Portuguese obviously, so they only spoke Spanish, and little by little they started integrating the English language into their lives, and then they started speaking Portuguese which is the language they speak with their friends. It was definitely the best choice we made.
I never had trouble making the girls go to school. Even being a family that is not Brazilian, I thought the adaptation process would be longer, but I realised that it was fast because they started understanding and really feeling the school as a second home.
The education of the future With innovation and soft skills, we have to prepare them for a digital era without losing their principles as human beings, where it is very important to be empathic and be connected.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - Both my children have been in St. Nicholas since they were very small, so for them, it’s not about having to learn English. It’s natural, they live it. The mixture of Portuguese and English, a little bit more of Portuguese when they are smaller, starts becoming mostly English as they grow.
The school works with the IB methodology, which is something spectacular for the children.
To me, it is more important that they “learn how to learn”. This is something I worry about and is solved and reflected in the education here at St. Nicholas. The children are stimulated to understand and look at what is different, to stop and really think.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I wanted my children to study in an International School and have the opportunity that I didn’t have because there were no international schools in Alphaville.
In addition to the parents’ day meetings, the teachers make sure to let us know during the year of any difficulties that the children might be having. They present solutions for that and also allow children to discover their own solution to that difficulty.
Through the IB method, which I believe is fantastic, that encourages the students’ autonomy to think, find solutions to challenges by themselves, to talk about inclusion, learn about different cultures.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I can understand that at St. Nicholas, she will have the opportunity to really focus on where she has her strengths and I think this will contribute to her growing as a better person. In an international environment that gives you all the tools you need to adapt to the different, I guess, different cultures that we have in Brazil and the international people we have in Brazil as well.
As much international background and experience that I can give her now, I think it will make her life easier or at least she will be better placed in the future to deal with all the different challenges that we face at the moment.
For me, education of the future is actually giving our children and our grandchildren all the tools that we can to help them adapt. Education-wise and information-wise we have everything.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - We are a family that will probably always be moving around the world. So we had to have a continuation in the learning and realised that the IB has a teaching framework that allows validation and continuation in different countries without interrupting the learning process of the children.
St. Nicholas won the hearts of our daughters with the warmth in which everyone welcomed them. We arrived without speaking any Portuguese obviously, so they only spoke Spanish, and little by little they started integrating the English language into their lives, and then they started speaking Portuguese which is the language they speak with their friends. It was definitely the best choice we made.
I never had trouble making the girls go to school. Even being a family that is not Brazilian, I thought the adaptation process would be longer, but I realised that it was fast because they started understanding and really feeling the school as a second home.
The education of the future With innovation and soft skills, we have to prepare them for a digital era without losing their principles as human beings, where it is very important to be empathic and be connected.Read moreWritten December 8, 2023 - I am always learning from my students. They push me to be a bigger risk-taker. It is this challenging oneself to take on difficult projects and then acknowledging that things might not work the way I want but I will do everything to succeed. That keeps me going.Read moreWritten February 23, 2023
- It is really different from Brazil which is my home country. Everything here is so clean, so quiet and the infrastructure is amazing. In the classrooms, boarding house, even outside and in the city in general. Everything seems well-built and seems to work, which is something you don’t always have. It is vital for me to see nature everyday, be in a beautiful environment and be a part of a friendly community. I also enjoy the fact that here you don’t just sit and listen during lessons. We are always discussing things, getting feedback from each other and learning something new by participating, not observing. So, our role as students is really active.Read moreWritten February 23, 2023
- I believe that pushing a child to choose a career path at an early age causes internal and external conflicts. The EIS curriculum, however, allows my son to have a hands-on experience in various subjects that help him discover his true passion, so he can make a conscious choice when ready. Also, he became more confident and responsible – I see that when he comes home on holidays and honestly, I am proud of him.Read moreWritten February 23, 2023
Summary
Choosing a Montessori school offers a holistic educational approach focusing on independence, respect, and personal development. The method emphasizes child-centered learning, practical life skills, and social development within a carefully prepared environment. This nurturing educational setting not only fosters academic excellence but also equips children with essential life skills for future success.