About Our School

 

“The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim is not only to make children understand, and still less to force them to memorize, but so to touch their imagination as to enthuse them to their innermost core. We do not want complacent pupils but eager ones. We seek to sow life in children, rather than theories, to help them in their intellectual, emotional, and physical growth, and for that, we must offer them grand and lofty ideas to explore.”

Dr. Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential  

The Montessori Children’s School of Key West provides a complete and authentic Montessori environment that fosters a love of learning in our children by adhering to Maria Montessori’s teaching methods.

Founded in 1972, our school is Key West’s oldest Montessori program and has earned its reputation as the island’s premier Montessori school, educating children from 18 months through 6th grade.  Our Montessori-certified educators and support staff uphold our mission of guiding children to become self-directed, cooperative, and responsible individuals of the community while building solid foundations in humanitarianism, intellectual growth, and peace.

At The Children’s School, we believe that the role of teachers and parents is to “help the child do it alone”. We allow children to learn independently through exploration at their own pace. We embrace our responsibility as early educators to these young, absorbent minds and hold steadfast to the belief that children can best develop their abilities to the fullest when guided during sensitive early childhood periods. We set high standards to ensure our children receive an educational experience that will maximize their potential. Our classrooms are quite unlike anything you may have experienced in education and shatter the myth that young children are distracted, loud and unruly.  On the contrary, our classrooms are peaceful, orderly environments, allowing children to thrive. We see it every day, but you must experience it to believe.  To schedule a tour email us at office@montessorikeywest.com or call 305.294.5302.

The Children’s School is a non-profit organization administered by a volunteer board of directors consisting of parents and community members. 

The Children’s School began as a parent-run school across the street from our present location. Our first home was a shotgun house into which parents poured time and love to create a unique learning environment for their children to grow and develop. What began as a one-classroom school has since developed into six classrooms, two of which are recognized as historical by HARC. 

We offer Toddler, Primary, and Elementary programs and aftercare, holiday, and summer camp programs. 

We are fortunate to now have students in our school whose own parents attended the school when they were children. The school is an active community member in Key West and will continue to be for many years. We are honored each time a parent entrusts their child’s education to The Children’s School.

We are members of the International Montessori Council (IMC)