Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia in International Schools

Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia are three distinct ideas about how children learn, and each differs from conventional schooling in its own way. If an international school uses one of these names, it helps to know what the approach looks like in a classroom and whether it suits your child.

Montessori

Montessori education is named after Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who developed the method in the early 1900s. It assumes that children want to learn and will do so readily in a carefully prepared environment.

A Montessori classroom has mixed-age groups, individual work areas and materials designed for children to explore on their own, in place of rows of desks. A child might spend 45 minutes with one set of materials, working out how it fits together, before moving on. Teachers observe each child, judge what they are ready for and introduce new materials at that point, instead of teaching the whole class from the front.

Some schools run Montessori up to age 18, but it is most common in early childhood and primary. By secondary, most Montessori schools become more traditional, because teenagers need more structured content for exams. Supporters say the method produces independent children who learn out of curiosity, not for grades or rewards, and former students often credit it with teaching them self-reliance and concentration. Critics say that without careful teaching some children miss basic skills, and that a child-led pace does not always keep up with curriculum requirements.

Waldorf (Steiner)

Waldorf education was developed by Rudolf Steiner and aims to educate "head, heart and hands". Imagination, creativity and artistic work sit alongside academic subjects. Many Waldorf schools use block teaching, where a class studies one subject in depth for several weeks before moving to the next. The school year follows nature and the seasons, and a typical day mixes movement, art, academic lessons and practical work.

Waldorf schools are often small. Teachers usually stay with the same class for several years, so they get to know the children well. Academic content is demanding, but lessons focus on meaning and connections between subjects more than memorisation. At secondary level, Waldorf schools prepare students for qualifications such as IGCSEs and A-levels, and some manage the switch to exam preparation more smoothly than others.

The approach appeals to families who want creativity and a slower pace. On the downside, quality varies a lot between Waldorf schools, some struggle with exam preparation in the later years, and progress is reported through art and narrative more than data, which worries some parents.

Reggio Emilia

Reggio Emilia is an Italian approach that treats young children as capable and curious thinkers. The classroom environment is called the "third teacher", alongside adults and other children. Teachers record children's learning in detail with photos, video and written notes, and share them with families.

Projects grow out of the children's own questions instead of a fixed curriculum. A class might follow one child's question about insects for several weeks. Teachers observe, listen and push the children's thinking further instead of directing the work.

Reggio is mainly used in early childhood and rarely continues past primary. Children tend to become good at asking questions and finding things out. The approach needs very skilled teachers, though, and without close attention some children may fall behind in basic reading, writing and maths.

A morning in each classroom

In a Montessori class, a child might work with geometric solids for an hour and then practise letters with sandpaper cards. In a Waldorf class, the morning might start with rhythmic movement, followed by a story that introduces a new topic and then art based on the story. In a Reggio class, children curious about water and sand might spend the morning testing what happens when they mix, with teachers asking questions and recording what they find.

Schools that mix approaches

Many international schools blend these ideas. A school might have a Montessori-influenced primary section and a traditional secondary, or bring Waldorf's daily rhythm and arts into a British-curriculum school.

Questions to ask before you choose

Choosing one of these schools comes down to how you want your child to learn. They suit self-motivated, curious children who do well with child-led learning. Children who need more structure and clear expectations, or who are heading for exams soon, may find them harder, especially if the school does not balance its philosophy with skills teaching.

• Can I watch a lesson in my child's age group?
• How do you make sure every child learns to read, write and do maths at the expected level?
• What happens when children move up to secondary or transfer to another school?
• How many of your teachers hold a Montessori, Waldorf or Reggio qualification?