Montessori Children to Welcome Minister

Media Release

April 15, 2008

Montessori Children to Welcome Minister of Education to Napier

Children from Port Ahuriri Primary School will welcome the Minister of Education, the Honourable Chris Carter, to Napier on Saturday April 19.

The children attend Montessori primary classes at Port Ahuriri Primary School. They will be singing waiata and welcoming 200 delegates at the opening of the Montessori Association of NZ Conference on Saturday April 19.

The biennial conference is a focus for the Montessori educational community throughout New Zealand.

‘We are delighted to have the Montessori children from Port Ahuriri Primary to help us welcome the Minister to the conference,’ said Ana Pickering, Executive Officer of the Montessori Association of NZ.

‘The conference focuses on how Montessori education personalises learning for children at early childhood, primary and secondary level providing each child with support and challenge, tailored to their needs, interests and abilities.’

Dr. Maria Montessori stressed individually paced learning, freedom of choice and movement, and the importance of self-discovery. She considered education as a ‘preparation for life’, not merely a search for intellectual skills. The first Montessori school opened in Rome, Italy in 1907 and there are now over 22,000 Montessori schools around the globe.

In NZ there are 97 Montessori early childhood centres, 26 Montessori primary classes in state, private and state integrated schools and two Montessori high schools.

Over 3500 New Zealand families choose Montessori education for their children in NZ.

ENDS

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