Time vs. Mastery

MIR focuses on formative assessment to measure a child’s progress. This allows us to provide the individualized education that is the hallmark of Montessori.

In a conventional environment, children are given a set amount of time to master predetermined content. Therefore, assessment is focused on their progress within the given timeframe.

Methods used include tests, homework assignments, and written reports. Grades are the rubric to communicate children's mastery within the set timeframe. This type of assessment is called academic achievement assessment.

In this model, time is the most important factor in the assessment, and students are compared with each other to develop a norm-referenced scale (often a “bell curve”). Mastery is sacrificed in this model—children who do not master content must still move on to new content in time with their peers. Conversely, students who master concepts too quickly may be under-challenged.

Montessori flips the model, allowing each child the time they need to ensure mastery. Because each student moves at their own pace, assessment must be continuous and individual. Students cannot be compared with each other in this model. Factors beyond academic learning are reported, including the social and emotional growth of the child. This is known as formative assessment.

Montessori teachers perform formative assessment through observation, by challenging students to solve specific problems, by asking them to teach younger students, or by holding an intellectual conversation with them. Students write essays, work on projects, and explain how they solved a particular problem.

The daily, constant interaction between teacher and child tells us how a student is progressing and whether they need extra help.

Standardized Testing

MIR conducts standardized tests for grades 3-6 each year.

• Testing is a practical life activity in Montessori education. Standardized tests are given primarily to teach children how to take standardized tests and to reduce test anxiety. We do not "teach to the test."
• Test results provide teachers and parents with an additional data point for the progress of each child. It is important to understand that results reflect only one snapshot in time when reviewing the child’s progress. A child's performance on a standardized test is influenced by many factors.