nichy
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Montessori is a secular education system, exactly like the public education sector. This means that no particular religion is taught as part of the curriculum, but that all religions, and all peoples are respected. Respect is a key component in a Montessori classroom - respect for the child, respect for the environment, respect for others and respect for oneself.
Religion is looked at from a cultural and sociological point of view. Children are invited to explore the cultures throughout the world and can see that there are many different religions.
Many Montessori schools celebrate holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukah, and Chinese New Year, which are religious in origin, but they are experienced on a cultural level as special days of family feasting, merriment, and wonder.
Montessori schools are independently owned/operated. As such, it is up to the individual school/centre to determine its own policies regarding holiday practices.
While Montessori does not teach religion, we do present the great moral and spiritual themes, such as love, kindness, joy, and confidence in the fundamental goodness of life in simple ways that encourage the child to begin the journey toward being fully alive and fully human.
There are approximately 25,000 Montessori schools throughout the world located in over 120 countries in a wide range of cultural and socio economic settings. Montessori is a method of education and as such can be implemented in a variety of educational settings including public schools, independent schools, religious schools, preschools and long day care centres. http://montessori.org.au/questions/religion.htm
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