Why a Montessori Education at Alcuin?

Respect for oneself, for others, and for the classroom materials are the “ground rules” of a Montessori community.  We believe with Dr. Maria Montessori that the world's future depends upon how children grow up.  This philosophy serves as the cornerstone of Alcuin’s focus: commitment to the child.

We strive for a Montessori program in which a child’s needs for movement and social interaction, coupled with his equally compelling needs for order, independence and concentration, are fostered and met.  Montessori-trained professionals and experienced assistants guide a child to moments of discovery that yield great joy and a sense of dignity as an independent human being.

Alcuin’s family-like atmosphere encourages strong partnerships between faculty and parents so that children can receive consistent experiences at home and school. 

Alcuin has been offering excellence in education for over 60 years.  Along with our rich history, the school has a national reputation for delivering the highest quality of Montessori education.

• Our faculty are committed, talented, highly educated, and professional.
• We are accredited by the American Montessori Society and the Independent Schools of the Central States, making us the only dually accredited school in the area.
  
• We are one of the few Montessori schools in the Chicagoland area with a strong Middle School program that supports the psychological characteristics and needs of the adolescent in a way that is consistent with Montessori philosophy.
• Our Fine Arts curriculum is top-notch. Alcuin has successfully integrated theater, swimming, and art enrichment classes in our program in a manner that honors the three-hour morning work cycle and does not disrupt, yet supports, the classroom curriculum.  These enrichment classes have culminated in previous years in performances and community events such as the opera, Cultural Festival, winter concert, and more.
  

As a result of all the above, Alcuin graduates are well-rounded, strong in character, and motivated to find purpose and personal success in life.

Recommended reading:

• The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori, Holt Paperbacks, 1995
• The Child in the Family, Maria Montessori, ABC-Clio, 1989
• Education for a New World, Maria Montessori, ABC-Clio, 1989
• The Formation of Man, Maria Montessori, Association Montessori Internationale, 2007
• The Secret of Childhood, Maria Montessori, Fides Publishers, 1966 The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori, Ballantine Books, 1986
• Maria Montessori Speaks to Parents, Maria Montessori, Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, 2017
• The 1946 London Lectures, Maria Montessori, Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, 2012
• The Joyful Child: Montessori, Global Wisdom for Birth to Three, Susan Mayclin Stephenson, Michael Olaf Montessori Company, 2013
• Child of the World: Montessori, Global Education for Age 3-12+, Susan Mayclin Stephenson, Michael Olaf Montessori Company, 2013
• Understanding the Human Being, Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro M.D., Nienhuis Montessori, 1991
• How to Raise an Amazing Child: The Montessori Way to Bring Up Caring, Confident Children, Tim Seldin, Dorling Kindersley, 2007
• Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, E. M. Standing, Plume, 1998
• Montessori Madness, Trevor Eissler, Sevenoff, 2009
• Montessori from the Start, Paula Polk Lillard and Lynn Lillard Jessen, Schocken, 2003 
• The Montessori Toddler (A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being), Simone Davies, Junnifa Uzodike, 2019
  
• The Montessori Baby (A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding), Simone Davies, Junnifa Uzodike, Sanny van Loon, 2021
•  The Montessori Child: A Parent's Guide to Raising Capable Children with Creative Minds and Compassionate Hearts, Simone Davies, Junnifa Uzodike, 2024