frequently asked questions

Our world values busyness, and the frenetic pace is antithetical to family life.  Our vision is counter-cultural.  We see our most precious role is helping children attentively hear the Holy Spirit speak. We create a  space for silence in the children’s daily and weekly routine at the Center to hear God’s voice, receive the Good News of the Good Shepherd's great Love, and to understand why He made them and to what He is calling them. This space is called the Atrium, and it is the heart of John XXIII Montessori Center. 

How is the life of the Atrium manifested in practice? In the “retreat center” of the Atrium, children work and pray both individually and as a community. Liturgical Seasons are observed and celebrated, fostering greater participation in the Liturgy of the Church. Some families choose our CGS Atrium Program for their children and provide for their academic formation in other ways. The silence and reflection cultivated in the Atrium environments are also essential to our  Academic + Atrium Programs. In the Toddler and Primary programs, the Atrium space is fully available during the children’s time at the Center. In the Elementary and Adolescent programs, the Atrium is a valued once-a-week retreat the students treasure.  Every child’s weekly routine at the Center includes this sacred time and space for prayer work. The reflection and heart-connection fostered in the Atrium inform everything we do to have life to the full in God’s Kingdom. As we observe children who have had this formation, we see that they truly know themselves and what is most essential in life as they enter into adulthood.

The conventional mid-August through June, five-days-per-week school year is a model based on factory hours rather than the needs of children. We are different. We abide by the child’s inherent nature and offer a less stressful academic year schedule.  Our spiritual and formational environments offer bountiful opportunities to develop life skills such as independence, self-reliance, self-knowledge, resourcefulness, resilience, responsibility, social and emotional intelligence, and a deep-heart connection with God. Children also need the varied experiences of home life and the summer months. Children naturally desire to be outside once the weather warms up. The days of late spring into summer should be sprinkled with meaningful activities like family outings and camping trips, exploring and connecting with nature, climbing trees, summer reading and sitting around a bonfire on a starry night. Taking long walks on the beach, building a backyard fort, growing a family garden, playing flashlight tag and a pick-up game of capture the flag; all these activities involve meaningful, real-life learning. Even boredom can lead to creative problem-solving and inventiveness! We allow for the carefree timelessness of the summer months for growing, discovering, exploring, learning, family bonding and lasting childhood memories.  

Yes! The genius of Dr. Maria Montessori’s insights on the truth of the human person and how children learn and develop has been 100% proven by modern brain science. We believe that Montessori and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd “best practice” is holistic, Thomistic and an invaluable guiding principle. Fidelity to these principles is a serious commitment for us. We continually self-evaluate our faithfulness to applying these principles in each environment and the Center as a whole. It is the reason for close observation and “following the child” in the true, the good and the beautiful as these little ones lead us to the fullness of life in God’s Kingdom. 

Most schools fill up a child’s day with classes and extracurricular activities and then send work home to fill their evenings. Overscheduled children easily become overwhelmed with the fast pace and piled-on activities and are increasingly stressed. Parent-child interaction often becomes limited to coordination of schedules, meeting deadlines, and time spent in the car rushing to a plethora of events.  In the context of our program hours, we foster relational team building through collaboration and provide opportunities for meaningful shared work, prayer and community outreach projects, all in an environment that respects different gifts and interests. We believe that the child’s time away from the Center is best left unhindered, leaving room for his/her own exploration and growth.

Pope St. John XXIII is an archetype of childlike joy and simplicity.  A great lover of life known for his warmth, humility and ability to collaborate, John XXIII never forgot his simple, rural roots.  His affection for his family and deep intimacy with God grounded him in life.  A good shepherd of souls who loved all of God’s people, especially children, John XXIII was also a wholehearted supporter of Dr. Maria Montessori’s work.  From humble, farm beginnings, John XXIII remained close to the land, close to his family and close to God’s presence in his heart. “Every believer in this world of ours must be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men. And he will be this all the more perfectly, the more closely he lives in communion with God in the intimacy of his own soul” - John XXIII.

Parenting is hard work,  but with the gift of each child comes the grace and the opportunity for parents to grow in the school of love to meet their child’s needs. We support one another to grow in appreciation of the unique gift that each child is to his/her family. While all Catholic schools value the principle that parents are the primary educators of their children, our center model keeps parents at the heart of what we do. We provide numerous opportunities for parents to learn how to “bring Montessori home.” At the infant-toddler level, parents can attend sessions with their child to learn by seeing Montessori principles in action. An “open door” invitation to visit and observe provides similar learning opportunities.  Parents receive periodic updates and newsletters on content and progress at the Center – parent formation meetings, parent conferences, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd courses for adults, and use of Transparent Classroom in our academic + atrium program so parents can be both informed and involved.

Most importantly, we allow the gift of time, which is so precious and needed for deep relational family life to flourish. Children show us the way. Parents bring their profound knowledge of their children. We provide a supportive environment for children and parents to grow the gifts they have while also “holding space” for the nurturing of family life.

The 3-year cycle in a Montessori environment originates with Maria Montessori’s discovery of the planes of development (0-6 years the Absorbent Mind, 6-12 years Childhood, 12-18 years Adolescence and 18-24 years Young Adult). There are sub-planes within these which happen every 3 years at which a predictable separation occurs and the child is clearly ready for more. Respecting this natural cycle of transformation in the child, Montessori and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd curricula are designed to assist the child most effectively when the child is given the opportunity to complete all three years of the cycle.  

The first year is focused on giving the child a foundation for the learning which is appropriate to that plane of development. The second year is devoted to exploration of the material presented in more detail. In the third year the child begins to apply what they have learned. The third year is crucial for the child’s sense of completion, confidence and competence. For the first two years the child had leaders to guide him/her along the way (the Guide, the assistants and the older children). A leader builds and passes on trust and respect through consistency: how they work, how they handle materials, how they treat others in the environment. Leaders form leaders. The child who has been given the gift of the full 3-year cycle in each plane becomes a confident and competent leader. The third year is critical for the smooth development of confidence and high level thinking skills.

Parents who take their role as primary educators seriously can also become overwhelmed at being solely responsible for meeting educational, social and emotional milestones (in addition to running a home!)  At John XXIII, we keep parents front and center in their children’s formation while providing important support so they don't bear the burden alone. Parents choose from our several program options to best fit their children’s needs and their parenting style.  We offer flexibility as one of the best aspects of home education, paired with the best aspects of a Montessori environment. We tailor our support to what a family needs.

Since our founding in 2003, we have seen our graduates go on to meet their own goals - further studies, college,  or successfully entering the workforce. Whatever their aspirations and God’s plan for their lives, they exhibit exceptional self-direction, responsibility, problem-solving and relational skills. Our 3 or 4-day program, paired with appropriate parent involvement at home, has proven effective for providing core learning, meeting state SOLs, and building numerous other intangible skills, i.e., spiritual, social and emotional, all necessary for success in life. On the practical level, parents can decide if they want to claim a Religious Exemption with their VA county or declare themselves as Home Educators. In the latter case, we offer a customized letter for each family, signed by our Guides with a Master's degree in Education, to present to the county affirming academic progress.

The reasons are numerous. It is a characteristic of Montessori educational philosophy to aim for lifetime mastery rather than working for a grade. Yet, it is regularly assumed that children will not learn unless motivated by the external rewards of good grades and honor rolls or, on the other hand, motivated by the potential shame of bad grades, flunking, or other negative outcomes. As an established institution of conventional educational systems, grades are part of our compare-and-compete culture. Grades classify and sort children into categories of “smart” or “dumb,” often causing frustration, divisiveness, and even bullying.  Requiring children to cram for tests generates stress and anxiety and has been shown ineffective as a means of learning and retention. 

We are different. We believe children are born learners. In our Montessori environment, each child is allowed to work at his or her own pace.  Motivation is not from external systems of punishments and rewards but comes from the inside of each child.  The constant goal for parents and guides is to help children develop the habit of work and intrinsic motivation that will serve them throughout their lives. When learning is natural, delight-based, sensorial and enjoyable, children will put forth maximum effort, actually working longer, advancing further and retaining better what is learned. Guides regularly check in and conference with each child individually, tracking progress and guiding self-evaluation for advancement at the child’s own pace and best outcomes.

We view our work in the Atrium as an enhancement to the work of parents to prepare their children for the Sacraments.  Our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, fully approved by the Arlington diocese, is also recognized by St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and surrounding parishes. This unique and beautiful catechetical option is based on a collaborative discernment between the child, his/her parents and our CGS-certified Catechists. Children of 6-8 years of age who desire to prepare for the Sacraments and are participating fully in John XXIII’s Level II Atrium and Communion Meditation series are considered ready to receive first Confession and First Communion. A Mass of First Communion is scheduled each spring with St. John’s parish for John XXIII children and their families. 

In the final year of the Level III Atrium, or as part of John XXIII’s White Oaks Adolescent Program, a special Confirmation preparation program is offered. Discernment for participation is likewise collaborative and based on a student’s desire, maturity and readiness. Participation in projects and group meditations followed by an interview with the pastor are part of this program, which culminates in the reception of Confirmation at the St. John’s parish celebration.

Yes. Montessori formation is the only educational model based on the observed, scientifically studied truth of the human person and how we learn best. It is rooted in Thomistic principles. Similar to classical education, Montessori formation is the seeking of truth, goodness, and beauty and the study of the liberal arts with a goal of developing independent thinkers and communicators. There are also correlations between a classical/medieval education which includes stages of grammar, dialectic and rhetoric, and Dr. Montessori’s Planes of Development. Likewise, high-quality classical literature and selections from the great books are used at every level of Montessori academics as appropriate to the child’s stage of development. The cultivation of critical thinking is highly valued in both methods. However, in a Montessori environment, students have more opportunity for developing self-direction, independence, and a confident ability to make good choices.  

In our environments at the elementary and adolescent levels, subjects are integrated and interconnected. Students explore math concepts as reflected in the world of science, simultaneously learning when in history these great developments were made. The Montessori adolescent Humanities curriculum encompasses Literature, English, Grammar, secular and Church History, Poetry, Art and more, all explored in the longer work period central to the Montessori approach. As opposed to subject areas taught in isolated fragments, this depth of integration is unique to a Montessori environment and best reflects the unity and oneness of God’s creation.

Priceless. In Building Better Brains: The Neurological Case for Montessori Education, Dr. Steven Hughes, PhD, ABPdN, President, American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology, states: “If we decided that the purpose of education should be to help every child’s brain reach its highest developmental potential, we would have to radically rethink school.  The task seems insurmountable, yet this work has already been done. In fact, it was done over a hundred years ago. When examined through the lens of environmental enrichment and brain development, Montessori education presents a radically different–and radically effective–educational approach that may be the best method we’ve got to ensure the optimal cognitive, social, and emotional development of every child.”  

In the shifting sands of our current culture, what family, business, apostolate or other worthwhile endeavor could not benefit from the contribution of young adults who have been formed in social, cognitive, spiritual and emotional intelligence through the excellent Catholic Montessori formation received at John XXIII Montessori Center?