Hockessin Montessori School

Hockessin Montessori School

Our Guiding Principles:
PATIENCE: We believe that patience is one of the most important cornerstones of being a teachers. Patience allows the teacher to work with each child at their own pace, as we recognize that all students learn differently and at varying speeds.
ENCOURAGEMENT: Each day, the faculty and staff at HMS help children appreciate their own work and behavior through encouragement. We make relationships a priority by carrying on respectful dialogue and by focusing on the positive.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: We are proud to be a school that maintains strong academic standards. Combining both the Montessori materials and philosophy with traditional teaching tools and methods, we provide an exemplary program that fosters academic growth.
COOPERATIVE LEARNING: HMS focuses on developing cooperative learning situations in which individuals seek outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and beneficial to all other group members. At HMS small groups of students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning.
ENTHUSIASM: By fostering a love of learning, we believe that children will naturally have enthusiasm to explore a subject even further. In the same regard, the teachers at HMS are committed to sharing their own passion and zeal for learning.
FOLLOWING THE CHILD: Curriculum, criteria, and courses are developed by following the child. We believe that when a child is interested in a topic, she will be motivated to investigate it even further. Subjects are always presented in a way that is both challenging and based on the student's individual needs and abilities, regardless of their grade or age.
UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSION: HMS provides compassionate and understanding classroom environments in which students are understood to be complex people. Here, students feel that they belong. Here, they meet challenge and encouragement while we ask them to be the best versions of themselves. Compassionate classrooms are places where student voices and student ideas are prioritized.
LEADERSHIP: Quality leaders are self motivated. They possess problem solving, decision making, and strategic planning skills. Each of these skills is integral parts of the Montessori philosophy and students are provided opportunities to enhance these skills each and every day within our environment.

President: Janette Henry, M.Ed., M.B.A.