School is influencing your child's beliefs.
Here's what our students believe about the world (and themselves!)
If you have kids (and since you’re here, we bet you do), you’ve likely seen Inside Out 2 – possibly more than once.
If you haven’t seen it (no spoilers, promise!), the movie centers on imagining how we develop core beliefs about the world and ourselves, based on our life experiences.
One of little Riley’s core beliefs is “I am a good person” — but as she grows up and experiences new things, she acquires other beliefs about herself, both positive and negative. These shape her worldview and form her identity.
Our kids might not have personified emotions running around in their heads and managing their belief systems, but they do carry core beliefs. In fact, we all do!
Core beliefs are the assumptions we regularly make about ourselves, others, and the world at large. They are what make up our sense of self, or our identity.
Our children will spend over 19,000 total hours in K-12 school, at minimum. Which means their school environment plays a huge role in forming their core beliefs. In other words, where our child goes to school plays a massive role in how they see the world — and themselves.
So, it leads you to wonder: are they picking up the right core beliefs from their school?
This is precisely the reason we love the Montessori method so much — because of the core beliefs we know our students (and our own children!) are walking out of these doors with:
The Montessori child’s belief system
“I am capable.”
One of the primary beliefs a Montessori-educated child will gain about themselves is “I am capable.”
In a properly prepared environment, a young child can do things of meaning and value, of their own power and volition, including preparing their own snacks, tying their shoes, etc.
Instead of adults completing these tasks for them, kids are empowered to take on these tasks for themselves. In the classroom, they grapple with the real world and express agency over their outcomes.
Each small reminder of this truth, revealed as a lived experience, solidifies a child’s belief that they are capable. Don’t steal the struggle!
A person with this core belief… can walk into any situation with the confidence they need to succeed.
“I can learn anything.”
If a Montessori child is interested in learning about something (and there’s so much to be interested in!), they are taught to trust their ability to find the information and untangle it on their own.
Rather than developing a sense of apathy about the world around them, Montessori children strive to make sense of it.
For toddlers, household tasks like pouring milk and sweeping the floor are new and thrilling. They have an innate desire to practice real world tasks and participate in practical life. And as they age, they’ll find even more things to be interested in, from business, to healthcare, to the arts.
A person with this core belief… sees life as a great adventure, as an opportunity to grow, learn, and contribute.
“Effort is enjoyable.”
The average adult spends 80% of their life working. So, if you don’t derive enjoyment from effort, taking action, and accomplishing things, there is very little in life for you to enjoy.
Montessori kids can appreciate the experience of watching a movie or watching funny clips on TikTok, but they also find satisfaction in their active pursuits. Whether they’re participating in a group project, going to soccer practice, or helping out around the house, then, they feel that hard work is rewarding.
A person with this core belief… understands that life is working, thinking, and choosing — and they’re grateful for it.
“Other people are friends and allies.”
Montessori children learn and grow in a classroom where people are useful, accomplish impressive things, and responsibly maintain a shared environment.
They view others as respectful and admirable and feel a true sense of belonging amongst their peers.
An understanding that people are benevolent comes from actually experiencing oneself and others as benevolent, not being lectured on the importance of being kind or patient or helpful.
Montessori classrooms encourage this by protecting concentration (which fosters respect for others and oneself), creating a culture of independent work (where children both admire others’ work and are admired for their own), and maintaining routines (which helps children feel like they belong in the their environment because they helped create and maintain it).
A person with this core belief… offers assistance where they can and asks for help as needed.
Positive core beliefs in action
Every day, we witness students who are unafraid to ask each other for help. And when an adult comes to visit? Instead of being shy around the stranger, the kids offer them a cup of tea.
Moreover, our students are unafraid of doing things for themselves. The two-year-olds prepare their snacks and tie their shoes. The middle and high schoolers build businesses that align with their interests.
They don’t need adult intervention. They know they’re capable.
As former Guidepost student Savannah Forgy put it:
“Often you won't see the guide when you first walk into the room. In a Montessori setting, we refer to the adult in the classroom as a ‘guide,’ instead of a teacher, because it reflects the role more properly. It's a true form of spontaneous order, much like you would see in a post-education working environment.”
Our goal is for students to feel independent, confident, and in control of their destinies. It’s the opposite of apathy. In a Montessori school, children genuinely want to collaborate, succeed, and pursue their goals and dreams.
This is a rare belief system
A person who possesses all of these core beliefs is incredibly rare in today’s culture. Too often, people struggle with the fear of failure when facing new challenges, apathy when faced with learning new skills, resistance in their work, or alienation from others who could add joy to their lives.
Montessori kids grow up to love learning, enjoy effort, love others, and author their own lives — not just get good grades and work the system.
Teaching children that they are capable, that life is exciting, and that people are benevolent gives them a road map for the rest of their lives.
Our kids can (and should) be optimistic about the world. It helps if they’re in a school environment that reinforces their optimism and self-determination.
If we want our kids to internalize that the real world is safe, exciting, and intelligible, we need to let them experience the real world. Their education should offer them daily opportunities to do just that.
After all, Riley doesn’t spend Inside Out 2 sitting at home, theorizing about life and thereby building her Belief System. She has to go to school, interact with her friends, play hockey, and otherwise be involved in her growing up. To build new and positive core beliefs, she has to live.
And the same goes for our children.
☀️ This week’s bright spots:
If you have a minute… Watch this video on why kids love making their own snacks so much (and get a bonus snacktime idea!).
If you have ten minutes… Read
’s note on how Montessori isn’t actually child-led.If you have one hour… Listen to our CEO and co-founder
chat about how our schools are modernizing Montessori (and on a mission to bring it into the mainstream!) on the Hannah Frankman podcast.
Thanks for sharing this post. The Montessori method is truly inspiring. My girl will turn 2 soon, and we're exploring schooling options for her.
You mentioned, with the influence of Montessori edu, "Instead of being shy around the stranger, the kids offer them a cup of tea." My daughter is generally unfriendly to our friends and acquaintances. We take it as stranger anxiety or her introverted nature, but if that's something we can work on to make things better for her, we'd definitely give it a shot. It would be great if you could elaborate on how the Montessori system can help with this aspect.