M: The Magazine for Montessori Families
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The Lang-Mekra family of businesses, founded in 1932 in Furth, Germany decided in 1994 to expand their worldwide capabilities and open a plant in North America, here in Ridgeway, South Carolina. The plant began production in 1994. What started out as a dream for Sabine Lang and her parents, Henreich and Erika Lang, became a reality in 1999; a Montessori school able to house 100 children.

The original plan was to open a day-care facility for Lang-Mekra employees to have a safe and close place where their children could stay during the work day. Ms. Lang became aware of the Montessori method of teach teaching and chose that approach because of the remarkable results used with this method in other schools.

She agreed with the philosophy of allowing children to advance at their own pace, providing exploration, and grouping older children with younger ones to serve as role models and guides. One of the goals of the facility is to provide quality schooling and Extended Care for the working parent. Once it was agreed to change the day-care facility to a Montessori school, it was then decided to open the school to the community.

Open registration began in the summer of 1999, and the school opened its doors in November of 1999. Built by Lang-Mekra of North America, the school then offered classes and care for six-week old infants to 6-year old children.

In the year 2001, Palmetto Montessori made its first expansion, opening a classroom for Lower Elementary students, ages 6-9 years and grades 1-3. This was followed by another expansion of the building, the construction of 2 new classrooms for grades 4-6 or 9-12-year old children.

In a Montessori classroom, there is no front of the room and no teacher's desk as a focal point of attention because the stimulation comes from the total environment. Dr. Montessori always referred to the teacher as a "directress" and her role differs considerably from that of a traditional teacher. She is, first of all, a very keen observer of the individual interests and needs of the child, and her daily work proceeds from her observations rather than a prepared curriculum. She demonstrates the correct use of materials as they are chosen by the child. She carefully watches the progress of each child and keeps a record of his work and progress with the materials. She is trained to recognize periods of readiness.

Palmetto Montessori has trained Montessori teachers in every classroom of the school.