IMSP 20th Anniversary

We're excited to celebrate 20 years since IMSP first opened its doors to the Prague community. Two decades spent working with parents, teachers, and staff that share our same passion for holistic education is something we’re proud of. The Montessori method is community-driven, and as we look back on our achievements so far, we want to take time to thank the people that made it all possible.

“The education of a very small child does not aim at preparing him for school but for life.”
Maria Montessori

"At first, I just wanted to prepare my own children for the world," recalls Kateřina Stanislavová, IMSP Founder and Executive Director , in an interview with Forbes Česko. Kateřina was selected by the magazine to be featured as one of their “Forbes Women”, but the success IMSP has seen is not hers alone. Instead, this school was founded as a community effort, filling what many felt to be a gap in Prague’s education system. Like-minded individuals came together to open an institution that was equal parts international, nurturing, and deeply rooted in respect for the child. IMSP has operated in collaboration with the Prague community since the very beginning.

It started small, inviting just 5 students to participate in what would become Prague’s first and only school to be accredited by the American Montessori Society (AMS). Bringing together individuals with a shared interest in high-quality and enriching education, conversations between parents, administration, and staff have evolved into IMSP’s current mission statement.

IMSP is an international school offering authentic Montessori education. Embracing
each child's unique potential, we empower our students to achieve academic excellence and become confident, compassionate, and engaged citizens of the world.

IMSP’s mission statement reflects the school’s passion for educating the whole child. The Montessori pedagogy hinges on a profound admiration for a student’s independence in work, in play, and in life. Providing a nurturing environment through education allows children to grow in a way that prepares them for the future ahead. IMSP echoes Maria Montessori’s vision, calling for education to be used as a tool for life, not just the classroom. Supporting students at IMSP is possible due to the alumni, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends, and all those who have helped shape IMSP into what it is today.

We are humbled by the unwavering support we have been shown. To demonstrate our gratitude and to assure families that we don’t take their loyalty for granted, we would like to make a promise to the IMSP community.

Our pledge to you is as follows:

We promise to continue providing high-quality education, constantly updating our practices and prioritizing transparent channels for communication.
We aim to recertify under the American Montessori Society and maintain our accreditation with the Czech Ministry of Education so that parents can rest easy knowing that the education their child is receiving holds up to both international and
national standards.
We recommit ourselves to dual curriculum education in a natural and immersive setting, preparing students for a fulfilling life both in and beyond the Czech Republic.
Finally, we pledge to center our school’s mission around warm and respectful care, ensuring that all students, families, and staff are not only included but are valued members of the IMSP community.

Reflecting on IMSP’s journey over the past 20 years, we’re proud of the community we’ve built and the students we’ve fostered. Watching alumni grow into passionate and engaged citizens of the world, it’s clear to us that education should be an act of liberation for the child, never just a means to an end. As we enter a new decade as a school, we look forward to growing deeper in our mission alongside the incredible IMSP community. We can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes us!

Are you curious about the advantages of Montessori education and how it can aid your child's development? Contact us to schedule an individual tour.

Gallery
Comments

Další články

Learning Mathematics in our Primary Classrooms

Maria Montessori often stated that not only does every human being have an innate drive to understand the environment around them, we all also naturally have what she called a “Mathematical Mind”. In the Montessori classroom, mathematical learning begins through indirect preparation long before a child is ever introduced to any Math materials.

Understanding your child's inner sense of order

Have you ever noticed that your child enjoys singing the same song over and over again, or wants you to repeat the same story for what feels like a million times? Dr. Montessori highlighted the importance of sensitive periods in children, which are known as windows of opportunities for children to develop skills, including movement, language and most definitely, order. A child’s need for external order is present as early as childbirth and peaks in their second year, before fading at about the age of 5. This period of development helps a child to develop a connection between themselves and the world, process information and overcome challenges.

IMSP’s LIDOVÉ NOVINY

Introducing IMSP’s LIDOVÉ NOVINY, a Czech-language newspaper written, edited, and assembled by our Upper Elementary students. This project was inspired by renowned Czech writer Karel Čapek. Čapek, best known for inventing the word „robot“, was beloved for his versatile and multi-genre pieces. Bouncing between modern fairytales, short stories, travel-logs, and biographical work, Čapek also had a particular affinity for the feuilleton, a short newspaper essay designed, not only to inform the reader, but to amuse them as well.

The Benefits of Cursive Handwriting

It can be an exciting time when your child begins to read and write their first words. They are at the dawn of an exhilarating literacy journey that will open their eyes to a world of books, knowledge, and wonder!

Montessori Sensorial Materials Lead to Sensory Awareness

The materials in the Sensorial area of the Montessori classroom are quite unique – they speak to the tactile observer in all of us. When you consider the way humans take in information, you realize how often we use more than one sense to explore. Maria Montessori’s work in the Sensorial environment was designed to take advantage of this tendency. Today, I will discuss the materials featured in the Children’s House classroom (ages 3-6).