On a recent morning, Zoe Edelmann and Darien Ridenour sat in a classroom at the McGuffey Montessori School. The two seventh-graders worked on a geography worksheet while keeping one eye on a row of plastic cups containing yeast, water and a variety of sweeteners, part of a science experiment on fungi.

Nearby a couple of fourth-graders played a math game with dice while a fifth-grader finished drawing a comic strip explaining mirrors and light refraction. Another student fired up a MacBook to watch a science video. Meanwhile, the teacher, Heidi Schran floated around the room, answering questions and giving advice.

The classroom scene is a reflection of Montessori education, where students learn individually, initiating and completing daily and weekly assignments in whatever order they chose and taking responsibility for keeping on top of their work.

“I think it’s a great way to learn,” said Noah Birch, a sixth-grader, as he finished his own geography worksheet. “Some kids spend their entire lives being told what to do and when and how much. When they get out of school, they don’t know how to make their own decisions.”

McGuffey recently made the switch to Montessori. Alfred Allen, head of school, said the school has always emphasized individual hands-on learning but adopting the Montessori model has made the staff that much more dedicated to it.

“In Montessori kids work at whatever developmental point they’re at and it’s student-directed,” he said. “They indicate when they’re ready to move on. There’s no teacher standing at the front of the classroom directing anything.”

Jennifer Rode, who has a preschooler and first-grader at the school, said the Montessori curriculum pairs her daughters’ social development with their academic development.

“The self-directed work times allow them to take ownership and pride in their progress,” she said.

Heidi McKee is especially pleased her preschooler son is developing a global perspective of the world — part of the Montessori curriculum.

“He comes home talking about how big China is and how he’d like to visit Antarctica,” she said.

As part of the switch to Montessori, the school went through a large renovation project over the summer, using both contractors and parent volunteers.

“Fully three-quarters of the parent body had some hand in the renovation,” Allen said.

Windows were added to the existing buildings to let in more natural light. Classrooms were reconfigured to make more small-group learning spaces. The kindergarten room was moved adjacent to the preschool room.

The decision to adopt the Montessori name and teaching methods has helped increase enrollment. Allen said the school has a waiting list for its preschool and kindergarten programs.

“We still have a few spaces in the primary, intermediate and upper units, “ he said. “But even those are filling fast.”