NBA Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to their first NBA championship since 1975 on Tuesday, beating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-97. His educational background within the Montessori school system left him with essential skills to succeed both on and off the court.
In a YouTube video posted by the American Montessori Society back in October 2013, Curry explained how a Montessori education helped shape his outlook on life. His mother, Sonya Curry, is the head of the Christian Montessori School at Lake Norman in Charlotte, N.C.
"Montessori has been a good fit for my children simply because it allows each one of them to be themselves," Sonya said. "[Stephen is] really a task-oriented person, [Seth] is really quiet, shy, and reserved, and [Sydel] is really a social butterfly."
Curry explained on how the Montessori system changed his life.
"I think Montessori's helped become the person I am today," Curry said. "Montessori gave me a lot of confidence at a young age. I actually love to come to school because there was something new I was going to learn every day."
Curry contended that the Montessori system "was a good fit for anybody."
"You can go at your own pace," Curry said. "You can take your time and each kid can find a way to learn the best they can."
Curry's mother elaborated on her "passion" for teaching children.
"I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be able to have a school of my own," Sonya said.
Curry's father, Dell, talked about the upside of adhering to the Montessori system. Curry's siblings also chipped in with comments.
"As a parent, what I appreciated most about Montessori is that it allowed the children to learn at their own pace," Dell said.
"Every child is different and learns in different ways," Curry's brother, Seth, said.
"[Montessori system] allowed me to really get to know what kind of person I was," Curry's sister, Sydel, said.
Curry's mother loved that the Montessori system emphasized the values of "fundamental aspects in children's education," including independence, an intrinsic love for learning, responsibility, and respect for oneself and others. Curry pointed out how the methods worked for him.
"I harness my strengths and work on my weaknesses as I went through school," Curry said. "For any kid to experience that at some point allows them that sense of confidence that they can achieve anything."
Curry's mother emphasized that under the Montessori system, "every child can learn."
"The underlying spirit to that message is that if children are given an opportunity in the right environment to learn, they will learn," Sonya said. "Finding it for my children was like finding a gold mine."
The American Montessori Society has posted information on its website on how their methods work to prospective clients.
