Springfield subscribes to the Montessori teaching philosophy. Briefly, this philosophy, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), ensures an environment that is conducive to learning - an environment rich in life giving activities suited to the needs of the developing child. The program's goals for the child are to provide an environment that promotes a love of learning, to help the child develop physical and mental order and "Inner Discipline", to provide an environment and materials within it that will meet the child's emotional, cognitive, spiritual, social, and physical developmental needs, and to help the child to help himself through the processes of independence, responsibility, socialization, and grace and courtesy.