About Montessori
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was born in Italy on August 31, 1870. She was born to
a well-respected family and was expected to grow up to fulfil the traditional
role of the Italian woman. Instead she pursued an advanced degree at the
University of Rome and became the first woman physician to graduate in
Italy. Her interests drew her to work with children, initially those who
were disadvantaged and had special needs.
Because she was an anthropologist, Montessori's decisions about working
with children were made by observing them first. She was not trained as
an educator and thus her decisions were based upon watching what children
did and what they were attracted to. Through her observations and trial
and error, she developed what became known as the Montessori Method of
education.
It was a radical departure in Montessori's own time. Montessori did not
place children in restricting environments, but instead designed the environments
to reflect the children. Tables and chairs were child-sized and materials
were placed low on the shelves to be readily accessible to the students.
In addition, many of the skills were designed to teach children how to
become more independent and do things for themselves.
Montessori continued throughout her life to work for the betterment of
the lives of children, founding training centres for teachers and dispersing
this method of education throughout the world. During her later years
her focus became centred on educating children to promote the principles
of peace. Her legacy has been the establishment of Montessori schools
around the world, which promote the cause of the child as a citizen of
the world.
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The Montessori Method
In the Montessori Program children progress at their own rates in multi-aged
classes of 3 - 6, 6 - 9 and 9 - 12 year olds. Children with special interests
and/or abilities can forge ahead as far and as fast as they want without
being held back by other children or grade level curriculum limitations.
Other children in the class learn from and are motivated by their association
with the high achievers. In the non-competitive atmosphere of Montessori
classes where students are not judged in relation to each other, the children
are free to like each other, to appreciate the accomplishments of their
classmates, and to cooperate with each other's educational endeavours.
Each class becomes a cooperative community.
Montessori discovered that children have sensitive periods or critical
learning periods that are age specific. During each of these periods,
children exhibit a burning interest in specific kinds of activities and
the acquisition of specific knowledge and skills. Montessori provides
opportunities to engage in activities, which match specific sensitive
periods. Children are presented with a number of different materials and
activities appropriate to their sensitive periods and are given the opportunity
to choose from among them. They follow their inner directives and choose
activities, which fulfil the needs of these periods. In the process, they
learn to make choices and to make constructive use of their time. The
students stay in touch with their innate desire to learn and pursue activities
and topics of interest further than would be required in a regular school
setting. Thus an ability to work independently and a love of learning
are established. The students become independent thinkers, capable of
making decisions and pursuing knowledge on their own. These are attributes,
which enhance quality of life and are especially important in the development
of future leaders.
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Montessori Philosophy
 Dr.
Montessori observed that children have an innate desire to explore and
learn about their world. The curriculum and teaching method she developed
were designed to appeal to and nurture the child’s basic desire
to learn.
Many parents are attracted to Montessori because of the amount children
learn at an early age. After spending three years in the Primary environment,
a child is typically reading, writing, adding and subtracting, and naming
continents and countries on the globe. However, the more significant value
of a Montessori education lies in the often-overlooked aspects of a child’s
development that prepare them for full participation in our society.
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Age ranges
The span of age range is from 2½ - 6 years and is very important
in the Montessori Classroom because younger children observe older children
and older children learn to empathise with younger children. Children
learn concentration, order, sequence and skills adapted to their culture
with Practical Life materials. They increase the acuity of their senses
and gain an understanding of the nuances of abstract terms such as large
and small with the Sensorial materials. Language activities and materials
increase vocabulary and conversational skills, develop writing and reading
skills, and begin an understanding of grammar.  Hands-on
experiences with the math materials give children clear concrete impressions
on which to build their own abstractions. Additional components include
language experiences with geographical concepts, peoples of the world,
simple science experiments, botany, zoology, art and music.
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FAQ about Montessori
What is Montessori?
Montessori is a philosophy and method of educating children.
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Who developed it?
Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori philosophy and the educational
method and equipment in the early 1900's in Italy. (See biography).
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What is the basic premise
of the Montessori philosophy?
Montessori believed that childhood was essential to the wholeness of human
life, not merely a stage to be passed through on the way to adulthood.
She emphasized the potential that each child carries innately and the
ability of the child to develop in environmental conditions of freedom
and love.
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Can young children handle
"total" freedom?
The freedom given a child in a Montessori classroom is guided and in balance
with his or her own comfort level. Freedom for the child is dependent
on previous personality development involving independence, will and inner
discipline.
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How is this freedom achieved?
Montessori felt it was achieved through the child's interaction with the
environment and then internalised within the child. This is the first
of two major components of the Montessori Method. She felt that the classroom
environment needed to be designed specifically for children to meet their
intellectual and physical needs.
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What is the second component
to the method?
The second component is the teacher. The role of the teacher is to serve,
as a guide rather than an authority figure to the children - inspiring
the children's own development based on their individual needs.
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Since it is individualized,
is it only for special children, mentally gifted or handicapped?
No! It is for all children regardless of race, religion, socio-economic
level or intellectual ability.
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How will my child do in
other schools once they leave the Montessori environment?Montessori
children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently
and in groups. Since they’ve been encouraged to make decisions at
an early age, these children are problem solvers who can make choices
and manage their time well. They have also been encouraged to exchange
ideas and to discuss their work freely with others and good communication
skills ease the way in new settings.
To facilitate the transfer, good communication between the Montessori
school and the traditional schools in a community must be maintained.
Montessori parents and teachers can visit the traditional schools and
prepare the child for whatever will be different. Teachers from traditional
schools can be encouraged to visit the Montessori classes to observe the
level of academic work.
Any good teacher will meet a child’s own level of development and
make the necessary allowances for what has already been achieved. It is
important for parents to monitor their own child’s work in the new
academic situation and to keep in close contact with their child’s
teacher. Parent and teachers working together can ensure that the child
will continues the love of learning acquired in Montessori.
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What habits and skills will my child acquire while attending
a Montessori School?The habits and skills that your child
has developed here in Kentstown Montessori School are good for a lifetime.
They will help him/her to work more efficiently, to observe more carefully
and to concentrate more effectively, no matter where he/she goes. If he/she
is in a stimulating environment, whether at home or at school, his/her
self-education – which is the only real education – will continue.
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Conclusion
 Research
studies show that Montessori children are well prepared for later life
academically, socially and emotionally. In addition to scoring well on
standardised
tests, Montessori children are ranked above average on such criteria as
following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively,
using basic skills, showing responsibility, asking provocative questions,
and showing enthusiasm for learning and adapting to new situations.
The best predictor for future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori
programs, based on the self-directed, non-competitive activities, help
children develop good self-images and the confidences to face challenges
and change with optimism.
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