History

Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870. She began her professional life not as an educator, but as a doctor of medicine. After extensive experience in private practice, hospital work and research, she undertook further studies in education, philosophy, psychology and anthropology as a basis for her growing commitment to education. At the age of 37, she took responsibility for a group of underprivileged children in the San Lorenzo district of Rome - founding her first Children's House (Casa dei Bambini).

Her unique approach to these children led to surprising results. She observed that when previously unruly children were provided with positive experiences, which corresponded closely to their stage of development, they easily became absorbed in purposeful activities. Not only did the children want to do things for themselves, but they were less interested in the toys and in the rewards given for working than in the activity itself. She saw this as an inherent characteristic of the child, and came to believe that the child's education should proceed in such a way as to provide an environment in which the spontaneous activity of the child would be left free to manifest itself.

The Montessori Philosophy

The Montessori approach is often described as an "education for life." When we try to define what children take away from their years in Montessori, we need to expand our vision to include more than just the basic academic skills. In her research, Dr. Montessori noted specific characteristics associated with the child's interests and abilities at each plane of development. She argued that a school carefully designed to meet the needs and interests of the child will work more effectively because it doesn't fight human nature. Montessori taught teachers how to "follow the child" through careful observation, allowing each student to reveal his strengths, weaknesses, interests, anxieties and strategies that work best to facilitate the development of his human potential.

Fundamental to Montessori's approach is the great respect for the child as an individual. The aim is to help the child develop independence and an awareness of his real position in history. This is achieved by providing a supportive yet challenging environment, rich in experience and mindful of the child's capacities and needs. Success requires an understanding of each child as an individual, as well as an ordering of his specific environment in such a way that he progressively develops an understanding and refinement of his senses, an appreciation of his role as part of a group and above all, a sense of internal motivation that will sustain his desire to explore and wonder.

“As teachers we can only help the work going on, as servants wait upon a master.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

What is Montessori?

Independence with Cooperation

In a true Montessori environment, you will find independent children who are encouraged to do things for themselves, think for themselves, and who explore and solve problems for themselves. Most importantly, you will see small children, without being asked, helping each other, putting things away and performing acts of kindness purely for the benefit of the group as a whole. So how does this all come about?

Absorbing through the Senses

The Montessori approach is based upon the natural laws of human development. Maria Montessori observed that children under the age of 6 absorb limitlessly and effortlessly from the world around them. In so doing, the foundations for later life are being developed - they become adults with all the characteristics and language of the culture into which they have been born, simply by living.

In this huge task, however, they have some help. They have a special kind of mind that she called an “Absorbent Mind” – a strong desire to explore everything around them using their senses and drive to become independent. She identified certain windows of opportunity for the child that she called 'sensitive periods' during which the child is irresistibly drawn to the things he needs to help him develop to his full potential.

Learning with each other

Everything in the classroom is designed to support these windows of opportunity. The Montessori 'nursery school' is called the Children's House because everything in it is designed to allow the child to become independent - the materials are child-sized, the equipment is laid out in an orderly fashion and everything can be found on shelves that are easily accessible for the children.

The equipment is aesthetically pleasing and is meticulously cared for, which encourages the children to take care of it too. Children between the ages of 2½ and 6 are grouped together in their own mini society. The younger children learn from watching the older children, and the older ones benefit from helping the younger children. The mixed age group allows the children to develop socially, intellectually and emotionally – an essential part of any Montessori environment.

In their own time

In a Montessori environment you will see children choosing their activities independently and moving from one activity to the next - always returning things to the shelf after they have used them. You will experience an atmosphere of calm and see young children concentrating for long periods of time. Children are encouraged to work individually, in a group or with a friend.

The morning should last for a minimum of three hours - three hours in which there is no fixed timetable. Maria Montessori observed that this period of time was essential for the children to develop the kind of concentration that you see when children become involved with something that is essential for their development. There are no time limits – children may work with whatever they choose for as long as they like, and help is only provided when needed.

In a Montessori environment, a trained adult, called a “directress,” will guide the children. The directress will show them how to do the things that they are ready for, after which they are encouraged to work independently. The adult will then observe the children and will not interfere, so long as the children are working with the material productively.

When difficulties arise, the directress will step in and help, but is always careful never to give more help than is needed. The directress is not teaching the children – only putting them in charge of their own learning through exploration. This may seem a subtle distinction but it is a key part of the Montessori approach.