What is Montessori?

 

The Montessori Way Maria Montessori

Montessori is an educational method created in the early 1900’s by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, psychologist and educator. Dr. Montessori observed that children teach themselves. This simple truth inspired Montessori's lifelong pursuit of educational reform, methodology, psychology, teaching, and teacher training--all based on her dedication to furthering the self-creating process of the child.

Dr. Montessori’s pioneering work created a blueprint for nurturing all children - learning disabled to gifted - to become self-motivated, independent and lifelong learners. Dr. Montessori has become widely recognized as being ahead of her time.

Remarkably, her visionary ideas continue to profoundly influence the entire educational landscape. Dr. Montessori teaches us that each child must be free to pursue what interests him most at his own pace but in a specially prepared environment.

Children are introduced to the joy of learning at an early age providing a framework upon which academic and social growth may progress hand in hand. The Montessori child is truly free to learn because he has acquired the 'inner discipline' necessary for lifelong learning.

The Montessori environment teaches the child respect; respect for oneself, others, and the planet. It is a positive, stimulating, and enriching atmosphere for children of all ages, all backgrounds, and all capabilities and/or gifts.

Montessori children tend to become self-confident, independent thinkers who learn because they are interested in the world and enthusiastic about life. Our community of multi-aged children engages in meaningful work with specially designed Montessori materials under the guidance of trained Montessori teachers.

Through this process the child gains a sense of purpose, independence, and deep satisfaction. We believe that the process of learning is an exciting journey. Three distinguishing features characterize the Montessori Method: A carefully prepared environment is provided, aesthetically pleasing and developmentally appropriate, calling to the young child's need to be an independent individual.

To consider the school as a place where instruction is given is one point of view. But to consider the school as a preparation for life is another. In the latter case the school must satisfy all the needs of life.
- Maria Montessori

The teacher's role is one of guide to the child. (S)he facilitates learning by designing and maintaining the environment, presenting new materials when the child shows readiness, observing and recording the child's growth and development, encouraging and respecting each individual child.

The teacher is the link between the school and the home and provides support to parents through communications, workshops and conferences. The Montessori Method holds the highest degree of respect for the child. Within the prepared environment, children are presented with a variety of specially designed materials, which address the particular stages of mental, physical and social development.

These materials are multi-sensory and self-correcting. The child learns independently through repeated work with the Montessori materials. The Montessori method is a response to a universal plea from children, "I want to learn, but let me do it myself." It is the method that possesses a certain order and allows children to proceed at their own speed, according to individual capacities, in a non-competitive atmosphere during the early years.

Dr. Montessori said, "Never let a child risk failure, until he has a reasonable chance for success. Through exposure to both physical and mental order, the child develops the inner discipline necessary for them to persist in their chosen tasks."

Acquiring the love for learning will make children achieve their full potential as human beings and understand their world, and their place in it
- Maria Montessori

 

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