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MONTESSORI EDUCATION
Montessori education is both a philosophy of child development and a rationale for guiding such development. The following are four primary elements to this method:
- Sequenced Concrete Learning
- Individualization Education
- A Prepared Environment
- The Teacher
SEQUENCED CONCRETE LEARNING
The Montessori materials are created to stimulate the child's natural desire to learn, provide him/her with movement which will give him/her better control of his/her body and willpower, and enable him/her to move from a simple activity to a more difficult one. The materials are simple, attractive, and well-made. They are attractively displayed and arranged in sequence as to their difficulty or degree of complication. They are real objects, not toys. The Montessori materials capture the child's attention and initiate a process of concentration. Five principles are followed in determining Montessori materials:
- The concept is for the child to discover and understand must be isolated in a single piece of material.
- The materials progress from simple to more complex in design and usage.
- The materials are designed to prepare the child indirectly for future learning.
- The materials begin as concrete expressions of an idea and gradually become more and more abstract representations.
- The materials are designed for independent use by the child. The control of error lies in the materials themselves, allowing the child to recognize his own mistakes.
INDIVIDUALIZATION EDUCATION
All children are different and need liberty for their individuality to develop. In the Montessori class the child competes only with himself so success becomes its own reward. The impulses to learn must come from within; the child must wish to learn; consequently, rewards and punishments are unnecessary. A child's work is different from that of an adult. An adult works to achieve an end. A child works for the process itself. The Montessori classroom offers the child a carefully prepared environment with exposure to materials and activities through which he works toward his most important goal, the development of him/herself. Before using any material, a child is given a lesson, the teacher takes her/his cues from the child so that the child meets success with a minimum of frustration.
A PREPARED ENVIRONMENT
The setting in which learning takes place is as equally important as the child and the teacher. Children of different ages are included in the same class. There is a relatively quiet, but yet busy atmosphere. The room is arranged for children allowing them to move and develop freely. The furnishings are child-size. Children totally involve themselves in their work. A Montessori classroom includes growing things and is bright and cheerful. There is a sense of structure and order; everything has a permanent place. Freedom of movement toward a definite goal is an integral part of the classroom.
THE TEACHER
Dr. Montessori called the teacher a "directress" because she directs the child's activity in the environment, rather than instructs each step of every process. The teacher is the vital link between the child and the environment. She matches the materials to the child's needs. She has an open mind and a working knowledge and understanding of the child's skills. The Montessori classroom is organized and disciplined. Liberty and freedom can only occur when rules are obeyed.
Awakening Potential One Child at a Time
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