The Montessori Method is a child-centred educational approach. It’s based on scientific research conducted by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, of children from birth to adulthood. This method has over 100 years of success in diverse cultures all over the world. It stresses the importance of the development of a healthy self-concept.
Education, she believed, is a preparation for life, not merely a search for intellectual skill.
Maria Montessori, born in 1870, was the first woman granted a medical degree by an Italian university. Influenced by the work of Seguin and Itard of France, Montessori designed materials and techniques which allowed the children to work in areas previously considered beyond their capacity.
Montessori’s life work began with a group of slum children in 1907 when she opened her famous "Casa Dei Bambini" (Children's House). Through her observations of and work with the children, she discovered their remarkable, almost effortless ability to absorb knowledge through their surroundings: children teach themselves.
This simple and profound truth inspired Montessori’s lifelong pursuit of educational reform, curriculum, development, methodology, psychology, teaching and teacher training – all based on her dedication to further the self-creating process of the child.
“If one is able to harness a child’s innate delight in discovery, to make use of their self-motivation, there is no reason why this enthusiasm for school should fade.”
Dr. Maria Montessori
Curiosity
Montessori children learn at the deepest level to believe in themselves. In an atmosphere of independence and personal empowerment within a community, they never lose their sense of curiosity and innate ability to learn and discover.
Creativity
By modelling real world problems in a concrete way, the Montessori materials teach children the skills of astute observation and critical analysis, which are strongly correlated with divergent thinking and creativity.
Practical Life
Practical Life activities are purposeful tasks that simulate the activities involved in everyday life. Through these, children learn to develop their gross and fine motor skills, problem solve, and establish a strong sense of self by actively contributing to their world.
Why choose a Montessori education?
The didactic materials in each Montessori classroom give children an abundance of opportunities to learn by action upon their environments. A variety of attractive and inviting materials are available to children of all developmental levels. The interesting and inviting materials in the Montessori classroom encourage repetition and, therefore, facilitate learning.
Through repetition, children refine their new skills, becoming satisfied and proud of their achievements. Children can choose from a variety of activities, which exercises both their minds and bodies. Children explore Montessori materials that are multi-sensory, hands on, concrete and self-correcting. The skills in each area build on one another. Each child progresses at their own pace. This will let them be challenged and master each area.
Mixed-age grouping in the classroom allows some wonderful social and educational situations to arise.
Younger children are a constant witness to the skills and activities of older peers and older students have the opportunity to share their experiences with the less-skilled, learning themselves as they teach their peers. The social setting is designed to limit competitiveness in that, even though children are working and achieving at their own levels, no one child is singled out or made an example. The children are invited to share with and help one another, teaching and redefining through the process.
All children are treated equally, with respect and gentility. All successes, great and small, are given equal recognition. The children are encouraged to appreciate their own accomplishments, opinions, insights and feelings, rather than rely upon praise from an adult. Emphasis is placed on the process and the effort.
