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by Nishamani de Mel

Montessori education (sadly) seems to be misunderstood by many people; Educationists and laymen alike. People still think of Montessori as A Place. A parent might say - "My child goes to a Montessori.

Montessori is a Method of Education, not a Place! A preschool that follows the educational methods and Philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori is usually called a Montessori House of Children. However in Sri Lanka people refer to practically every preschool as a Montessori!

Further, the Montessori method is not understood for what it really stands for its essence, its core, its desire to set the child free to discover himself. Its approach to education is based on developmental principles and emphasizes the responsibility of adults to help the child actualize his inner potential.

In fact, Montessori Education covers a field much vaster than that of child education alone, but raises a question concerning mankind as a whole.

Outlined below is a brief introduction:

Who was Maria Montessori?

Maria Montessori was born in 1870, and was the first female doctor of medicine in Italy. Through her initial work as a psychologist and subsequently through work and observation of socially deprived children, she developed her unique educational method - known today as the Montessori Method.

Maria Montessori's influence has spread all over the world, throughout the fields of education, child care and development. In the 1900's, there was great resistance to her method. As far as educationalists were concerned children had to be pushed to learn. Dr. Montessori's method was the opposite.

What is the Montessori method?

Through experimentations and observations she discovered that children have inherent desire to learn things for themselves. The system of education is a philosophy of child development and a rationale for guiding such growth. The main requirements for the Montessori method are the environment in which a child lives. The Montessori classroom is specially prepared for the child.

Everything here is child size, making it conducive to learning from the brooms, to the desks and chairs, to the material the child handles. The original name given by Dr. Montessori is Casa dei Bambini or House of Children. It is designed to take full advantage of the child's desire to learn and their unique ability to develop their own capabilities: of intelligence and physical growth.

The main premises of the Montessori method are:

1. Children are to be respected as different from adults and as individuals who differ from one another-each child's progress varies.

2. The child possesses an unusual sensitivity and intellectual ability to absorb and learn from his environment.

3. The most important years of a child's growth are the first six years of his life.

What makes Montessori education unique?

The whole child approach

The primary goal of the Montessori program is to help each child reach their full potential-in all areas of life. The activities the child carries out in the class room help in the development of his social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination. They also prepare him for future intellectual academic endeavours.

The prepared environment

In order for self directed learning to take place, the classroom, the materials and the atmosphere must be supportive to the child. (Everything is child size and easily accessible to him) It is his home away from home and so it is a place that must appeal to the child's spirit.

The Montessori materials

The Montessori Materials have been designed to target each sensitive period of the child. Each material has a direct aim and many indirect aims. They are self correcting materials to facilitate learning.

The teacher

Or the Directress. The Montessori Directress only Directs the child's natural energies. They do not teach in the traditional sense, but is only a guide to the child. They function as the designer of the environment, resource person, role model, demonstrator, record keeper, and observer.

The child, the environment and the teacher form a special link. This link must run smoothly.

Goals of a Montessori school

Developing a positive attitude towards school

Most of the learning activities are individualized. Each child engages in an activity that particularly appeals to him, they are geared to his needs, his level of readiness. He works at his own pace, repeating the task as often as he likes till he reaches perfection or internal satisfaction. E.g. Through this he builds a positive attitude towards learning.

Helping each child develop self confidence

In the Montessori classroom tasks are designed, so that each new step is built upon what the child has already mastered thus removing the negative experiences of frequent failure. E.g. this all leads to a self confident child.

Helping the child build up concentration

The Child's powers of concentration are built up through activities that require his full attention.

And through these activities he forms a habit of extended concentration. E.g. The Exercises of Practical Life; like pouring water, grain etc.

This level of concentration is needed for future activities in Language and Arithmetic.

Fostering a curiosity

We want the child to always ask-why, when how? He needs to have a curious mind for creative learning. We provide experiences for this - e.g.: Cultural activities - Botany, Zoology, Geography etc.

Developing good habits

Through the ground rules that are established in the class, the child builds up habits - ex. greeting a person, the child becomes aware that there is A place for everything and everything in its place, he learns to respect another child at work.

Saying thank you's, please's and excuse me's become part of his build up, and snack time is not complete till he has cleaned up any spills! Therefore the child learns to become responsible for his actions.

Discipline

The ideal Montessori class will have all the children working alone and in concentration. And to achieve this there are a few ground rules that teachers must insist on. The child is free to choose any material that has been presented to him as long as it is treated with respect.

After using the material the child replaces it in the original place in the same condition for the next person to use.

The children restores the environment - clean up spills, puts rugs away, before starting on another activity.

The habits and the skills the child develops in the Montessori classroom are good for a lifetime! They will help him to work more efficiently, to observe more carefully and to concentrate more effectively, no matter where he goes.

His self education - which is the only real education will continue. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self esteem.

Montessori programs based on self directed, non competitive activities help children develop good self images and the confidence to face challenges in the future.

Benefits of the Montessori method

1. 3 year age span of children within a class - Older children teaching younger ones, builds a sense of community

2. Self correcting materials

3. Individual learning

4. Children are quiet by choice-respect for others - the environment allows the child to return to the 'inner peace' which is a natural in them.

5. Concrete learning - children experience in concrete hands on ways.

6. Child centred environment.

7. The environment provides a natural sense of discipline - the ground rules are clearly stated.

The areas of learning

Exercises of practical life

This refers to the day-to-day activities performed at home - Sweeping, dusting, polishing shoes, washing hands, dressing etc. These activities are offered to the child for he has a great desire to learn to do things by himself.

They develop the child's independence, confidence and satisfies an inner urge - While also refining his physical movements. These are the first activities that are presented when the child enters a Montessori House of Children.

Sensorial activities

Aristotle, the great philosopher once said - "there is nothing in the human intellect that did not get there through the senses".

Our intelligence depends solely on the senses. The Sensorial material offers an activity to the senses, so that the senses are benefited and heightened. So when he goes out into the environment he goes out with greater awareness: the benefit - greater absorption powers. E.g. Visual sense - size, shape, colour are absorbed with sharper intelligence.

Language

When a child comes into the Montessori classroom he already has formed a language what we do initially is enrich this. We give him more names of objects, providing superlatives and adjectives.

Then the child is made 'Sound Conscious' through a variety of games and activities, and subsequently we offer the Sandpaper letters. Here the child begins to understand that words are composed of sounds. These initial activities lead to what is called an explosion in writing and reading.

Arithmetic

The Montessori Math Materials, through concrete manipulative materials allows the child to internalize the concepts of numbers. The child identifies their symbols and sequence within the first year.

The basic mathematical operations are also introduced latterly and working with large numbers becomes fascinating to the child thus providing an early start to a subject that is traditionally considered difficult and uninteresting to many.

Culture Subjects - Geography, Botany, Zoology

Here we don't really teach the child these subjects, but what we first do is arouse a curiosity. For example we present to them the globe and all we do is show land and water, from here pops their questions - "Aunty, why is this land so small?" then we give the different formations of land, islands, lakes, bays and peninsulas etc. We offer these names to the children for they have a great power to absorb them.

The older children are given the opportunity to take part in simple projects and experiments which provide a further foundation in these topics.

How do you choose a school?

Now that you have learned the basics of Montessori education, how do you use this information to find the best school for your child? You can judge the school based on the following factors:

1. Commitment to the Montessori Philosophy and Principles of Observation, individual liberty and preparation of the environment. (Child size)

2. Montessori specified learning materials on shelves (all subjects) arranged in order of progression.

3. Children free to move about while pursuing disciplined activity

4. Students ranging within a three year age span in the same class

5. The outer environment - must preferably have an abundance of nature: trees, plants, flowers, tortoises, rabbits, birds, fish etc.

6. An area for physical activity - walking on the line, music and dance, climbing frames etc.

7. The Directress (teacher) - Her qualification? Is it from a recognized/affiliated Montessori Training Institute? What is her commitment? How experienced is she?

Parent education and involvement

What Montessori can do for your child will largely depend on how his directress (Teacher) interprets and applies Montessori Philosophy and principles. The biggest favour you can do for your child, once he has enrolled in a Montessori School is to become actively involved yourself.

The parent must understand what Montessori education is all about. That Montessori is not just a place where you send your children to, but it is a method of education that we all can follow. It is really a philosophy. It is education for life. Dr. Maria Montessori has shown the great role of the child as the builder of the inner foundations on which alone world peace can be built. So let's start with our family!

Try to find the time to read some more on this unique method of education.

Not only will it help you in your relationship with your child, but it will greatly enrich your own life as well.

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