What is the Montessori Method?

       Montessori Method is the name given to the set of theories, practices and didactic materials created by Maria Montessori. The Montessori Method is constituted by four pillars: one of them is the way of seeing the development of a child, and the other three are points of view on education as a support to the life of the child in developing.

       According to Maria Montessori, the most important point of the method is, not so much its materials or its practices, but the possibility created by the use of the method to free the true nature of the individual, in order to be observed, understood and, in order to education being developed basing on the evolution of the child, and not the other way round.

       Montessori wrote that development happens in “sensitive periods”, in a way that in each stage of life is predominantly certain specific characteristics and sensitivities. Without leaving out of consideration the “individual” in each child. Montessori can trace general profiles of behavior and possibilities of apprenticeship for age range, based in years of observation.

       A most complete observation of development allows the use of most adequate resources to each phase and, of course, to each child to its moment, since phases are not stagnant and do not have exact dates to start and finish.

Thus, the Montessori's six education pillars are:

1. Self-Education

2. Knowledge as science

3. Cosmic Education

5. Prepared Environment

5. Prepared Adult

6. Balanced Child

       Self- Education is the innate capacity the child has to learn. With the desire to absorb all the world around and understand it, the child explores, investigates and researches it. The Montessori Method proportionate the adequate environment and the most interesting materials in order to the child being able to develop by its own efforts, in its own pace and following its interests.

       Knowledge as Science is the way of understanding the child and the educative process accordingly to Montessori, and defended by today's science. In the Montessori method, teachers use the scientific method of observations, hypothesis and theories to understand the best way to teach each child and to identify the child 's daily work.

       Cosmic Education is the best way of helping the to understand the world. Accordingly, the educator shall give knowledge to the child in an organized matter – cosmos means order in opposition to chaos, stimulating the imagination of the child and evidencing that everything in the universe has its task and that humans must be conscious of its role in maintaining and keep the world better.

       Prepared Environment is the place where the develops its autonomy and understands its freedom in Montessori schools. The prepared environment is constructed to the child attending to its psychological and biological needs. In prepared environments there are furniture of an adequate size and developing materials to be freely used by the child.

       Prepared Adult is the name given, in Montessori, to the professional that assists the child in its complete development. That adult shall know, scientifically, the stages of childhood development, and by means of observation and of the mastering of educative tools of proven efficiency, to guide the child in its blossom, so that it would be in the best possible conditions.

       Balanced Child is any child in its natural development. By the correct use of the environment and with the help of the Prepared Adult, children express innate characteristics. Among other, it can be find the love for silence, for work and, for order. All children are born with these characteristics that are better developed between 0 and 6 years old.

       All the principles of the Montessori Method shall work in union, so that the child can develop in a complete and balanced way. It is necessary to understand the child to identify in her the signs of efficiency of what is being given to her. According to Montessori (1909), “Truly our social life is too often only the darkening and the death of the natural life that is in us. These methods tend to guard that spiritual fire within man, to keep his real nature unspoiled and to set it free from the oppressive and degrading yoke of society. It is a pedagogical method informed by the high concept of Immanuel-Kant: “perfect art returns to nature”.”

       The Montessori method has been used in schools all over the world, from the foundation phase to secondary. Furthermore, The Montessori method is used in special needs schools, psycho-pedagogy clinics and care homes across the world. Some clinics use the Montessori method to treat alzheimer and dementia, and some entrepreneurship initiatives apply some principles of the method to develop their businesses.

 

References

Feez, S. 2011. Montessori and Early Childhood. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Montessori, M. 2009. The Montessori Method. USA: BN Publishing.

Montessori Schools Association, 2008. Guide to the Early Years of the Foundation Stage in Montessori settings. [pdf] London: Montessori St. Nicolas Charity. Available at:

<http://www.montessori.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/50582/guide-to-early-years.pdf> [Accessed 29 January 2014].