Maria Montessori





Background Information
Quoting from the Wikipedia:


 * Maria Montessori (August 31, 1870 – May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician, educator, philosopher, humanitarian and devout Catholic. She is best known for her philosophy and the Montessori method of education of children from birth to adolescence. Her educational method is in use today in a number of public as well as private schools throughout the world.

Quoting Marie Montessori:


 * Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment. The task of the teacher becomes that of preparing a series of motives of cultural activity, spread over a specially prepared environment, and then refraining from obtrusive interference. Human teachers can only help the great work that is being done, as servants help the master. Doing so, they will be witnesses to the unfolding of the human soul and to the rising of a New Man who will not be a victim of events, but will have the clarity of vision to direct and shape the future of human society.

Introduction
For a long time now, I have heard about the Montessori system of education, but I have not researched the method, visited the local Montessori preschool, or read any literature about Maria Montessori. She viewed education as rigid and believed the current practices did not evoke joy or creativity in children. She designed a system of education that is guided by the child’s interests and positive applications to life. In the introduction and first chapter of Montessori for the New Millennium, the author explains Maria Montessori’s contributions and views on education. Comparatively, the article, “The Needs of Humans: A Beginning” takes the Montessori method and provides lesson activities to help students learn how they and others fit into society. After reviewing both pieces, here are three instances where the two meld together.

A Framework for Education
Maria Montessori created a framework for education that reformed the negative outlooks on life. When using the Montessori method, educators are encouraged to praise and guide the students rather than condemn them. Lessons must be practical to a child’s life. In the article, the author explores different activities to teach “The Needs of Humans”. For the young child, there are five physical needs a human has: food, clothing, transportation, shelter, and defense. With the most difficult need to discuss, defense, the author suggests changing the word to “protection”. The students created illustrations of parents, padlocks, seat belts, and sunscreen to represent “defense/protection”. The teacher then designed a card sorting activity for the children to complete. They would choose what human need was required to achieve a successful farm, care for others, and preserve the environment. This activity helped the children become aware of their immediate surroundings and life throughout the world, thus demonstrating a good model of the education in which Maria Montessori believed.

The Montessori Method is most often observed in a preschool or kindergarten class mainly because Maria Montessori died before her research was complete. Her intent was that the method would grow to include all grades up to and including high school. Though her opinion of education was not unique, she was the first to base education on scientific observations of children. She believed the observation process should be the same for ‘normal boys and girls’—meaning not disabled. From these observations, she decided that nature inherently provides a positive environment if adults do not mess it up. In “The Needs of Humans: A Beginning”, the author adapts the Montessori method to include older children. They would study four spiritual needs of humans which are: art, religion, self-adornment, and communication. Books are suggested to enrich the lessons on those human needs. For example, “Festivals of the World” tells about celebrations around the world. “My Friend’s Beliefs” provides information about the different religions of the world. These activities prove that teachers can further implement Montessori methods beyond kindergarten.

A possible misconception of the Montessori Method is that it is a “free-for-all” in the classroom. On the contrary, the method discourages a rigid, dictator-like teacher and asks that the teacher be more like a waitress, providing a well thought-out, enticing menu of lessons within the students’ interests. The environment should have few restrictions but be disciplined; children should be engaged in learning without being forced. Even in a modern classroom, these philosophies can be put to work. The learning environment does not always need to be inside the classroom. The article further shares an outdoor activity to teach the “Needs of Humans” where students take pictures of buildings in the community and compares them to old pictures of the community—to see how the needs of people have changed through the years. Being able to learn outdoors using cameras to collect data, undoubtedly helped keep the students interested in the lesson. When students are engaged, they learn.

Both the book and journal article touch on common philosophies in education. Students should be able to learn in a positive, child-centered environment from preschool age and beyond, with creativity and freedoms given to the students. This education method is intriguing to me, and I would like to talk to parents and educators of the method for further investigation. Even though Maria Montessori died over fifty years ago, the fact that schools are using her materials and framework must mean it is successful and continues to evolve.

Montessori and Educational Manipulatives
As illustrated in the picture at the top of this page, Marie Montessori was a believer in the use of educational manipulatives. A 12/29/08 Google search of Montessori manipulatives produced about 57,000 hits.

Quoting from the Christian Montessori School of Ann arbor, Michigan:


 * Dr. Montessori believed that the mind and the hand are intimately connected. She structured an environment in which young children learn through observation and repeated practice with manipulative objects.  Dr. Montessori believed in autonomy in the learning process.  Each individual is unique and must be given freedom to choose the material for self-construction.  Under the guidance of the Montessori teacher, the development of responsible choice maintains order in the environment and becomes a mechanism of personal growth.  From ages 6 through 12, the continued use of Montessori manipulatives facilitates more advanced abstract and critical thinking that carries over into the middle school years.  Today Dr. Montessori’s methods continue to recognize and emphasize the importance of early education in the formation of character and society.

Nowadays, a variety of manipulatives are used in schools. Math manipulatives are now widely used in the math curriculum.

Author
The initial version of this Wiki Page was developed by Kelly Yost.