Montessori's Education is a scientific teaching method developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in 1907 for the education of children through direct control of their environment. It uses materials to stimulate the child's senses. This makes the learning experience more memorable. The Montessori method of education is a progression of learning that begins with practical and sensory activities. These activities develop independence, coordination, concentration, and order (ICCO), which in turn help a child transition to more abstract learning in culture, math, and language.
Montessori curriculum includes materials in the following areas:
Practical Life, which develops motor skills through daily functions; Sensory, which allows a child to explore their senses and gain precalculus skills; Culture, which includes learning about plants, animals, human anatomy, the earth, outer space, and other cultures; Mathematics, which helps a child understand mathematical functions in concrete terms; and Language, which provides vocabulary, writing, and reading skills. Learning the correct answers may get a child through school. But learning how to become a lifelong, independent learner will take them anywhere. Montessori teaches children to think. Not to memorize, repeat, and forget. You can also create Montessori Home for the initiative learning of children in homes.
10 Principles of Montessori Teaching
Principle 1: Respect for the Child Respect for the child is the most important principle underlying the entire Montessori method. Dr. Montessori believed that children should be as confident, capable members of their environment and respected as such. Respect for children manifests by not taking them for granted, by not interrupting their concentration, and by allowing them the freedom to make their own choices and to be independent. Much of the Montessori philosophy manifested from a deep sense of respect for the child. This includes respect for each child's uniqueness, freedom of choice, freedom of movement, freedom to correct their own mistakes, and freedom to work at their own pace. It is from a place of genuine respect that Montessori teachers work and interact with children.
Principle 2: The Absorbent Mind Dr. Montessori's research has shown that the first six years of a child's life, called the period of the "receptive mind," are the most crucial in the development of a child sectioned into multi-age groups. These groups demonstrate the developmental level of each child. The philosophy is that students will remain in the same class for a full cycle of three years, and so on.
Principle 3: Sensitive Periods Dr. Maria Montessori observed that there are definite stages in the development of children during which they are most capable of learning specific types of knowledge and skills. She referred to these stages as "sensitive periods. These periods are, in essence, windows of opportunity for learning. Intense focus, repetition, commitment to a task, and periods of deep concentration are characteristics of sensitive periods.
Principle 4: The Prepared Environment the Prepared Environment is a learning space that has been carefully prepared, where everything has a purpose and a place. There is a strong sense of order. This helps children develop logical thought processes. Order in environment and mind" is the basic idea.
Principle 5: Educating the Whole Child Montessori method is a holistic approach that focuses on fostering each child's potential by providing learning experiences that support his or her intellectual, physical, social, and inner development. All areas of a child's development interdependent and deem to be of equal importance. The Montessori curriculum includes practical life, sensory and cultural as well as language and mathematics.
Principle 6: Follow the Child Children instinctively know what their minds and bodies need to learn and grow, Dr. Maria Montessori believed. She suggested that if adults were careful observers, they would be able to identify a child's needs and interests and provide activities and experiences that were in line with those needs and interests. With this in mind, Montessori method of pedagogy proposes a personalized approach to learning that adjusted to the unique stage of development, interests, and needs of each individual child.
Principle 7: Freedom within Limits Freedom within limits is a concept of empowerment which embraces the idea of the child as a competent entity capable of learning and doing for himself or herself. Dr. Montessori observed that children learn best when they designated freedom of movement, freedom to choose their own work, and freedom to follow their interests. This freedom also operates within boundaries that include respect for self, respect for others, and respect for the environment.
Principle 8: Intrinsic Motivation the Montessori approach proposes: Learning is its own reward. Extrinsic rewards, such as praise or stickers, are not typically used in the classroom. Instead, because children derive a sense of accomplishment from completing an activity and learning to do it for themselves, the focus is on the process rather than the product. This internal motivation encourages a child to look within for feelings of satisfaction. It also builds self-confidence.
Principle 9: Independence Dr. Maria Montessori advised: "Adults should never do for a child what he is capable of doing for himself. Montessori allows children to learn to do and think for themselves by providing the environment, materials, and guidance.
Principle 10: Auto-Education is the belief that children are capable and willing to be self-educators if they have the correct materials. Dr. Montessori carefully designed materials to meet this need. She empowered children to direct their own learning. The role of the adult is simply to provide the environment and lenient guidance and encouragement for the children in their self-education.
In conclusion, both kids and adults can benefit from learning about the Montessori Method. In 1907, Dr. Maria Montessori came up with the Montessori way of teaching. It is based on science principles and focuses on directly controlling a child's environment to stimulate their senses and make learning an enjoyable experience. The Montessori Method helps kids learn independence, coordination, focus, and order by putting a stress on hands-on and sensory activities. This makes it easy for them to move on to math, language, and culture, which are more vague.
Practical life, sensory exploration, culture, mathematics, and language are just a few of the subjects covered by the Montessori curriculum. Although teaching children the right answers is an important part of the Montessori method, its actual value resides in developing children's capacity for critical thought and helping them develop into independent, lifelong learners. Montessori education promotes meaningful knowledge application and exploration rather than memorization and repetition of facts.