The Montessori method is a theory of children’s development and corresponding educational methods. It aims to place children at the centre of their learning to deliver the best results for every child.
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Maria Montessori
The Montessori method was developed by an Italian doctor called Maria Montessori (1870-1952). She was the first female doctor to graduate from the University of Rome, in the late 19th century.
She began to develop educational principles during her medical work with children, before she set up her own school where she applied and refined her method.
The method soon became popular across the world, reaching the UK, US, India and Southeast Asia.
What is the Montessori Method?
Montessori teaching reflects these different phases.
Key features of this method include:
- Creating a prepared environment that allows children to explore within safe limits
- Filling this environment with varied stimuli tailored to their developmental phase
- Encouraging children’s choice in what they interact with in their environment
The role of the teacher is to prepare the environment for their class, guide children within their chosen activities, offer additional information when asked and observe the children’s choices and interactions over the day.
What is Montessori Theory?
Montessori believed that children are eager to learn and therefore develop optimally when they can direct their own learning.
Her work divides children’s development into four phases:
- Birth to 6 years – Children attempt to build functional independence by exploring the world around them using their senses.
- 6 to 12 years – Children attempt to build intellectual independence and explore their imagination and reasoning.
- 12 to 18 years – Young adults attempt to construct their adult self, including a sense of justice.
- 18 to 24 years – Young adults attempt to gain economic independence and dive into their studies to impact the world around them.
Why choose Montessori?
Montessori is a hugely beneficial educational system for children and parents, helping children to get the most out of their time at school and develop into interested, happy adults.
Some of the benefits of the Montessori method are:
- A child-centric approach
The Montessori approach is focused on each child as an individual. Different learning styles are accommodated easily and even encouraged, as children focus on the stimuli and topics that they are curious about. This also allows children to develop at their own pace, without some children falling behind the class, or others being held back.
- Nurturing independence
As the Montessori method lets children to choose their own activities, without the overall direction of a teacher, they learn independence at a young age. They learn to be confident in their own choices and can take a different path to others in their class without being cut off, setting them up well for adult life.
- Supportive community
Many Montessori schools incorporate a mix of ages into their classes, typically spanning about 3 years. This creates a family atmosphere, as the older children take on responsibility as mentors and role models, and the younger children feel supported and cared for.
- Positive social and emotional development
Montessori education puts an emphasis on social interaction and emotional education. There is a lot of support available in a Montessori classroom, which produces children with confident social skills and emotional awareness, valuable skills throughout life.
- Foundation for life-long learning
While many students in the traditional school system become disillusioned with learning, Montessori encourages a love of learning which continues long into adulthood. As children are encouraged to pursue activities that they are interested in, they associate learning with enjoyment and never lose their natural curiosity.
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