Montessori Description - a system of education for young children that
seeks to develop natural interests + activities rather than using formal
teaching methods.
Description:
- Founded by Dr. Maria Montessori, it's not copyrighted so teaching styles/
curriculum may differ at various schools.
- Theoretically cover infant education to matriculation from high school.
- The theory subjects/ philosophy allow children to learn on their own, they
are merely guided by a teacher.
- A child's work is not corrected or graded.
- A teacher assesses what is learnt and guides the child into new areas of
discovery.
- Helps encourage independence through confidence, competence, selfesteem & respect for others.
- Classrooms in multi-age mix, which are beautiful by design.
- Creating timetables/ plans of their time to teach responsibility.
History and Theory
Montessori originally founded in 1669 by Madame Jolivet Gerber and Mrs
Pitt. It begun with twelve children and gradually increased to twenty five
and so forth. At that particular time it became so successful that its
premises were being offered prices. It was firstly bought in East
Twickenham by Mrs Argent but children started moving to St. Margarets
Montessori school.
In 1981 Mrs Argent sold the Nursery to Mrs Marcia Donaldson. Mrs Marcia
made this the most popular school in Borough, bringing well trained
teaching teams and also changed it to an even happier atmosphere all
round. Sadly at the time, she was facing problems and so she moved back
to the original premise location (Barnes Sports club) in 1986.
In 1987 the nursery was sold to Ann-Marie True which is its present owner.
This school is the longest established premise, working with over fifty
pupils. Having connection to the Barnes Sports club enabled the children
to play at freedom, explore under supervision and enjoy outdoors.
This school is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The
school has a record of outstanding Ofsted inspections and is also a
Montessori Accredited school accredited by Montessori Education (UK)
Ltd.
It aims to provide Happy and safe environment where they can develop
and grow whilst expressing their characters.
-
Organised structure
Amidst warmth
Atmospheric freedom
Care and Happiness.
Methods of Teaching (Pictures):
Montessori
I. teaching principles
A. plans of development - the way
children grow:
* On the path from birth to adulthood the child passes through several distinct phases.
* in each phase not only physically different but has different psychological characteristics.
* Montessori calls each phase 'plane of development'
* Montessori describes each phase in physical and psychological characteristics as 'rebirth'
* child will require a different environment at each plane of development just as a new born
baby who requires a different environment from the womb where he spent 9 months
* Montessori's pane of development;
1) First plane of development from 0-6 years is infancy
2) From 6-12 years is childhood
3) From 12-18 years is adolescence
4) And the final plane is from 18-24 years is maturity.
From these changes she has redefined education as 'aid to life' saying if we support the
natural developments of each child at each plane then we will optimise the development of
whole human being.
* There is a most important time in the child life when he is able to take a particular
development step. These opportunities must be grasped not missed or the particular
development that will take later will never be complete.
B. the absorbent mind- a special way of thinking
* From 0-6 years of a child's life has a special kind of mind
* A kind of mind that can learn any language in which he is immersed simply by living
*a kind of mind that it helps them towards their culture in which he did born into.
* helps with taking on the customs, habits, feelings, and sentiments of culture simply by
living.
*Montessori calls it 'Absorbent mind' because young child soaks up everything in his
environment without even thinking about it.
*so emphasis should be put on education in the first 6 years of their life, while the child is
learning with total ease.
C. sensitive periods - offer windows of opportunity
*Montessori observed during first 6 years of child life there is a particular time where they
are driven to seek something in the environment resulting them becoming busying some kind
of activities.
* this activities leads them to certain traits that we consider to be humans- the ability to speak
a language, use of hand expression to our thoughts and the ability to reason .
*theses sensitive period of time last only for a limited time and have faded by the time the
child is 6.
*Montessori emphasis a great stress on supporting them during the first plane of development
* Other sensitiveness occurs at a particular time when the child is older these are dictated by
the characteristic of the child at each stage.
D. human tendencies - the way human naturally behave
* the moment he is born they naturally orientate himself and explore the things in this world.
* he reaches out to abstract meaning from everything he experiences, which helps him to be
independent and wants to find a way to communicate with the people around him.
* tries to take things in his own hands trying to manipulating in order to find out what they
are.
* all these developments helps the child adapt to this new world and to develop.
*Maria Montessori said "the environment must allow for all these to be freely expressed by
the child if he is to flourish"
E. the Montessori approach is
* The Montessori approach to education rests on the premise of supporting the tendencies and
sensitivities of each individual as they present themselves as different developmental needs at
each stage of development. This can be summarised in the following way:
* An environment that serves the particular needs of the childs stage of development.
* An adult who understands the developmental needs of the child and acts as a guide to help
the child find his natural path of development.
*Freedom for the child to engage in his own development according to his own particular
developmental timeline.
