What is Montessori

What is Montessori Education?

“Education … must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentialities.”

Dr Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori was a physician, anthropologist and educator who studied children of all ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds for over fifty years. Her intense scientific observation of the human being from birth to maturity allowed her to distil a body of philosophical, psychological and teaching principles. These, together with a vast range of self-teaching materials, came to be known as Montessori Education.

Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural tendency towards joyful, self-driven activity. The children’s innate passion for learning is encouraged by giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult. Through their work, the children develop concentration and joyful self-discipline. Within a framework of order, the children progress at their own pace and rhythm, according to their individual capabilities.

The transformation of children from birth to adulthood occurs through a series of developmental stages. Montessori teaching practices change in scope and manner to embrace the child’s changing characteristics and interests.

There are four stages of development which may be summarized as follows:

In the first stage from birth to age six, the child is characterised by his or her “absorbent mind,” soaking up all aspects of their environment, language and culture as they construct their personality.

In the second stage from age six to twelve, the child uses a “reasoning mind” to explore the world with abstract thought and imagination.

In the third stage from twelve to eighteen, the adolescent has a “humanistic mind” eager to understand humanity and the contribution he or she can make to society.

In the last stage of development, from age eighteen to twenty-four, the adult explores the world with a “specialist mind” taking his or her place in the world.

Maria Montessori believed that if education followed the natural development of the child, then society would gradually move to a higher level of co-operation, peace and harmony.