MONTESSORI PHILOSOPHY & THEORY
About Montessori
What is Montessori Education?
Montessori is a method of education named after Maria Montessori, a Catholic doctor. She was the first woman in Italy to obtain the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Because she was a doctor, Maria Montessori looked at education from a scientific level. She believed that education should prepare a person for all aspects of life. She designed materials and techniques that would promote a natural growth of learning in students. They are common to all Montessori classrooms. Working with these materials and techniques forms a pattern that children carry over naturally to reading, writing, and mathematics. Each skill is developed to interlock with another.
Her child-centered approach to learning was so successful that it caught the attention of Roman officials, who offered Montessori the chance to open a new childcare center in poor, inner-city Rome. This became the first Casa dei Bambini, the “children’s house,” where she began to develop a new way of teaching children based on observing and understanding the child.
Maria Montessori wrote extensively on the innate religiosity of children, culminating in her book on developing the spiritual life of the child, The Child in the Church. She strongly believed that education should help cultivate the whole child — mind, body, and soul.
From The American Montessori Society:
The Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. Dr. Montessori’s Method has been time tested, with over 100 years of success in diverse cultures throughout the world.
It is a view of the child as one who is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child—physical, social, emotional, cognitive.
Montessori education offers our children opportunities to develop their potential as they step out into the world as engaged, competent, responsible, and respectful citizens with an understanding and appreciation that learning is for life.
- Each child is valued as a unique individual. Montessori education recognizes that children learn in different ways, and accommodates all learning styles. Students are also free to learn at their own pace, each advancing through the curriculum as he is ready, guided by the teacher and an individualized learning plan.
- Beginning at an early age, Montessori students develop order, coordination, concentration, and independence. Classroom design, materials, and daily routines support the individual’s emerging “self-regulation” (ability to educate one’s self, and to think about what one is learning), toddlers through adolescents.
- Students are part of a close, caring community. The multi-age classroom—typically spanning 3 years—re-creates a family structure. Older students enjoy stature as mentors and role models; younger children feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead. Teachers model respect, loving kindness, and a belief in peaceful conflict resolution.
- Montessori students enjoy freedom within limits. Working within parameters set by their teachers, students are active participants in deciding what their focus of learning will be. Montessorians understand that internal satisfaction drives the child’s curiosity and interest and results in joyous learning that is sustainable over a lifetime.
- Students are supported in becoming active seekers of knowledge. Teachers provide environments where students have the freedom and the tools to pursue answers to their own questions.
- Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori classroom approach. As they mature, students learn to look critically at their work, and become adept at recognizing, correcting, and learning from their errors.
Given the freedom and support to question, to probe deeply, and to make connections, Montessori students become confident, enthusiastic, self-directed learners. They are able to think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly—a skill set for the 21st century.
Our Discipline Policy
Teachers will facilitate the development of self-control in children by using positive guidance techniques such as modeling and encouraging expected behavior, redirecting children to more acceptable activity, helping them make good choices and setting clear limits. Matching and respecting children’s expectations and developing capabilities will be our goal.
Teachers will give clear, concise repetition of relevant rules that will be explained to them during calm moments, role playing (puppets), and small and large group times with activities and scenarios.
Teachers should redirect inappropriate behavior, but also catch them demonstrating good behavior and making good choices. Positive encouragement. Limit choices to avert potential problems and make appropriate choices for them. The use of the word “Time out” should not be used when redirecting a child. Words such as these label children in a classroom environment. Teachers are encouraged to get on the Childs level and explain in a soft voice what behavior was “not okay” and redirect them appropriately. Teachers are discouraged at anytime from talking across the room to a child. This again labels a child in the classroom and is also disruptive to the other children engaged in activities.
Teachers will give direct consequences when disciplining a child. For example, if a child bites another child. The child who is the agrressor shall hold ice on the bite. This creates empathy for the child who has been bitten.
The classroom should be in “zones” where quiet activities are separated from active ones this will create a multi-sensory experience that has a natural sense of sequence. The curriculum shall be centered around learning centers in a child directed environment. This will enforce the discipline policy on redirecting inappropriate behaviors. Giving children a direct consequence to their behavior is proven to be more effective than removing them from the environment. A childs behavior is modified best this way. This is the heart of developmentally appropriate teaching.
Positive Phrases to praise Children
“You worked a long time on that”
“what was the most fun part of making that:
“what do you like best about your work”
“Tell me more about your picture”
“That was so helpful”
“you got dressed right away today and we had extra playtime”
“your friend looked so happy when you shared your book”