What is Montessori

What is Montessori?

Montessori Education

What is Montessori Education?

What does the word "Montessori" mean?

In a typical Montessori classroom you would observe the following: lots of low shelves dividing the space; on them are a variety of trays and containers holding everything from the little plastic farm animals to alphabet letters to colored blocks. There are child-sized tables and chairs scattered around the room, a book corner, a sink, an easel, a rack of large wooden puzzles and plenty of plants and pictures, all at child height. There are also children playing all over, many are quietly working by themselves; others are working in twos and threes at tables and on the floor. One teacher is sitting on the floor with a small group; they are reaching into a bag and identifying what they feel.

You would see these things at any good developmentally-appropriate school, where children are encouraged to explore and manipulate, where each child is dealt with as an individual. But when the school is a Montessori school, there is an underlying philosophy that includes these basic principles:

1. Children must be respected as different from adults and as individuals who differ from each other; therefore, they need an individualized approach to education.

2. Children have sensitive periods for certain types of learning, and actively construct their knowledge of the world; manipulation, exploration, and movement are essential to this process.

3. In an environment especially designed for this task, children are free to learn through sensori-motor education. The "prepared environment" guarantees exposure to materials and experiences which develop intelligence, as well as physical, social-emotional, and language abilities.