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Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952)
Maria Montessori was born in Chiaravelle, Italy, an only child “possessed of huge intellect, stunning beauty and personal charm” (O’Donnell, 1996). She was the first Italian woman to graduate with the degree of Doctor of Medicine from Rome University in 1896. She continued her research in the Psychiatric Clinic attached to Rome University, collecting data on nervous diseases. It was here that she encountered young children of inmates who were to inspire her life’s work: an innovative “science of education” through the observation of children. She observed that every child passed through the same stages of development at approximately the same time unless they had some mental disease. Montessori observed that young children absorbed information from their environment through their senses. She saw that these young children taught themselves, aided by natural sensitive periods. She observed how young children were attracted to small objects which could be moved about and, as a consequence, she designed many didactic materials.
Maria Montessori encouraged each child to choose his own task at his level of activity and work at his own pace. Children could be observed to be satisfied when they completed their self-chosen tasks successfully. The Montessori Method was designed on these basic observations. Over a period of time, many materials were designed for all academic and cultural subjects.
The first principle of Montessori education is freedom – physical and psychological freedom and, most importantly, freedom of the spirit. Through freedom to work with self-chosen materials and being successful, children became self-disciplined.
A major success in the first Children’s House (school), opened in 1907 for “normal” children in Rome, was when children, aged between 3 and 6 years, learned to write and read spontaneously using Montessori’s designed materials. This amazing result was reported in newspapers worldwide and, within five years, Montessori classrooms were located on nearly every continent. In Australia, there was considerable interest in NSW where Miss Martha Simpson, Infant Mistress at Blackfriars State School in Sydney, modified her classroom after reading Dr Montessori’s book, entitled “The Montessori Method”, which was published in English (and 20 other languages) in 1912.
[Please note: To commemorate the Blackfriars State School’s early involvement in Montessori education, the Montessori Association of Australasia has produced greeting cards which are available for sale. See For Sale section for further details].
Montessori education is different from all other education methods because it is based on practice, not theory, Montessori principles are based on the natural tendencies of children which Dr Montessori observed. She discovered that children:
• wanted to learn and were active learners
• concentrated when they were interested in some “thing” and could manipulate materials
• expressed joy and happiness when learning.
Montessori teachers are trained to prepare the physical environment for learning. All materials are designed to:
• be beautiful and be kept hygienically clean
• be enticing
• lead children to logical thought and discovery
• help to develop long periods of concentration.
A Montessori teacher:
• responds to each child’s needs
• introduces each piece of material to each child
• guides each child when needed
• helps the development of each child
• facilitates learning
• “follows the child” (which means the child dictates what is taught).
Montessori classrooms are desdigned to offer a stress-free environment where children are nurtured. Children learn in non-competitive conditions:
• to do their best
• to be calm, caring and cooperative
• to contribute to the classroom community
• to engage in purposeful work
• to work for long periods of time
• to respect others and the materials
• to be self-disciplined
• to become independent of adults.
The aim of Montessori education is that children are independent, responsible, self-motivated and adaptable. They are prepared for the next stage of development which involves a transition to a new Montessori environment or a new school.
References:
Dr Maria Montessori: “The Montessori Method” (1912)
Dr Dan O’Donnell: “Montessori Education in Australia and New Zealand” (1995)
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Dr Montessori Quote
| “If help and salvation are to come, they can only come from the children, for the children are the makers of men.” |
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