Montessori Education

Montessori education is centred on a child’s need for freedom. In a Montessori classroom children have the freedom of movement and choice. This means that they are able to choose what activity they do and are able to work at their own pace. However, for this system to work the children must learn responsibility and respect for other children.

Montessori education has three key elements, these are; the child, the favourable environment and the teacher. Maria Montessori had specific environments which she believed affected the way in which a child performed. A typical Montessori school would have; child sized tables and chairs, open floor space, indoor and outdoor classrooms. There is also open shelving within the classroom in order to give the children the freedom to choose their own activity.

Another key feature of Montessori education is the idea of children of a range of ages working together in order to encourage each other’s learning. The older children teach the younger children through modelling behaviour and explaining exercises, whilst the older children learn basic teaching and patience skills from working with younger children. (Isaacs, Barbara, 2012, p. 34)

Maria Montessori believed that a child develops in three stages; the absorbent mind, childhood and adolescence. The stage ‘the absorbent mind’, which is from birth to six years old, is when the brain develops. During this time the child uses their senses and learns through exploration and being active. The stage ‘childhood’ is from age six to age twelve; Montessori believed that during this stage of development the child is eager to learn. The final stage ‘adolescence’ saw a child from the age of twelve to eighteen. During this stage Montessori’s theory was that the first three years (twelve to thirteen) was physical development and the last three years (fifteen to eighteen) development is the need the person has for a social group whom they can identify with (Isaacs, 2010, pp. 13-17). Montessori schools teach these age groups based on this theory of development.

The teacher’s role in a Montessori classroom is to have trust and respect for the pupils, allowing them time and patience to learn independently. Maria Montessori called her practitioners a ‘director/directress’, rather than teachers, due to the child being kept as independent as possible in the classroom. A director/directress in a Montessori school would simply observe the class rather than teach.

The above descriptions of a Montessori school can also be seen in Susan Feez’s ‘A Visit to a Montessori Children’s House’. In this case study Susan Feez describes the Children’s House she visited; she described the environment as “light-filled, spacious and airy” with “child-sized furniture, low shelves” and “open-space”. In the morning, when the children first arrived, they have three hours of personal choice activities, working alone, in pairs or small groups. Materials used for activities includes; child-sized jug, bucket, cloth, brushes and sponges. The school use these tools in order to improve domestic skills. Susan Feez noted in her case study the input of the teacher. She said the teacher was “observing carefully but not intervening”. (Feez, 2010)


This is a video I found on the Swansea's Montessori Children's Room website. It shows what kinds of activities take place in this school.
The Children's Room (MEAB, 2010)

References

Feez, S. (2010). Montessori and Early Childhood. London: Sage.

Isaacs, B. (2010). Bringing the Montessori Approach to your Early Years Practice. New York: Routledge.

Isaacs, Barbara. (2012). Understanding the Montessori Approach: Early Years Education in Practice. New York: Routlegde.

MEAB. (2010, June). Home. Retrieved January 2014, from The Childrens's Room: http://www.the-childrens-room.co.uk/