Montessori Approach
Source: www.montessori-ami.org
"I have studied the child. I have taken what the child has given me and expressed it and that is what is called the Montessori method."
The Montessori approach offers a broad vision of education as an aid to life. It is designed to help children with their task of inner construction as they grow from childhood to maturity. It succeeds because it draws its principles from the natural development of the child. Its flexibility provides a matrix within which each individual child's inner directives freely guide the child toward wholesome growth.
Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work. 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 planes. Montessori practice changes in scope and manner to embrace the child's changing characteristics and interests.
"I have studied the child. I have taken what the child has given me and expressed it and that is what is called the Montessori method."
The Montessori approach offers a broad vision of education as an aid to life. It is designed to help children with their task of inner construction as they grow from childhood to maturity. It succeeds because it draws its principles from the natural development of the child. Its flexibility provides a matrix within which each individual child's inner directives freely guide the child toward wholesome growth.
Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work. 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 planes. Montessori practice changes in scope and manner to embrace the child's changing characteristics and interests.
- The first plane of development occurs from birth to age six. At this stage, children are sensorial explorers, constructing their intellects by absorbing every aspect of their environment, their language and their culture.
- From age 6 to 12, children become conceptual explorers. They develop their powers of abstraction and imagination, and apply their knowledge to discover and expand their worlds further.
- The years between 12 and 18 see the children become humanistic explorers, seeking to understand their place in society and their opportunity to contribute to it.
- From 18 to 24, as young adults, they become specialised explorers, seeking a niche from which to contributes to universal dialogue.
Montessori Pedagogy
"Education should no longer be mostly imparting of knowledge, but must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentialities." Dr. Maria Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori, physician, anthropologist and pedagogue, studied children of all racial, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds for over fifty years. Her intense scientific observation of the human being from birth to maturity allowed her to distill a body of philosophical, psychological and pedagogical principles. These, together with a vast range of auto-didactic materials, came to be known as the Montessori Method of Education.
Montessori pedagogy is a comprehensive and continuous response to the vital exigencies of the total human being, adapted to each stage of development.
Key aspects of the Montessori Approach include the Prepared Environment and the role of the Montessori Teacher.
Montessori environments are offered from birth to adulthood:
Dr. Maria Montessori, physician, anthropologist and pedagogue, studied children of all racial, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds for over fifty years. Her intense scientific observation of the human being from birth to maturity allowed her to distill a body of philosophical, psychological and pedagogical principles. These, together with a vast range of auto-didactic materials, came to be known as the Montessori Method of Education.
Montessori pedagogy is a comprehensive and continuous response to the vital exigencies of the total human being, adapted to each stage of development.
Key aspects of the Montessori Approach include the Prepared Environment and the role of the Montessori Teacher.
Montessori environments are offered from birth to adulthood:
Montessori Elementary
Elementary children, typically, can be characterised by their questioning minds, their ability to abstract and imagine, their moral and social orientation and their unlimited energy for research and exploration. They move from the concrete through their own efforts and discovery to the abstract - thus greatly expanding their field of knowledge.
In a research style of learning, elementary children work in small groups on a variety of projects which spark the imagination and engage the intellect. Lessons given by a trained Montessori teacher direct the children toward activities which help them to develop reasoning abilities and learn the arts of life.
In a research style of learning, elementary children work in small groups on a variety of projects which spark the imagination and engage the intellect. Lessons given by a trained Montessori teacher direct the children toward activities which help them to develop reasoning abilities and learn the arts of life.
Timeline
Children, at this age, are driven to understand the universe and their place in it and their capacity to assimilate all aspects of culture is boundless. Elementary studies include geography, biology, history, language, mathematics in all its branches, science, music and art. Exploration of each area is encouraged through trips outside the classroom to community resources, such as library, planetarium, botanical garden, science centre, factory, hospital, etc. This inclusive approach to education fosters a feeling of connectedness to all humanity, and encourages their natural desire to make contributions to the world.
Additional information:
American Montessori Society (AMS)
Association Montessori Internationale (AMI-USA)
North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA)
Montessori Services
The Montessori Foundation - The Ineternational Montessori Council
Montessori Materials
Comparison of Traditional/Montessori:
http://spma.com/montessori-method/montessori-vs-traditional/comparison-chart/
http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/geninfo/compar.html
http://www.sunrise-montessori.com/what_is_montessori/montessori_vs_traditional.php
http://www.casamontessori.com/montessori.htm
http://www.montessori.org/story.php?id=23
American Montessori Society (AMS)
Association Montessori Internationale (AMI-USA)
North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA)
Montessori Services
The Montessori Foundation - The Ineternational Montessori Council
Montessori Materials
Comparison of Traditional/Montessori:
http://spma.com/montessori-method/montessori-vs-traditional/comparison-chart/
http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/geninfo/compar.html
http://www.sunrise-montessori.com/what_is_montessori/montessori_vs_traditional.php
http://www.casamontessori.com/montessori.htm
http://www.montessori.org/story.php?id=23
How does Montessori prepare students for High School, College, and beyond?
- Lifelong Learning Skills. The real success of Montessori may be the long-term achievements gained from the practiced skills of collaborative learning, time-management, and self-governance. Students in the Montessori program are more likely to respond to social problems with a positive assertive response and show a more developed sense of community and social skills (Science, September 2006).
- Character Development. Measuring performance at River Montessori will focus equally on meeting state standards and developmental milestones for character development. Students will be evaluated by state competency exams (STAR testing), regular markers of academic progress and cognitive understanding, and by evaluations which focus on the following character traits: confidence and competence, independence, autonomy, intrinsic motivation, ability to handle external authority, social responsibility, good citizenship, and positive self-image.
- Long-term Success. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google founders told Barbara Walters, that their parent’s work as college professors contributed less to their success than their studies at a Montessori school early in life, where they learned to be self-reliant creative thinkers.