Montessori is an innovative, child-centered approach to education,

developed a century ago by a woman ahead of her time.

Montessori classrooms are immediately recognizable. You will see children
working independently and in groups, often with specially designed learning
materials; deeply engaged in their work; and respectful of themselves and
their surroundings.

The Montessori Method fosters rigorous, self-motivated growth for children and adolescents in all
areas of their development—cognitive, emotional, social, and physical.

When a child is given a little leeway, he will at once shout, ’I want to do it!’ But in our schools,
which have an environment adapted to children’s needs, they say, ‘Help me to do it alone.’
DR. MARIA MONTESSORI, THE SECRET OF CHILDHOOD
PUT IT ON A SLIDE!!!!!

Montessori education is student-led and self-paced but guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable
and caring teachers, the leadership of their peers, and a nurturing environment.

Within the community of a multi-age classroom—designed to create natural opportunities for

independence, citizenship, and accountability—children embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate
inquiry. Individual students follow their own curiosity at their own pace, taking the time they need to fully
understand each concept and meet individualized learning goals.

Given the freedom and support to question, probe deeply, and make connections, Montessori students
grow up to be confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners and citizens, accountable to both
themselves and their community. They think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly and with
integrity. What better outcome could you wish for your children?

MONTESSORY TERMINOLOGY

Dr. Maria Montessori introduced many new terms and concepts to describe
how children grow and learn. These terms are still widely in use today in the
Montessori community. You may encounter these terms as you learn about
the Montessori method of education.
SOME ITEMS OF THIS TERMINOLOGY:
Casa dei Bambini – In Italian, “Children’s House,” and the name of Dr.
Montessori’s first school.
Сhildren’s House – In many Montessori schools, this is the name of the
classroom for children ages 2.5 (or 3) to 6 years; other schools call the
classroom for this age group Casa, preschool, primary, or early childhood.
Control of error – Montessori materials are designed so that the child
receives instant feedback about her progress as she works, allowing her to
recognize, correct, and learn from an error without adult assistance. Putting
control of the activity in the child’s hands strengthens her self-esteem and
self-motivation as well as her learning.
Erdkinder – German for “child of the earth,” this term describes a Montessori
learning environment for adolescents ages 12 – 15 that connects them with
nature and engages them in purposeful, hands-on work in which they
contribute to the community. Erdkinder programs are often referred to as
“farm schools.”
Mixed-age grouping (or multi-age grouping) – One of the hallmarks of
Montessori education is that children of mixed ages work together in the
same class. Age groupings are based on the Planes of Development as
identified by Dr. Maria Montessori. Multi-age groupings enable younger
children to learn from older children and experience new challenges through
observation; older children reinforce their learning by teaching concepts they
have already mastered, develop leadership skills, and serve as role models.
Because each child’s work is individual, children progress at their own pace;
there is cooperation rather than competition between the ages. This
arrangement mirrors the real world, in which individuals work and socialize
with people of all ages and dispositions. Typically, children from 2.5/3 – 6
years of age are grouped together in an Early Childhood classroom. 6 – 9 year
olds share the Lower Elementary (grades 1 – 3) and the Upper Elementary is
made up of 9 – 12 year olds (grades 4 – 6). At the Secondary level, groupings
may be 2- or 3-years. Children from birth – age 3 may be grouped in varying
multi-age configurations, and are commonly grouped from birth to 15/18
months (or when mobile) and 15/18 months to age 3.
Nido – “Nest” in Italian, this is a Montessori environment for infants, though
not all schools that offer an infant program use this term.
The 3-period lesson – A 3-step technique for presenting information to the
child. In the first—the introduction or naming period—the teacher
demonstrates what “this is.” (The teacher might say “This is a mountain”
while pointing to it on a 3-dimensional map.) In the second—
the association or recognition period—the teacher asks the child to “show”
what was just identified (“Show me the mountain”). Finally, in
the recall period, the teacher asks the child to name the object (“What is
this?” she asks the child, while pointing to the mountain.) Moving from
taking in new information, to passive recall, to active identification reinforces
the child’s learning and demonstrates her mastery of the concept.
Work cycle – Within the prepared environment of the Montessori classroom,
children are taught to complete a work cycle which includes 1) choosing an
activity; 2) completing the activity to completion (perhaps repeating the full
sequence of the activity multiple times), cleaning up and returning the
materials to the proper place; and 3) experiencing a sense of satisfaction to
have fully completed the task.

The Montessori Method is based on principles developed by Maria Montessori, who opened her first school
for the children of low-income workers in an apartment block in Rome in 1907. The school was called Casa
dei Bambini, the House for Children.

She was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational method that
builds on the way children learn naturally.

She was a medical doctor by training. Maria’s early medical practice focused on psychiatry, but
during her studies she became interested in pedagogy and child psychology.

She opened the first Montessori school—the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House—in Rome on
January 6, 1907. It was a school for the children of low-income workers and mentally disabled
children in an apartment block.The students were children between the ages of 3 and 7 who were
left to their own while their parents went to work.

This first "house" had a teacher's table, a stove, a blackboard, a few chairs, group tables for the children,
and a classroom with materials that Montessori had developed in her early career as she researched how to
teach children with intellectual disabilities. Maria Montessori created these materials based on her idea that
students understand complex concepts better when they engage all of their senses.

The methodology included independence (e.g. dressing and undressing), maintenance of the living space
(sweeping, dusting and gardening). Pupils were also free to move around the school and play with prepared
materials. Montessori herself did not teach, but only observed teachers at her school.

Montessori noticed that children were able to achieve deep concentration, as well as repeatedly repeating
the same action. Because of the freedom of choice given, the children showed more interest in hands-on
activities and materials than in the usual toys, sweets or other rewards.

Over time, these children were found to have spontaneous discipline. Montessori concluded that with some
freedom, the children seemed to have reached new levels of autonomy and self-learning. The teacher now
appeared to her only as a helper for young people who could move and act freely within a prepared
environment. The goal: to raise children to be independent and responsible adults who shared their love of
learning.

Soon Montessori herself and her ideas began to travel the world, inspiring progressive thinkers and
educators everywhere. Inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison were among the first
followers. Later students of this school included Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia, writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez,
and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Today, the term "Montessori" refers more to the method than to the school itself. The fact that it is publicly
available has led to a great diversity of schools. Educators around the world are borrowing Montessori's
name, ideas and materials to set up kindergartens, primary schools, specialised programmes and even full
12-year schools. Some parents use this method for homeschooling.

The following characteristics are common to most programmes:

- Pupils are free to choose what they want to learn

- Spacious classrooms that allow for free movement

- Use of specialised Montessori materials

- Mixed classes (ages 0-3, 3-6, or 6-12) so that children can learn from each other.
- Uninterrupted blocks of instructional time, usually three hours

- No grades or homework

- Also - a trained teacher

Maria Montessori's quote is well known, "Never help a child with a task in which he feels he can succeed."
What do you think of Montessori? Please share your opinion

ABOUT MARIA MONTESSORY

Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational
method that builds on the way children learn naturally.
She opened the first Montessori school—the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House—in Rome on January
6, 1907. The Montessori Method is based on principles developed by Maria Montessori, who opened her
first school for the children of low-income workers in an apartment block in Rome in 1907. The school was
called Casa dei Bambini, the House for Children.

Subsequently, she traveled the world and wrote extensively about her approach to education,
attracting many devotees. There are now thousands of Montessori schools in countries worldwide.

Maria’s early medical practice focused on psychiatry. She later developed an interest in education,
attending classes on pedagogy and immersing herself in educational theory. Her studies led her to
observe, and call into question, the prevailing methods of teaching children with intellectual and
developmental disabilities. ; she first worked with children who were mentally disabled, observing
that they responded well to sensory-rich environments and learned best when engaged in
purposeful activities. Montessori used materials designed to appeal to the senses, created learning
games and activities, and developed strategies for teachers to guide children in learning rather than
lecture them from a book.

The opportunity to improve on these methods came in 1900, when she was appointed co-director
of a new training institute for special education teachers. Maria approached the task scientifically,
carefully observing and experimenting to learn which teaching methods worked best. Many of the
children made unexpected gains, and the program was proclaimed a success.

In 1907, Maria accepted a challenge to open a full-day childcare center in San Lorenzo, a poor
inner-city district of Rome. The students were under-served youngsters, ages 3 – 7, who were left
to their own devices while their parents went out to work. This center, the first of its kind in the
nation, and a high-quality learning environment, became the first Casa dei Bambini.

BRITANNICA

Montessori had studied the work of Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard and Edouard

Séguin; she first worked with children who were mentally disabled, observing
that they responded well to sensory-rich environments and learned best when
engaged in purposeful activities. Montessori used materials designed to appeal to
the senses, created learning games and activities, and developed strategies for
teachers to guide children in learning rather than lecture them from a book. She
published a handbook on her teaching methods and philosophies in 1914, laying
the foundation for what became known as the Montessori method of education.
After working with children who were mentally disabled, Montessori adapted her
methods for preschool-age children and then further adapted her approach for
elementary and secondary students.

Today there are Montessori schools all over the world. Montessori schools are part of both
private and public school systems, and the Montessori influence is evident particularly in
early childhood education and early childhood special education. The name Montessori is
not legally protected and can be used by anyone; hence, there are many Montessori
organizations.

The Montessori method discourages the traditional measurements of achievement, such as

tests and grades. Instead, assessment is based on student-developed portfolios and
teachers’ observational data. Teachers help students to make improvements to reach the
specified knowledge and skills in each of the curricular areas. Some Montessori schools
today provide grades, especially at the secondary level, because grades are an important
consideration for college entry requirements.

Critics of Montessori schools have complained that because students are given freedom to
choose what they study, certain students will not master areas of the curriculum in which
they are not naturally interested. Montessori schools also have been criticized for not
assigning homework, not giving tests, and not giving grades.